The report, compiled by hospitality consultant Bob Benton ofRobert S.Benton & Associates, shows that hotels had an averageoccupancy rate of 75.2% in August, compared with 72.9% in 2003.However, the hotel occupancy rate dropped slightly from 76,9% inJuly, which was the highest so far this year.

Year-to-date, the average room rate stood at 63.8%, comparedwith 61.8% in the first eight months of 2003. The average room raterose to $86.35, the highest so far this year, in August. It wasalso the first month this year that the average room rate bestedthe same month in 2003. The average room rate stood at $84.71 inAugust 2003. Year-to-date, the average room rate stands at $83.13,down slightly from $84.71 through the first eight months of2003.

The highest average room rates were found in the 159,117available room nights Downtown, where the average room rate was$120.68. The only other submarket to break $100 was Boulder, whichstood at $105.33. Boulder also boasted the highest overalloccupancy rate at 82.3% Downtown's occupancy rate stood at 80.3%,while the 81.7% of the 59,845 available room nights near DIA wereoccupied. The average room rate for DIA hotels was $82.18.