Rising Room Tabs

U.S. hotel rates rose an average of nearly 5% last year, but not every area shared equally in the windfall. San Francisco was the big winner. A sampling:

Area/Room rate increase 1999-2000

Anaheim/Santa Ana..........5.6%

Atlanta....................2.1%

Boston.....................8.0%

Chicago....................4.6%

Dallas.....................1.1%

Denver.....................1.9%

Los Angeles/Long Beach.....6.4%

New Orleans................5.1%

New York...................8.0%

Oahu Island, Hawaii........3.9%

Orlando, Fla...............2.2%

San Diego..................5.5%

San Francisco/San Mateo...11.5%

Seattle....................1.1%

Washington, D.C............5.8%

Source: Smith Travel Research survey of 25 U.S. markets