Bend is different. Right?

Interesting contrast in reporting about Hotel Lodging. Going from National -- to the Local -- to the Specific.

You have to ask yourself, why the differences?

Is this skewed reporting? --Not by the Bulletin, so much, as by the people they asked. Asking a hotel owner how he's doing, is probably a lot like asking a retailer how he's doing. You get a slanted answer. Note the words "random survey". Whereas, the statistics reported in the first instance would seem to be more objective.

Or is this just local difference? We really are different here? The rest of the country had it's worst week in half a century, but Bend did just fine. We got SNOW!!

Or is it just interpretation? Comparing to last year, for instance. It isn't hard to beat last year, folks. Last year was a 90 pound weakling. Or the famous weasel words: "better than projected." (Actually that's unfair. I often make the case that it isn't how you actually perform but how you expected to perform, as long as you adjusted your spending to take the lower projections into account.)

Or is this a case of Exception not Proving the Rule? So a few of the bigger resorts around here did well; while the rest suffered.

Or all of the above?

1.) First the National.

From Calculated Risk, 12/31/09:

HOTELS: WORST YEAR SINCE THE GREAT DEPRESSION.

In terms of the occupancy rate, 2009 was the worst year since the Great Depression (close to 55%). And last week was no exception with Smith Travel Research reporting the occupancy rate fell to 33.8 percent - the lowest weekly occupancy rate on record.



2.) Secondly, the Local. From the Bend Bulletin, 1/3/09. (I've weeded out the non-lodging reports....)

The holiday season comprising Christmas through New Year’s weekend was tough for some smaller hotels and motels, while vacationers filled some resorts and vacation homes to capacity.

Even though business was slow for some lodging properties, many owners said they were busier than during the same holiday period a year ago, according to a survey by The Bulletin of a random sample of hotel, resort and vacation rental owners about bookings for the week of Dec. 27 through this weekend. The results of the survey were across the board, mostly dependent on the size of the property.

Smaller hotels, such as the Tom Tom Motor Inn in Redmond, said business has been almost nonexistent.

“We get a few here and a few there. That’s about it,” said Owner Lilli Steele. “Nobody wants the little motels.”

Business at A Bend Cottage Experience, on the other hand, was booming. The company’s cottages have been booked at capacity since Dec. 20, said owner Lisa McDonald, and they’re booked through Monday.

“Business has been strong for the holidays,” McDonald said. “We think it’s going to be a little bit of a challenge to face January and February without the aid of the holidays, but we’re hopeful.”

McDonald said last winter, when many lodgers were suffering from a lack of vacationers, was a record period for A Bend Cottage Experience.

It’s a different story for the Bend Econo Lodge. General Manager Rocky Patel said business in November was down 50 percent from 2008.

“It’s slow,” he said. “I don’t think things are going to pick up for two or three years.”

***

Sunriver Resort Managing Director Tom O’Shea said last week that many people were making last-minute bookings for the New Year’s holiday weekend.

“We’re seeing a really nice uptick” over last winter, O’Shea said.

Scott Huntsman, president/CEO of Black Butte Ranch near Sisters, said bookings turned out better than he had projected. People continued making reservations through Thursday, Huntsman said, up until the weather turned.

“Things shaped up pretty well,” Huntsman said. “We’re pretty happy.”

3.) And finally to the specific. The Oxford Hotel missed the holidays for their opening.

Ouch.

I've been looking forward to them increasing foot traffic in downtown with wealthier tourist types...

Eh?

You know -- Hopefully. Better than last year. Up to my projections. We got snow!