Lake Tahoe hotel room occupancy below state average

Lake Tahoe, Monterey/Carmel, Napa and other Northern California locations were among the weakest markets for hotel occupancy, average nightly rates and revenue per room in May, according to PKF Consulting.

San Francisco, on the other hand, is outpacing most of Northern California with an 84.5 occupancy rate in May and 77.8 percent for the first five months.

San Francisco hotels are busy filling rooms and drink glasses. Photo/LTN

Northern California occupancy was 74.1 percent in May this year, while in 2010 it was 71.2 percent. Average room rates in Northern California jumped 10.1 percent in May, to $138.55 from $125.80 a year ago.

May can always be a tricky month for Lake Tahoe because it is in between seasons – too much snow to hike, but the ski resorts aren’t open. And this particular year the snow just kept coming, which led to the Tour de California never happening in the basin. Echo Summit construction also didn’t help put heads in beds.

While exact numbers are not out for July yet, reports are the Fourth did not appear to be as busy as prior years in Lake Tahoe.

This compares to San Francisco, which was hopping that long weekend. An employee at the Marriott hotel on Fourth Street said their property is always busy, but on a weekend like that it’s “crazy.”

— Lake Tahoe News staff report