How Expensive Will #SHRM17 Hotels Be?

by Matthew Stollak on Wednesday, November 16, 2016




With the news that hotel reservations are now being accepted for the 2017 SHRM Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA, I bring you my 8th annual look at SHRM hotel costs.

After the most expensive SHRM Conference hotel cost in 16 years in Washington, DC (though inflation has made it 3rd most expensive, relatively speaking, has there been a return to "normalcy" in the price of hotels?

To examine this question, I look at selected SHRM conference brochures (i.e., the ones that I still possessed) over the past 17 years to see what it would cost a person to book a single room on a per night average.  Clearly, prices in 2001 will be different than in 2017, so I use an inflation calculator to adjust costs to today's dollars.  So, how does the 2017 Conference in New Orleans compare to years past?

Cost of an Average SHRM-Affiliated Hotel (per night: 6/18-6/21; 1 room, 2 beds)Chicago (2008): $271.81 (sd of $31.29)
San Francisco (2001): $270.67 (standard deviation of $59.67)
Washington DC (2016): $269.59 (standard deviation of $31.85)
San Diego (2010): $259.67 (sd of $44.69) Chicago (2013): 255.94 (sd of $21.20)
Washington DC (2006): $244.45(sd of $42.00)
Philadelphia (2002): $229.88 (sd of $61.46)
New Orleans (2017): $221.39 (sd of $35.56)
San Diego (2005): $215.58 (sd of $52.58)
Atlanta (2012): $208.28 (sd of $23.24)
Las Vegas (2007): $176.21 (sd of $33.96) Orlando(2014): $163.69 (sd of $36.43) Las Vegas (2015): $144.22 (sd of $23.08)
Las Vegas (2011): $136.35 (sd of $18.91)

SHRM 2017 looks to be around the middle of the pack compared to other years.   Rooms, on average, will cost approximately $46 (+ tax) less per night than DC.  over the course of the conference, that'll be enough to cover a good meal at Emeril's or Commander's Palace.

Fortunately, with so many hotels to choose from (n=69), there are plenty of options available.  The median hotel cost is $223.50.  Twenty-four (24) hotels have a price below $200 + tax (compared to only two(2) below 209 + tax the year before), and the middle 50% cost between $193.50 and $259.

Given the above, it seems that New Orleans will be one of the more reasonably priced SHRM Annual Conferences to attend. 

See you in June.