Summer hotel rates see a jump

If you've checked into a hotel in the last few months, you have probably noticed that rates have leaped upward. And they probably won't drop any time soon. During June, July and August, the average hotel rate at major U.S. destinations jumped 17%, compared with the same period in 2011, according to a study by the hotel pricing website HotelsCombined. Some of the steepest rate increases this summer were at hotels in California. Anaheim — home of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park — recorded the highest price increases, a jump of 43% to an average daily rate of $155.25 in 2012 from $109 in 2011, according to the website. Other big...