HotelChatter

The forecast on new openings is a 2.6 percent increase in lodging supply in 2008, or approximately 115,000 new hotel rooms. That sounds like a lot, and it's the greatest number this decade, but far behind the 150,000 new rooms added in both 1998 and 1999. Considering all the Hotel Hype that comes across our desk each day, we find this hard to believe.

Apparently lots of luxury projects have been announced, but they take years to get off the ground and won't open until 2009 or later. However there will be more of the upscale and midscale hotels without restaurants, bars or room service.

So expect more Courtyards by Marriott, Holiday Inns, and the like which are easy and cheap to build and thus keep hotel rates low. Plus, what's good for hotel guests is these places often offer the Best WiFi service around.

And we can't forget Aloft and Element which will have food and beverage but because they are opening in secondary and tertiary markets across the U.S. (and India!), the price should remain lower than their pricey W Hotel counterparts.

So business travelers should be able to get a bargain as long as they are going to suburban America. But will leisure travelers headed to top cities pay top dollar to the tune of $350+? That remains to be seen.

One city that won't have a problem commanding high rates? New York. The city is getting lots of international travelers thanks to favorable currency exchange rates and in 2008 the average price of a hotel room is expected to be $299.39.