AT AROUND 4AM Irish time tonight, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will go toe-to-toe in a Las Vegas ring.
After the main bout, nearly 17,000 fans will decamp to their lodgings for the evening. With prices for tickets starting at $1,000, chances are that those folks aren’t too hard up for cash.
But with thousands more people expected to file into Sin City just to taste the atmosphere, hotels are expectedly jacking up their prices.
On the iconic Vegas strip, that is expected.
The Stratosphere hotel (above), which usually charges around $85 a night, is looking for $525 for Saturday night, a 617% hike, while the Golden Nugget wants $549, around $450 more than normal.
Others are charging around 200% more than usual, but still come in around $250.
Of course, this is simple supply and demand, right? The fight is close by and even though these are not the top hotels Vegas can offer, they’re still pretty nice.
But some motels are also cashing in.
Take, for example, the Economy Motel. Rooms are usually around $30 a night.
This Saturday, they want $500. Not $50, $500.
The motel is two hours walk from the MGM and has reviews that say things like:
It was shabby and noisy the whole night: music, talking, noise of fan from neighbor [sic]. You couldn’t open a window, no air condition. Never again!
Well, it started when we pulled into our parking spot next to a car whose side was peppered with bullet holes. There were several mentally ill people milling around directly in front of the lobby door; the attendant swatted them out of the way to allow us entry.
Anyway, we made it out without getting shot or mugged, so there’s that. I would highly recommend springing for a slightly more expensive room, even if you don’t have the means – the $20 savings was not worth the mortal peril.
It was so disgusting that we paid for our room and chose not to sleep there. There’s no AC and it looks like a crack house. I was scared to sit on the bed. Not worth it.
And, as a picture is worth a thousand words:
Luxurious.
Other motels, including the Motel 6 and Red Roof Inn chains are charging over 300% above what they normally charge.
Which makes us appreciate the couch and Sky Box Office.
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