New Survey Reveals Hotel Availability During “Minneapolis Madness”

A recent survey of Minneapolis hotels indicates hotel rooms remain, but availability is limited and most guests should expect a 4-night minimum stay

Minneapolis is preparing to welcome the best college basketball teams, the National Association of Basketball Coaches convention and tens of thousands of sports fans to the city, next week. In a recent Meet Minneapolis survey of Minneapolis hotels, more than 76 percent of respondents state hotel rooms are still available for the Final Four; however, 57 percent indicate availability is very limited. In addition, the average daily rate for a standard hotel room exceeds $350 per night for the majority of those hotels. The survey was conducted March 21-26, 2019, and includes responses from 21 Minneapolis hotels.

“The good news for visitors is that there’s still availability for Minneapolis hotel rooms. That means being close to all the action, from Fan Fest at the Minneapolis Convention Center to Tip-Off Tailgate on Nicollet and the games at U.S. Bank Stadium,” stated Melvin Tennant, Meet Minneapolis President and CEO. “However, fans who still want to secure their accommodations within walking distance of all these events should be prepared to pay a premium price, because the remaining inventory of hotel rooms is quickly diminishing.”

In the Meet Minneapolis survey, Minneapolis hotels were asked:

Do you currently have hotel rooms available for the weekend of the Final Four?

Yes, some	19.1%
Yes, but very limited	57.1%
No rooms available	23.8%

At this time, what is the average daily rate for a Standard Room at your hotel property during the Final Four (April 4-8) not including taxes?

Less than $250 per night	0.0%
$251-$350 per night	9.5%
$351-$450 per night	28.6%
More than $450 per night	52.4%
No rooms available	9.5%

When asked, “What is the room night minimum for your property during the Final Four?” nearly 80 percent stated there is a 4-night minimum for reservations.

• Note: The NCAA required a 4-night minimum stay for hotels within the NCAA hotel room block. The vast majority of Minneapolis hotels are included in the contracted hotel room block.

Overall, there are 9,293 hotel rooms in the city of Minneapolis. Visit www.minneapolis.org/hotels for details on hotels throughout the Minneapolis area.

For more information about events, activities and what to see and do in Minneapolis, particularly during the Final Four, visit www.minneapolis.org/final-four. To learn more about how tourism and hospitality impacts our community, watch here.