The most expensive destinations in Florida

January 27, 2016

Key West’s hotel rates are averaging higher than anywhere else in Florida this late winter. The latest survey from MiamiHotels.org came to this determination after comparing the overnight lodging rates of 30 popular Florida destinations.

In establishing the rankings, the survey computed the average amount an overnight guest would have to pay to stay in the most affordable double room at each destination. The months of February and March were chosen as the comparative timeframe because they represent the high season for most Sunshine State destinations. The survey excluded hotel that were not conveniently located near the city center/beach and those that were rated less than 3 stars.

An average nightly price tag of $327 for its least expensive room put Key West in the survey’s number one position. Rounding out the Top 3 are Fort Meyers Beach in the second spot and its neighbor, Sanibel, in third. Both of these destinations trailed Key West by just a few dollars with average per-night rates of $315 and $312, respectively.

Downtown Miami ranks fifth most expensive in the state at an average price tag of $272 per night. Meanwhile, travelers to Miami Beach should find a room for around $200 per night. Florida’s least expensive destination is the state capital, Tallahassee. There an overnight visitor should expect to spend just over $100 nightly this late winter season.

The following table compares 30 destinations in Florida based on the average rate for their cheapest available double room (minimum: 3-star hotel) during the time period spanning February 1 through March 31, 2016.

1. Key West $327
2. Fort Myers Beach $315
3. Sanibel $312
4. Delray Beach $283
5. Downtown Miami $272
6. Key Largo $262
7. Pompana Beach $257
8. Boca Raton $254
9. Naples $243
10. Sarasota $238
11. Islamorada $223
12. Tampa $207
13. Miami Beach $197
14. Hollywood $184
15. St. Augustine $182

16. Daytona Beach $174
17. Orlando (Downtown) $172
18. St. Pete Beach $163
19. Fort Lauderdale Beach $156
20. West Palm Beach $152
21. Panama City Beach $146
22. Clearwater Beach $144
23. Saint Petersburg $131
24. Cocoa Beach $127
25. Gainesville $127
26. Jacksonville $126
27. Orlando (Walt Disney W.) $122
28. Pensacola $121
29. Lakeland $115
30. Tallahassee $109

About the Methodology

The survey was conducted in January 2016. For 30 main destination in Florida, the price for the cheapest available double room (minimum 3-star hotel) was established for each Wednesday to Sunday period during the months of February and March, resulting in a daily average for each destination. Only such hotels located close to the city center/beach were considered.

Please note: A few popular destinations in Northern Florida (Destin, Fort Walton Beach) have not been considered by this survey, because they reach high season during the summer months.