Survey: Hotels in Chicago 50% cheaper due to coronavirus

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Grand Rapids is currently the most expensive city in the Midwest for hotel accommodations, according to the latest survey by Chicagohotels.org. This year’s results, however, were heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo: Mack Male via Flickr/ CC BY-SA 2.0

The survey compared hotel rates in 30 Midwestern cities. Properties were required to have a 3-star rating or higher to be considered; for each destination, Chicagohotels.org determined the average rate for the least expensive double room during October 2020.

Grand Rapids topped the rankings, with an average price of $127 for the most affordable double room. Cincinnati took second place with average rates of $118, while Ann Arbor completes the podium with average rates of $116 per night.

Grand Rapids hotels are more affordable by about 25% due to the Coronavirus, but other destinations were more heavily impacted. Hotel rates in Ann Arbor, Kansas City and Columbus are down about 40% compared to last year.

The biggest overall price drop was in Chicago, where you can find a 3-star room for around $80 per night—almost 50% more affordable compared to October 2019.

The following table compares 30 urban destinations in the Midwest. Prices shown reflect the average rate for each city’s cheapest available double room (minimum 3-star hotel) for the period between October 1–30, 2020. A comparison with regular rates is added, based on hotel prices of January 13, 2018.

1. Grand Rapids MI $127 (-24%)
2. Cincinnati, OH $118 (-35%)
3. Ann Arbor, MI $116 (-39%)
4. Cedar Rapids, IO $106 (-3%)
5. Cleveland, OH $106 (-17%)
6. Detroit, MI $104 (-26%)
7. Peoria, IL $104 (-18%)
8. Madison, WI $103 (-41%)
9. Indianapolis, IN $102 (-35%)
10. Des Moines, IA $102 (-17%)
11. Springfield, MO $100 (-14%)
12. Lincoln, NE $100 (-16%)
13. Rochester, MN $98 (-11%)
14. Toledo, OH $94 (-1%)
15. Sioux Falls, SD $93 (-14%)
16. Springfield, IL $93 (-16%)
17. Kansas City, MO $92 (-39%)
18. Saint Louis, MO $91 (-19%)
19. Topeka, KS $89 (-8%)
20. Rockford, IL $89 (-24%)
21. Saint Paul, MN $88 (-21%)
22. Columbus, OH $88 (-41%)
23. Omaha, NE $87 (-31%)
24. Fort Wayne, IN $85 (-45%)
25. Wichita, KS $84 (-2%)
26. Milwaukee, WI $80 (-17%)
27. Minneapolis, MN $80 (-20%)
28. Chicago, IL $79 (-48%)
29. Green Bay, WI $76 (-22%)
30. Bismarck, ND $67 (-33%)

Press Contact: Holly Riddle, +1-805-308-9660 press@chicagohotels.org

About the Methodology

The survey considered all cities in the Midwest with a population greater than 250,000, another 11 important destinations with a population greater than 100,000 and Bismarck as the capital of North Dakota. For each destination, the rate of the cheapest available double room was established for the following time periods: October 8-11, October 12–15 and October 20–23, 2020. Based on this data, an average price was calculated for each destination. Only centrally located hotels rated 3 stars or higher were included in the survey. All prices were established on September 2020 via the hotel comparison website Kayak.