PHOENIX — It’s coming down to the wire for football – and golf – fans searching for hotel rooms for the Super Bowl and WM Phoenix Open.
If you’re looking for a hotel room in metro Phoenix, know this: Your options are growing more expensive.
While some hotel chains have more rooms available than they did a couple of months ago, demand is driving prices up. Room rates are so expensive that, as reported by Axios, a Motel 6 near State Farm Stadium in Glendale, host venue of Super Bowl 57, starts at $854 a night.
It may be tempting to wait until you know your team will make it to the big game before reserving a hotel. But the delay may reduce your options and require more money in your lodging budget. Here’s the latest on the prices and availability of metro Phoenix hotels for the Super Bowl with less than three weeks before the game.
Travelers who plan to stay in Glendale, Scottsdale or other metro Phoenix cities the weekend of Feb. 10-13 can expect to pay at least $300-$600 per night. Prices are higher the closer you get to the stadium in Glendale.
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The lowest price found during a search of hotel and travel websites was at the Super 8 by Wyndham Phoenix Metro North, about 11 miles from State Farm Stadium and about 21 miles from TPC Scottsdale, with rooms starting at $225 per night. The lowest-priced hotel with a TripAdvisor traveler rating of at least 4 out of 5 was the Hampton Inn Phoenix/Anthem with rooms starting at $399 per night.
While inventories remain tight, especially near State Farm Stadium, a trend that hotel experts had anticipated is happening: Rooms are opening up from cancellations as teams are eliminated from the NFL playoffs.
A recent search on the reservation websites of hotel chains with a large presence in metro Phoenix showed the following prices and availability for Feb. 10-13:
- Hilton had rooms available at 26 hotels and two Hilton Vacation Clubs. The lowest rate was $399 per night at the aforementioned Hampton Inn Phoenix/Anthem.
- Marriott International had rooms available at 19 hotels. The lowest rate was $479 per night at Four Points by Sheraton Phoenix South Mountain. The chain’s closest vacancy to the stadium was the Residence Inn Phoenix NW/Surprise, starting at $799 per night. Residence Inn by Marriott Phoenix Desert View at Mayo Clinic, about five mile from TPC Scottsdale, currently shows rooms for $599.
- Wyndham Hotels and Resorts had 18 available hotels in metro Phoenix. The Super 8 Phoenix Metro North, at $225 per night, was the lowest available but as part of a promotion Wyndham is offering where you can save 25 percent on stays of at least three nights if booked by Feb. 3.
- Choice Hotels had 25 hotels with rooms available. The lowest rate was $398 per night at the Comfort Inn West Phoenix at 27th Avenue and Interstate 10.
- IHG Hotels and Resorts had rooms available at 12 of its metro Phoenix hotels. The lowest rate was $379 per night at the Holiday Inn Phoenix Chandler.
Make sure to factor in traffic as you plan your hotel reservations.
Consider vacation rentals or staying out of town
Staying outside metro Phoenix — in Prescott or Tucson, for example — is an option if you’re game for a lot of extra driving. The top 10 Prescott hotels on TripAdvisor advertised rates between $99 and $186 per night for Feb. 10-13. For the top hotels in Tucson, that range was $196-$573. Be aware it can take several hours to get into the city when factoring in traffic.
Short-term rentals such as Airbnb and Vrbo are still available. There are a handful of private rooms available on Airbnb in the $100-$200 per night range for Super Bowl weekend in metro Phoenix, including in Glendale, as well as guest houses starting around $300-$400.