Report: Greeley, DIA hotel markets show strong occupancy in April

Last month, the closure of several Colorado ski resorts coincided in a dramatic drop in hotel prices across the state.

A new report by the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association shows that average daily rates have dropped significantly compared to what spring breakers and visitors paid in hotels in March. The rate has gone from $204,69 to $156.76 in April.

The average daily rate of Colorado hotels also dropped last year, from $198.59 in March last year to $149 in April.

In Colorado resort towns, last month's majority of resort closures almost halted hotel stay. Total occupancy in all Colorado resort towns, including Vail and Aspen as well as Telluride, Breckenridge, Steamboat Springs, was 35.7% compared to the occupancy rate of 68.4% for March.

Telluride experienced a steep decline in occupancy: In April, the total occupancy rate was just 17.9%, compared with a March total occupancy of 72.5%.

Steamboat Springs' average daily rate dropped from $239.18 to $151.71 in April. Aspen's price decreased from $1187 to $547.87 year-to date.

Grand Junction, which was the most popular destination in the rest of the state for those seeking some desert sun, had an occupancy rate of 73.4%.

According to the report, Greeley's hotel rooms were 74% full in April.

Glenwood Springs performed well as well, with a rate of occupancy of 63.4%.

However, the slowdown in ski resort towns had only a slight impact on overall hotel visits. The total occupancy in Colorado last month was 61%, slightly less than the 66% recorded in March and lower than the 61.7% recorded a year earlier. Revenue per room has increased from $91.93 in April last year to $95.57 in April this year.

In the Denver metro region, hotel occupancy rates averaged 66.7% last month with a daily rate of $150.41. The revenue per room available was $100.99.

The average daily rate has increased from $140.06 in April last year to $151.41 in April this year. The average daily rates also increased from month to month, with March's rate being $143.48.

In April, the Denver International Airport submarket had 75.1% occupancy. Denver South, the Interstate 225 neighborhood, and Aurora East were also strong submarkets in terms of occupancy, with 73% and 74.3% respectively.

The Highway 36 corridor, however, had the lowest occupancy of all Denver metro submarkets, at 58.1%.

Last month, the Golden Triangle and Lower Downtown area had the highest average daily rate at $223.42.