Want to have an out-of-town friend who is strapped for cash pay you a visit sometime soon? Well, you better offer your futon, because according to a new ranking from Forbes.com, based on average hotel room price, Miami is the sixth most expensive city to visit in America.
The average nightly rate for a hotel room in Miami in 2010 was $139.58. That's down from previous highs but still pretty pricey in relation to most American cities.
New York City tops the list with an astounding average nightly rate of $194.14. Honolulu, Boston, Santa Barbara, and Washington, D.C., round out the top five and were the only cities to place higher than Miami.
Unlike many cities on the list, though, Miami's average room rate was virtually unchanged since 2009. Forbes also reports that 2011 might see an uptick in average rates.
"A peek at 2011 shows an early surge in demand and prices," reports the site. "According to Expedia.com, average prices during January, February, and early March were up from last year, as much as 20 percent or so in Honolulu, Boston, Miami, and Washington, D.C."
Recent data on hotel taxes indicates Miami's hotel industry is quickly recovering from the 2008 financial crash. Hotel taxes collected this February saw a 1.5 percent gain since 2010. That might not seem like much, but remember that Miami hosted the Super Bowl in 2010, and there was a 20 percent surge in February 2010 compared to 2009.
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