Hotel room prices surge on V-Day in Bengaluru, but demand stays below par

Bengaluru: Ahead of the Valentine’s Day weekend, hotel room prices across the city have risen, though demand remains below expectation in parts of the Central Business District.

A popular hotel chain has increased prices due to higher demand. A double occupancy room at one of its hotels on MG Road is priced at Rs 5,200, about Rs 2,000 more than average. A similar trend is seen across the CBD, in areas like Halasuru and Indiranagar.

"Since it is both Valentine's Day and a weekend, it is expected that the prices will be higher than normal. People don't shy away from paying a little extra on such occasions," a manager at the hotel told DH.

However, until Friday evening, multiple hotels in the CBD were underbooked.

"Usually, by now, we should've been fully booked, especially since it is a weekend. But we haven't seen great demand, despite not hiking up the prices by much. Compared to 2023, the demand is below satisfactory this year. Our Valentine's Day party, too, hasn't received the response we expected," shared an employee of a premium hotel on MG Road.

In comparison, hotels on the outskirts have seen higher demand.

A hotel in Devanahalli has only two vacant rooms for the weekend after a surge in online bookings. A double occupancy room there is priced at Rs 3,500 on February 14 and 15, about Rs 1,000 more than average.

"Our management has decided that we will not allow unmarried couples at the hotel. As a preventive measure, we are asking for proof of marriage, such as a passport," shared an employee of a hotel in Whitefield. Another hotel in Richmond Town also stated the same criteria.