Marco Island is the priciest place for a hotel stay in Florida right now, according to a new study by CheapHotels.org.
The survey compared hotel rates across as many as 30 popular destinations in the Sunshine State for the high season period of February 1 to March 31, 2023, finding the average per night rate for the most affordable double room in Marco Island to be $439. By comparison, Downtown Miami costs nearly half as much with an average rate of $224.
Only hotels located close to the beach (or in downtown) and rated at least three stars were considered for the survey, which was conducted at the end of January 2023 using hotel comparison website Kayak.
Sarasota ($435), West Palm Beach ($425), Sanibel Island ($387) and Key West ($375) round out the top five most expensive destinations for a hotel stay in Florida. This winter's top 10 also includes notable cities such as Delray Beach ($354), Naples ($350), Pompano Beach ($344), Key Largo ($276) and St. Pete Beach ($273).
Travelers seeking the cheapest rates in the state may consider a stay in Kissimmee close to Walt Disney World Resort with rates coming in at an affordable average of $94. Panama City Beach ($103), the capital of Tallahassee ($145), Fort Walton Beach ($150) and Miramar Beach ($154) also rank among Florida's cheapest travel destinations this season.
Top Gulf Coast destinations such as Tampa ($236) and St. Petersburg ($230) rank toward the middle of the pack when it comes to the average nightly hotel rate while tourist-friendly hotspots such as Fort Lauderdale ($205), Downtown Orlando ($185), Miami Beach ($185), Daytona Beach ($174) and Jacksonville ($170) sit on the cheaper end of the spectrum.
Comparing this year's data to 2018, hotel rates in Florida are up by about 20 percent on average, CheapHotels.org found. Sarasota (+59 percent) and West Palm Beach (+63 percent) have seen the biggest price increases while rates in places like Downtown Miami (-5 percent) and Panama City Beach (-4 percent) have only decreased over the past five years.
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