Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - As thousands plan on descending along the path of the Total Solar Eclipse in April, hotel rooms in Western New York, in the path of the eclipse, are in very high demand.
"The eclipse is like nothing we've ever seen before in terms of demand," says Steve Jarmuz of the Hyatt Regency Buffalo.
Jarmuz says hotel rooms were sold out for the eclipse weeks after it was announced. He adds the demand for rooms is simultaneously exciting and unfortunate.
"All of our hotel partners and neighbors in the city are also in the same boat as us," explained Jarmuz. "While we can point them in in other directions to other hotels in the area, it doesn't seem like they're having too much luck, where we have folks coming back to us and telling us that you know they've called down hotels and can't get can't get rooms."
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Jarmuz adds rates are 50% higher than normal for the days leading up to the eclipse.
Those planning on watching the eclipse the day of and spending the night here may have better luck.
"We're sold out April 6 and 7, but on the 8th, we still have rooms available," says Jarmuz, who's also hoping for multiple night stays.
Patrick Kaler of Visit Buffalo Niagara can relate to trying to get hotel rooms for folks.
"We were working with 10 hotels for bus groups. And those hotel rooms were all occupied or sold by the end of August," says Kaler.
As for rates, he compares them to when Garth Brooks was in concert. He says hotel had rooms going for $800.
Kaler says it's hard to estimate how many people will come to see the eclipse. He says other cities have seen hundreds of thousands, maybe even 1 million people arrive for the event. That brings up another concern.
"We're very much more concerned about the safety of people, because in some of these destinations, their roadways just become a parking lot, where people just stop on the Thruway and watch the eclipse actually take place," says Kaler.
When it comes to safety, Kaler says he's been in touch with Erie County, which is taking the lead.
The eclipse will take place April 8.