Hotel Availability (Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden: hotels, living, prices)

[Guy with Questions]

I landed my job here in SLC and drove down from WA last weekend to look around for a place. The first day I was EXHAUSTED from the 11 hour overnight drive, so I just went into the first hotel I saw--the Marriott downtown by City Creek. I wanted to stay a couple more days, but the counter guy said that the rate would basically double as it would be weekday pricing. I thought that was strange, but went to the Red Lion a few blocks away and stayed for two nights. After leaving the Red Lion on Monday, I have not been able to find a hotel. I've checked EVERYWHERE over the last 2 days and even had to sleep in my car last night to avoid dropping $300+ on a room. I have tried hostels and cheap motels--no luck. I've accepted that I will be staying in my car indefinitely until I find a place as it is a nightmare trying to find a hotel room. I've lived in Spokane, WA and Seattle and there is one weekend between the two cities in which it's hard to find a room downtown, let alone the entire city. I'm shocked to say the least. I can understand why people would want to visit SLC, but my goodness it's lead to an awful experience. I feel like a bum, and I might as well be

This is a problem I would understand if there were a big music festival or something in town, but there doesn't appear to be anything but Bill Cosby and a music event by the UofU. What gives?

My main question here is: how the **** does SLC host events like the Winter Olympics and NCAA tournament basketball games (among others)??? If it's like this mid-summer with nothing of note going on, I can't imagine it during a real high-attendance event. I'm not blaming anyone, but UGHHH!!!

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by Guy with Questions

I landed my job here in SLC and drove down from WA last weekend to look around for a place. The first day I was EXHAUSTED from the 11 hour overnight drive, so I just went into the first hotel I saw--the Marriott downtown by City Creek. I wanted to stay a couple more days, but the counter guy said that the rate would basically double as it would be weekday pricing. I thought that was strange, but went to the Red Lion a few blocks away and stayed for two nights. After leaving the Red Lion on Monday, I have not been able to find a hotel. I've checked EVERYWHERE over the last 2 days and even had to sleep in my car last night to avoid dropping $300+ on a room. I have tried hostels and cheap motels--no luck. I've accepted that I will be staying in my car indefinitely until I find a place as it is a nightmare trying to find a hotel room. I've lived in Spokane, WA and Seattle and there is one weekend between the two cities in which it's hard to find a room downtown, let alone the entire city. I'm shocked to say the least. I can understand why people would want to visit SLC, but my goodness it's lead to an awful experience. I feel like a bum, and I might as well be

This is a problem I would understand if there were a big music festival or something in town, but there doesn't appear to be anything but Bill Cosby and a music event by the UofU. What gives?

My main question here is: how the **** does SLC host events like the Winter Olympics and NCAA tournament basketball games (among others)??? If it's like this mid-summer with nothing of note going on, I can't imagine it during a real high-attendance event. I'm not blaming anyone, but UGHHH!!!

Right now, the Outdoor Retailers Association is having its semi-annual trade show here. I don't know how long before the actual event started that hotel occupancy and rates have been as you encountered them, but 28,000 people would impact any city the size of Salt Lake City, and that probably can shed some light on your experience.

During the Olympics, we had huge numbers of people, but they were not all here at once. They'd come for three or four days and then leave, and this took place over a period of more than two weeks. Seriously, you probably just hit it at one of the worst times you could. A couple of weeks from now your experience would likely be completely different.

[CCSLC]

The single biggest convention of the year is in town this week. Outdoor Retailer's summer market brings over 27,000 extra people to Salt Lake. That's why hotel prices are so high, and why there are absolutely no rooms anywhere. Next week, there will be extra rooms all over the place.

I have to say, if you've been downtown this week and thought there was "nothing of note going on," you're going to be mighty surprised about how empty the city is when there aren't those 27,000 extra people in the streets. I was downtown last night for dinner, and compared to how it usually is, it was a mad house! We had to wait 40 minutes for a table at Red Rock!

[cwaatar516]

A bit of a drive, but a friend of mine got a room in Provo for tomorrow night. You might try some of the surrounding towns.

[CCSLC]

Jinx, Katz.

[SWFL_Native]

Originally Posted by Guy with Questions

I landed my job here in SLC and drove down from WA last weekend to look around for a place. The first day I was EXHAUSTED from the 11 hour overnight drive, so I just went into the first hotel I saw--the Marriott downtown by City Creek. I wanted to stay a couple more days, but the counter guy said that the rate would basically double as it would be weekday pricing. I thought that was strange, but went to the Red Lion a few blocks away and stayed for two nights. After leaving the Red Lion on Monday, I have not been able to find a hotel. I've checked EVERYWHERE over the last 2 days and even had to sleep in my car last night to avoid dropping $300+ on a room. I have tried hostels and cheap motels--no luck. I've accepted that I will be staying in my car indefinitely until I find a place as it is a nightmare trying to find a hotel room. I've lived in Spokane, WA and Seattle and there is one weekend between the two cities in which it's hard to find a room downtown, let alone the entire city. I'm shocked to say the least. I can understand why people would want to visit SLC, but my goodness it's lead to an awful experience. I feel like a bum, and I might as well be

This is a problem I would understand if there were a big music festival or something in town, but there doesn't appear to be anything but Bill Cosby and a music event by the UofU. What gives?

My main question here is: how the **** does SLC host events like the Winter Olympics and NCAA tournament basketball games (among others)??? If it's like this mid-summer with nothing of note going on, I can't imagine it during a real high-attendance event. I'm not blaming anyone, but UGHHH!!!

First off fail to you sir for not planning ahead; your organization skills must be astonishing. I've moved in and out of slc twice and flew back 8 times for business when not living here. Never had any issues with booking hotels when planned properly.

[kavm]

Gee. I am sure that was helpful!

To the OP, your only choices are: to drive farther out or look at non-traditional housing such as B&B. Folks attending the conventions often do not go that route...

[TCAS007]

As being said move to a hotel further out. Many motels around. If need be go to Ogden.

[kaytidid]

Tooele and Lakepoint are closer. We have a brand new Comfort Inn in Lakepoint. It is very nice. Tooele also has a Best Western, Holiday Inn, American Inn and Suites and a Hampton Inn. Those are just the major chain hotels. There are also a couple locally owned as well.

[justducky2]

I know it's late for you on this thread, but I've had great luck with airbnb.