“Yes, We Have Rooms Available.”

Edward Hopper’s Hotel Room

Just as the city is about to get into the hotel bidness, this news: Dallas saw a 3.8 percent drop in hotel occupancy rates from May 2007 to May ’08. Among the so-called “key markets” in the country referenced in this report, Dallas’s drop was the fourth-largest, behind Phoenix, Philadelphia and Atlanta. Indeed, most of the markets experienced a decline, with only New York City, Orlando, Oahu, Boston, Miami and San Francisco seeing increases in hotel-room occupancy. Alas, demand and occupancy are down nationwide, from luxury hostelries all the way to the economy joints — but, looks like, room revenue’s up. There are other numbers and charts too, for those so interested. Mr. Merten, I look in your general direction. –Robert Wilonsky