Colorado Springs hotels saw solid occupancy in March, but the occupancy rate was shy of pre-pandemic levels.

The 64.5% occupancy rate in March was a big improvement from the 54.9% level reached in March 2021, and was the third-highest level for that month in 21 years, according to the Rocky Mountain Lodging Report.

Last month’s occupancy rate, however, still trailed the 68.2% rate reached in March 2019 and the 68.8% rate in March 2018.

The occupancy rate for the first quarter improved to 57.8% from 45.4% in the same period last year.

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The average room rate for local hotels in March jumped 25.2% from March 2021 to $118.56; that’s the biggest year-over-year increase since October.

The average for the first three months of the year was up 21.7% from the same period a year ago to $113.27. Full-service hotels, which include extensive meeting space and restaurants, posted bigger percentage gains than limited-service properties both in occupancy and average room rate.

“Because many people have been vaccinated and boosted, consumer confidence in travel was much higher this year, and we had a full month of Southwest (Airlines) service this year,” compared with three weeks of service in March 2021, when Southwest launched its Springs service, said Doug Price, CEO of Visit Colorado Springs.

“That resulted in really strong gains in both occupancy levels and average room rates” in March.

Colorado Springs hotels record second-best January in 25 years

The lodging report doesn’t include The Broadmoor or Cheyenne Mountain Resort in its Colorado Springs numbers; those hotels are listed in a separate category for resorts.

Denver-area hotels failed to outperform Colorado Springs hotels for the first time since November with an occupancy rate of 63.1%, but that was still well ahead of the 47.9% occupancy rate in March 2021.

Denver hotels continue to be led by properties near Denver International Airport, which had a 79.2% occupancy rate. The Denver area’s occupancy rate for the first three months of the year improved to 57.8% from 40.5% a year earlier.

Colorado Springs hotel occupancy a record for December

The average room rate for Denver hotels in March surged 43% to $130.58 and for the first three months of the year was up 40.8% from the same period last year to $123.78.

Hotel occupancy statewide in March rebounded to 63.7% from 51.3% in March 2021, and for the first three months of the year improved to 58.4% from 43.3% during the same period last year.

Hotels in the state’s resort areas, Greeley and Glenwood Springs reported occupancy rates of more than 70%. The average room rate for Colorado hotels last month rose 32.9% to $198.59; the average for the first three months of the year increased 33.8% to $191.79.

Colorado Springs hotel occupancy hits pre-pandemic level