According to the firm's Hotel Affordability Index, the average daily rate for a hotel room in Atlanta in 2002 was $76.43, with hotel guests in Dallas paying $76.75. Orlando, Los Angeles and Phoenix follow the two cities with ADRs of $86.16, $91.39 and $94.24 respectively.

New York comes in as the least affordable US city with an ADR of $172.42. It is followed by Boston and San Francisco with ADRs of $124.23 and $123.36 respectively.

The firm's Hotel Affordability Index compares the average daily rate of a city's hotel market with the local price of a McDonald's Big Mac in the native currency ($2.65 in the US), as published by The Economist. The results of the inaugural Hotel Affordability Index show that even among the major cities around the world, only Mexico City and Sao Paulo are more affordable than Atlanta and Dallas.

"In Atlanta and Dallas you can get a good night's rest for only 29 times the cost of a Big Mac," notes Arthur Adler, managing director and CEO-Americas for Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels. "Orlando, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Miami hotels also provide a good value, at 33 to 38 times the cost of two all beef patties, special sauce, etc."

He adds that the economic turndown has led to bargains for travelers and, this combined with the increase in driving vacations, are positive signs for occupancy levels at US hotels this summer.

Instant Insights /

Atlanta Comes in as the 'Big Cheese' in Hotel Affordability

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