CITY NOTEBOOK | Hotel occupancy grows by 11.5 percentage points in March 2021

Hailey Phillips, The Manhattan Mercury, Kan.
·2 min read

May 29—Manhattan hotel occupancy rates increased by 11.5 percentage points in March 2021 compared to March 2020, a sign people are traveling more and returning to normal activities compared to when the pandemic began one year ago.

According to STR, a hospitality data and analytics company that compiles city hotel occupancy data, occupancy in March 2021 was 49.9%, up from the 38.4% rate recorded during March 2020, when the pandemic began and people first canceled activities and events. March is the latest month with data available.

Through March 2021, the city recorded hotel occupancy at 41.3%, down 7.6 percentage points from the rate recorded through March 2020, which was 48.9%.

The average daily rate through March 2021 was down at $83.95, a decrease of $7.38. The average daily rate through March 2020 was $91.33.

The city's hotel room numbers are down about 70 after owners of the Hampton Inn, 501 East Poyntz Ave., decided to permanently close the hotel after a January fire caused about $5 million in damage. Manhattan's inventory dropped to 1,167.

Revenue per room through March 2021 was down at $34.69, a decrease of $9.96 or 22.3%. Revenue per room through March 2020 was $44.65.

Overall hotel revenue was down about $1.2 million through March 2021. Through March 2020, the overall revenue collected was $4.9 million. The overall revenue was $3.7 million through March 2021. That is a decrease of 25.2%.

Pool season starts Saturday

Northview and City Park Pools open for the summer on Saturday.

The CiCo Park Pool will not open this year. Although city officials indicated they would like to open that pool this summer, they said they won't be able to prepare it in time.

The City Park pool will operate from 1-8 p.m. daily. Northview's hours are 1-7 p.m. daily.

Admission for adults 16 years and older is $6. Children aged 2-15 years old cost $4. Children under two years old are free. Non-swimmers can get in for $2.

Last year, the city government closed the pools because of the coronavirus pandemic.