February, historically one of the best months of the year for Orlando-area hotels, was a sharp disappointment this time around, as both the percentage of rooms filled and the average price paid for a night’s stay fell by double-digit percentages compared with a year ago.
“We knew these numbers were going to be weak,” said Richard Maladecki, president of the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association. “It’s just so frustrating to see it in writing.”
The average hotel in the local market was only 65.9 percent full last month, a decrease of 12.5 percent from February 2008, according to a report released Monday by Smith Travel Research, a company that tracks hotel performance.
