Super Bowl week fills hotels and short-term rentals across the Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO - As Super Bowl week kicks off, hotels and short-term rentals across the Bay Area are filling fast, driven by a surge of out-of-town visitors and a packed schedule of events tied to the game.

San Francisco hotels report many properties are already sold out, with demand peaking later in the week. 

"The great news is most of the hotels are completely sold out," said John Anderson, general manager of the Marriott Marquis and board chair of San Francisco Travel. "Big nights will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. You have a lot of events all over the city with concerts, as well as award shows. The good news is there's still rates available. They may be a little bit pricey as compression tends to build, but you can find a room anywhere between $700 to $2,400." 

The 1,500-room Marriott Marquis, which is also serving as NFL headquarters during Super Bowl week, is largely booked for the weekend. 

According to the Bay Area Host Committee, Super Bowl 60 is expected to generate between $360 million and $630 million across the region, with San Francisco capturing a significant share of that economic impact.

"You can just walk around the streets and you see the graphic outside of the building, the pop-up shop, close to Moscone Center. The excitement is on every corner almost in downtown," Anderson said. 

Short-term rentals see spike in demand

With events spread across San Francisco, the South Bay, and the East Bay, short-term rental hosts are also seeing a sharp spike in demand.

Longtime Airbnb host Gina Ortiz said her three-bedroom Oakland home in the Millsmont neighborhood booked almost immediately for Super Bowl weekend. The nightly rate is $400, about $50 dollars higher than usual.

"I think people like the lower price, and we have some of the best food in the Bay Area in my opinion, so I think we’re going to attract a lot of travelers for that," Ortiz said.

Airbnb says search interest has surged ahead of Super Bowl week. Searches in Santa Clara, for example, surged more than 150 times. 

On average, visitors spend about $250 at local shops, restaurants, and businesses during major events like the Super Bowl.

For Ortiz, the increased demand is also an opportunity to spotlight the city she loves. 

"I think it really gives hosts and maybe hosts who are interested in Airbnb, it gives us a chance to really showcase how beautiful Oakland is," she said.