Hotel and short-term rental prices soar during busy SF weekend

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - Thousands of people are expected to flood San Francisco for a number of events that kicked off with the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival on Friday.

The free music festival takes place the first weekend of October each year. More than 100 artists will perform at the concerts on seven different stages.

But thousands of local and tourists plan to visit San Francisco in the coming days for more than the music. The Giants vs. Dodgers series takes place at AT&T Park and next week will kick off Fleet Week and Dreamforce.

“We sell private parties so we love Dreamforce coming in,” Kimberley O’Keefe, a private dining director, said. “It’s amazing business for our restaurants.”

It is also amazing for hotels and short-term rentals. The average nightly price of a home on Airbnb in San Francisco is $580. Hotel prices range from $200 to $600 a night this weekend.

Kevin Carroll, Executive Director of the Hotel Council of San Francisco said prices can fluctuate when events are in town.

“When we’re busy, like any industry, prices do tend to be higher, but they’re still hotel rooms available,” Carroll said.

He said the annual events have a big impact on the city.

“When we have events going on and we have people staying in hotels, they spend more money outside of the hotels than inside,” he added.

A number of street closures are in place for the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, Fleet Week, and Dreamforce. Public transportation may be your best bet.