States With the Cheapest 5-Star Hotels

You don’t have to spend a ton of money to stay at a five-star hotel depending on your destination. GOBankingRates has partnered with Hotels.com to determine the average price for a five-star hotel in 36 states plus the District of Columbia — some states didn’t have enough data to include — and has ranked the 30 states with the cheapest prices. In some states, you can score five-star accommodations for less than $200 per night.

Click through to see which states have the most affordable hotel rates so you can save on your next hotel stay.

30. New York

Average price for a five-star hotel: $362

Even though New York has relatively affordable five-star hotels, it has the second-highest overall average hotel price among all 37 areas studied. That average cost: $233 per night. To get the most bang for your buck, consider visiting New York in February, which is the cheapest time to visit the state, according to a previous GOBankingRates study.

29. Maine

Average price for a five-star hotel: $359

The average hotel price in Maine is $149 — less than half the average cost of a five-star hotel in the state. If you want to avoid high hotel rates, don’t visit Maine in August, which is the most expensive time to visit the state, a separate GOBankingRates study found.

28. Vermont

Average price for a five-star hotel: $349

Even though Vermont has five-star luxury hotels for under $350, on average, if you downgrade to a four-star you could save a lot, maybe even on last-minute travel. The average price at a four-star hotel in the state is $196.

27. Florida

Average price for a five-star hotel: $336

It’s possible to stay in Florida for less than $100 a night, but you likely will have to stay in a two-star hotel: The average cost per night there is $86.

26. Washington

Average price for a five-star hotel: $334

The overall average hotel price in Washington is only $165, but you’ll have to pay a lot more if you want five-star amenities. It could be worth it depending on the perks you get.

25. South Carolina

Average price for a five-star hotel: $330

There is a wide range of hotel prices in South Carolina: A five-star hotel usually costs more than $300, but the average two-star is only $81 per night.

24. North Carolina

Average price for a five-star hotel: $327

You can save big by downgrading to a four-star hotel in North Carolina, where the average cost of a four-star is $197 per night.

23. Indiana

Average price for a five-star hotel: $311

A five-star hotel costs nearly double the price-per-night of a three-star hotel in Indiana. A three-star in the state averages $157 a night.

22. Washington, D.C.

Average price for a five-star hotel: $311

There isn’t much difference in cost between a three-star and a four-star hotel in Washington, D.C. The average price of a four-star hotel is $214, while a three-star averages $192. The nation’s capital is one of the most expensive tourist destinations in the U.S., a separate GOBankingRates study has found.

21. Georgia

Average price for a five-star hotel: $311

The cost of a five-star hotel in Georgia is more than double the state’s overall average hotel price, which is $141 per night.

20. Arizona

Average price for a five-star hotel: $310

Before you drop $310 for a five-star hotel in Arizona, consider booking a four-star, which costs an average of only $164 a night.

19. Maryland

Average price for a five-star hotel: $285

The average hotel price in Maryland is $138 per night, just slightly more than the average rate of a three-star hotel in the state, which is $131 a night.

Get in the Know: 50 Hotel Secrets Only Insiders Know

18. Louisiana

Average price for a five-star hotel: $284

The price difference between a five- and four-star hotel is nearly $100 in Louisiana, where the average four-star costs $186 per night.

17. Texas

Average price for a five-star hotel: $279

The average hotel price in Texas is $127, but the mean cost for a two-star is only $70 per night.

16. Virginia

Average price for a five-star hotel: $268

You can save over $100 by downgrading from a five-star hotel to a four-star in Virginia, where the average price of a four-star hotel is $165 per night. The four-star might still give you many of the same perks for free.

15. Kentucky

Average price for a five-star hotel: $265

There isn’t a large price difference between four- and three-star hotels in Kentucky: The average four-star hotel costs $174 per night, and the average three-star is $125.

If you plan on visiting Kentucky, be sure to take in Cumberland Falls, aka the “Niagara of the South,” which is one of the best bucket-list destinations in the state.

14. Tennessee

Average price for a five-star hotel: $261

The overall average cost of a hotel in Tennessee is $124 per night, which is slightly above the average cost of a three-star hotel — $122 a night.

13. Connecticut

Average price for a five-star hotel: $254

The average hotel price in Connecticut is $135, but you likely will have to pay over $100 more to get five-star amenities.

12. Pennsylvania

Average price for a five-star hotel: $254

If you don’t want to spring for a five-star hotel in Pennsylvania, you should be able to find a four-star for about $176 per night, according to the data.

Want Somewhere Special? 30 Magical Hotels and Airbnbs for Under $200 a Night

11. Illinois

Average price for a five-star hotel: $246

The average cost of a four-star hotel in Illinois — $187 a night — is just slightly above the overall average hotel cost in the state, which is $168 per night.

10. Missouri

Average price for a five-star hotel: $244

You can stay at a three-star hotel in Missouri for an average of only $117 per night, or a two-star spot for an average of $71 a night.

9. Oregon

Average price for a five-star hotel: $239

There is only a $32 difference between the average five- and four-star hotel in Oregon, so it’s probably worth it to splurge on the nicer option.

8. Nevada

Average price for a five-star hotel: $239

You can stay at a three-star hotel for an average of only $95 per night in Nevada; four-star hotels cost an average of $123 per night.

If You Want to Splurge: The 30 Most Expensive Hotels in America You Wish You Could Afford

7. New Mexico

Average price for a five-star hotel: $226

Of the cities included in this list, New Mexico has the least expensive two-star hotels, at an average rate of $68 per night.

6. Wisconsin

Average price for a five-star hotel: $211

The average hotel price in Wisconsin is $128 per night, which also is the average rate of a three-star hotel in the state.

5. New Jersey

Average price for a five-star hotel: $206

If you don’t want to pay for a five-star hotel in New Jersey, you can stay at a four-star for an average of $179 per night, or a three-star hotel for $140 a night.

4. Ohio

Average price for a five-star hotel: $206

You can find cheap hotels in Ohio, where the average cost of a two-star hotel is $70 per night.

Something Special: 12 One-of-a-Kind Hotels You Never Knew Existed

3. Michigan

Average price for a five-star hotel: $192

There is only a $30 difference between the average five- and four-star hotel in Michigan, where the overall average price is $123 per night.

2. Minnesota

Average price for a five-star hotel: $191

Minnesota has the second-cheapest five-star hotels, on average, and the second-least-expensive four-star hotels of all the states on this list. The average cost for a four-star hotel in Minnesota is $148 per night.

While in Minnesota, be sure to check out Minnehaha Falls Regional Park, which is the best free tourist destination in the state.

1. Nebraska

Average price for a five-star hotel: $165

Nebraska is the best state to visit if you’re looking for cheap five-star hotels. It also has the second-lowest average hotel costs of the states on this list, with an average price of $118 per night.

Click through if you want the nicer things without paying too much — find out these tips and tricks for getting free hotel upgrades.

About the Author

Gabrielle Olya

Gabrielle joined GOBankingRates in 2017 and brings with her a decade of experience in the journalism industry. Before joining the team, she was a staff writer-reporter for People Magazine and People.com. Her work has also appeared on E! Online, Us Weekly, Patch, Sweety High and Discover Los Angeles, and she has been featured on “Good Morning America” as a celebrity news expert. 

Read More