Hotel Industry

Guides and stories about hotel industry from Best.

Massive cruise ship docked at a sunlit port terminal

Cruise Ships Are at 109% Capacity in 2026. Port City Hotels Are the Real Story.

Royal Caribbean reported a 109% load factor in the first quarter of 2026. That means ships are sailing not just full, but with additional guests in cabins that hold more than two. Carnival, Norwegian, and MSC all reported similar surges. The 2026 cruise season is the busiest in industry history, and roughly two thirds of all 2026 sailings were sold out by April. That's a big story. But the more interesting story is happening on land. When cruise ships fill up, the hotel markets in the embarkati

May 17, 2026 · 6 min read

Hotel front desk with brass fixtures and concierge service area

Hotel Industry

Walked From a Hotel? What You're Actually Owed in 2026

You arrive at midnight after a delayed flight. The clerk at the front desk pulls up your reservation and apologizes. The hotel is full. They've arranged a room for you across town at another property. This is being walked. It happens more than the industry likes to admit. Hotels routinely overbook by 5 to 15% because they know a percentage of guests won't show up. Most nights the math works. Some nights it doesn't, and somebody has to be turned away. If you're the last guest to arrive on an ove

May 17, 2026 · 6 min read

Spacious hotel buffet area with a variety of drinks and seating

Hotel Industry

Why Hotel Breakfast Costs $35 (And When the Buffet Is Actually Worth It)

The $35 hotel breakfast costs the hotel under $5 in food. Here's when the buffet is actually a smart trade.

May 16, 2026 · 5 min read

Modern hotel lobby with elegant design and seating area

Hotel Industry

Why Hotel Loyalty Programs Are Quietly Falling Apart in 2026

Hotel loyalty programs used to be a real thing. You earned points, you got upgrades, you booked free nights, and the math kind of worked out if you traveled enough. We tracked the major programs over the last twelve months and the picture in 2026 looks different. The programs are quietly devaluing, and not in subtle ways. The pattern is the same across all the big chains. Award nights cost more points than they did a year ago. Elite benefits are getting harder to use. Free breakfast is becoming

May 11, 2026 · 5 min read

Modern hotel room interior with neutral decor and city view

Hotel Industry

Hotel Loyalty Points Are Worth Less in 2026 (And What That Means for Your Bookings)

Hotel chains owe members $11.6 billion in unredeemed points. The plan to clear that liability runs through devaluations. Here's the strategy that works in 2026.

May 4, 2026 · 7 min read

Hotel front desk and reception area with check-in counter

Travel News

Hotel Resort Fees in 2026: One Year After the FTC's Junk Fees Rule

The FTC's rule on hidden fees took effect a year ago. Here's what actually changed, what didn't, and how to avoid resort fee traps in 2026.

May 4, 2026 · 6 min read

Modern hotel lobby with reception desk and ambient lighting

Hotel Industry

How Hotel Pricing Actually Works (And Why You're Paying Too Much)

Most travelers think hotels set prices the way restaurants do. Calculate the costs, add a margin, post the number. That's not what happens. Hotel rates are calculated by software running on yield management models that adjust prices dozens of times per day based on demand signals you can't see. Two travelers booking the same room for the same night a few hours apart will routinely pay different prices. We've spent a lot of time inside this industry building Best, and the pricing logic is more i

May 3, 2026 · 7 min read

Person using a smartphone app to search and book hotels using AI travel planning tools

Travel News

How AI Is Changing the Way People Book Hotels

78% of travelers now say they've booked a hotel primarily based on an AI recommendation. That number, from a 2026 research report by TakeUp AI, reflects something that's been building for two or three years and is now clearly past the tipping point. The way people research and book hotels has shifted faster than most of the hotel industry was prepared for. OTAs (online travel agencies like Booking.com and Expedia) overtook search engines as the primary starting point for hotel research in 2026,

Apr 29, 2026 · 5 min read

Elegant hotel lobby with grand chandelier and modern decor

Travel Savings

Hotels Are Charging for Everything Now. Here's What to Know.

Hotels are charging for things they used to include. Not just the resort fees you've been paying for years. Early check-in is a fee. Late checkout is a fee. Daily housekeeping is a fee at some properties. The industry calls it "unbundling." Your bill calls it something else. This is worth understanding because it's accelerating. And because there's a right way to navigate it that most travelers don't know yet. What's Actually Happening The hotel industry spent the last decade bundling amenit

Apr 27, 2026 · 5 min read

Modern hotel lobby with marble floors and warm interior lighting

Travel Savings

Hotel Prices Are Up 5.7% This Spring

US hotels averaged $167 per night the week of April 18, up 5.7% year-over-year. Here's what the spring data means for summer bookings and where to find value.

Apr 24, 2026 · 3 min read

Close up of hotel booking and price search on a travel website screen

Travel Savings

Why Your Hotel Price Changes Every Time You Refresh

Hotel prices move 10 to 15% within a band as algorithms run. Here's how dynamic pricing works and how to book when rates drop.

Apr 23, 2026 · 6 min read

Travel News

Why Choice Just Beat Marriott for the #1 Hotel Loyalty Program

Choice Privileges just unseated Marriott Bonvoy in the 2025-2026 hotel loyalty rankings. Here's what changed and how travelers should think about it.

Apr 23, 2026 · 6 min read