With 62 million visitors per year, Orlando is America’s top tourist city. This exceeds New York City, Los Angles, and even Las Vegas. With tourism numbers continuing to rise, attention is being focused on hotels and condos in Central Florida, and the value of a night’s stay.
Currently on mega-travel sites like Expedia, Orbitz, and TripAdvisor, vacationers can find great deals on all kinds of accommodations – from motels to four-star hotels to four-bedroom rentals complete with private pool and garage. And by great deals, we’re talking prices anywhere from $20 a night to $99 a night for an entire vacation home. These kinds of prices are almost unheard of in other parts of the country, especially in vacation-heavy areas, but in Orlando they are becoming the norm, even as families are coming back to Florida and spending has increased.
What is truly intriguing is how low the prices are at what are considered some of the most luxurious hotels in the area. In what is described as the parks’ “off-peak season” – October though the week before Thanksgiving, you find deals at places like the Waldorf for lower than some chain hotels like the Hilton, which is the parent company of Waldorf and happens to be located right next door.
Waldorf has watered down it’s brand by doing this, as have many other luxury hotels in the area. In November, you can stay at the Ritz (yes, the Ritz) for as low as $207 per night. And while the Four Seasons pricing remains high relative to its lesser brothers, it is more than justified, since it’s the only 5-star hotel in Orlando).
Are Orlando’s resorts and timeshares tarnishing the good name of luxury travel? Yes.
Luxury travelers both young and old crave uniqueness. There is a whole new generation of luxury travelers who are looking for everything but “watered down”. Paul James, Global Brand Leader for Starwood Luxury Brands, said in an interview with Forbes that today’s younger generation of travelers want to experience what others cannot. James says Starwood is reacting to this shift, particularly with its St. Regis and W hotel brands. (Although Starwood’s Orlando properties are fairly low priced as well.)
Other brands would be smart to follow Starwood’s overall thinking. While the travel business may be booming in Orlando right now, for long-term growth, the city’s highest-end brands will likely have to both reevaluate their pricing structures and make shifts in technology, design, and overall experience to maintain their luxury status amongst the younger luxury travel set. Which brand do you think will pull ahead?