Like many people, I'm old enough to have witnessed a solar eclipse in some form, whether it's a total solar eclipse, an annular solar eclipse, or a partial solar eclipse. I'll see this too. But I can't imagine paying $7,600 for a mandatory two-night stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas this weekend to enjoy this perk.
As Ben Blatt writes in the New York Times, hotels are cashing in on eclipse-envious customers like never before.
The Super 8 hotel chain is considered a budget option for travelers and has more than 1,400 locations in the United States. Super 8's website says about 300 of those items are within reach, and 100 of them were sold out on Sunday or Monday.
Of the Super 8s within 40 miles of the overall central route, about 45 percent of those that still had rooms listed for more than twice their normal price. One of his Super 8 properties in Grayville, Ill., advertised him $949 a night for a stay from Sunday to Tuesday. The usually advertised nightly rate is $95.
[***]
Prices for more expensive hotels in big cities are also rising. The Ritz-Carlton in Dallas is currently offering a two-night stay from Sunday to Tuesday for $7,600. After one week, the price for two nights will be $1,329.
They call it “dynamic pricing,” which I think is a provocative “corporate statement” against price gouging. What if it's cloudy? Do you think you can get your money back? Hey, hey, that's certainly true!
Apparently, some of these hotels canceled existing reservations for mistakenly “overbooking” them and recharging them with price increases of up to 500%.
I think you're tired of it. You see, I love astronomical phenomena as much as the next person. However, I think it is questionable whether solar eclipses are really the highest astronomical phenomena. It's not a star that goes supernova. It's not a quasar. It's different from seeing the Milky Way from Joshua Tree. Just to be clear, it's not even Bolide.
It's a big shadow!
And actually you shouldn't do that look Oh my God!
But it's clearly going to be an incredible bonding experience for Americans.
One reason total solar eclipses are special is that they are rare. When events like this occur across large swathes of the country, as they did in 2017 and on Monday, they are a bonding experience for millions of Americans.
The excitement and excitement ahead of this year's solar eclipse, and the fact that so many of us will be viewing it at the same time, is reminiscent of the Super Bowl in heaven.
Well, I'm really looking forward to feeling “bonded” with all of my fellow Americans, but something tells me that's not going to happen.
Yes, I know that for many it is a “once in a lifetime” opportunity. But why would someone pay him $1,000 to stay in a Super 8 roadside hotel for this, without a continental breakfast?
Does that mean all roadsides will be fenced? Or will someone also charge for parking there?
I don't know why I don't feel more enthusiasm for it. Maybe I'm not really into the idea of a “bucket list.” You have to travel to see the solar eclipse so you can post it on TikTok with 50 million other people!
Let's look at some dry statistics from NASA.
- The maximum number of solar eclipses (partial, annular, and total) is five per year.
- A solar eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth at least twice a year.
- A total solar eclipse only occurs during a new moon.
- A total solar eclipse occurs approximately once every 1 to 2 years.
Yes, where you are will determine whether you can see it or not. But those who witness the next total solar eclipse as seen from, say, Eswatini probably won't charge locals the equivalent of $7,600 for a forced two-day stay at a private equity-owned hotel chain. I think. Hedge fund operations have directors laughing all the way to the bank (by the way, what's the weather like in Dallas on Monday? It's pretty cloudy). I don't think the housekeeping staff will also get a 1000% raise on that day.
Or it costs $1,000 to stay at a Super 8 down the road. People in this country still seem to be complaining about the prices of gas and eggs. What?
Honestly, this kind of FOMO hype (get the eclipse recipe here! or here!) makes me think of David Geffen or Warren Beatty or whoever this song is singing about. I was reminded of (has been on my mind all week, actually):
Enjoy the solar eclipse! Tonight we're going out for a pre-eclipse dinner to celebrate the Phillies finally hitting .500.
