Los Angeles hotels saved by last-minute surge in World Cup bookings

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Set us as preferred After showing worryingly weak early interest, World Cup fans showed up at the last minute to boost Los Angeles hotel occupancy and room rates.As the last tournament game in Los Angeles is on Friday, hotels popular with soccer fans say they are full and charging higher rates.In early May, the American Hotel and Lodging Assn.

reported a lack of hotel bookings just a month shy of the games.About 80% of respondents said hotel bookings were below initial expectations, and more than 65% of L.A.

respondents said bookings were lower than a typical summer.In the report, half of the L.A.

hotel respondents said they assumed that visa barriers and distance from venues were contributing to the low early bookings.The turnout that many were concerned had also been hurt by high ticket prices ended up being better than those first projections.The Pierside in Santa Monica has been exceptionally busy during the World Cup, with many tourists opting to stay near the beach despite the longer trek to SoFi Stadium where the games are held.

The Pierside has no rooms for this weekend.Business Around 80% of hotels surveyed by the American Hotel and Lodging Assn.

reported that room bookings are lagging behind expectations for the 2026 World Cup.“We’ll have a day or two gap, but other than that we’ve been full,” said a Pierside manager.“I think beach-side hotels have been busier, because tourists are more interested in going to the beach while here.”In the so-called Stadium District, the Anthem Hotel saw even greater numbers of tourists than they had initially expected for the tournament, including both domestic and international guests.

Its few remaining rooms were going for more than $500 per night late in the week.“Many guests are planning longer stays, using match days as the centerpiece of a broader Los Angeles...