Bloomington hotel prices climb for IU commencement weekend

Staff report

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — May 3, 2026

It probably is not news to anyone who lives in Bloomington that hotel prices climb during Indiana University’s spring commencement weekend. But with some rooms listed for hundreds of dollars a night, the cost raises another question: How many hours does someone have to work just to sleep indoors while visiting this city to watch a family member or friend graduate?

Working people wanting to come to Bloomington for a family member’s or friend’s graduation may need a paycheck or two to pay for a room — or quite a few paychecks.

IU Bloomington’s undergraduate commencement ceremony is scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Memorial Stadium, 701 E. 17th St. Graduates are expected to arrive for lineup at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall by 5:30 p.m., gates open for guests at 6 p.m., the procession begins at 7:15 p.m., and the ceremony is scheduled to conclude at about 9 p.m. IU’s graduate commencement is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday, May 8, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

A two-night Orbitz search for Bloomington lodging from May 9-11 showed 61 available properties, but many lower-priced options were outside Bloomington, including cabins, motels and rentals in Spencer, Bedford, Martinsville and Nashville. In Bloomington, hotel rooms and short-term rentals showed limited availability and sharply elevated prices, with many rooms listed from roughly $300 to more than $700 per night. Several familiar Bloomington hotels were sold out or required longer minimum stays.

The Hampton Inn Bloomington was listed at $469 per night, or $1,051 total with taxes and fees, with one room left. Home2 Suites by Hilton Bloomington was listed at $650 per night, or $1,455 total, also with one room left. The downtown Hilton Garden Inn Bloomington was listed at $754 per night, or $1,689 total.

Those prices hit differently when measured in work hours. A person making $15 an hour would need to work about 70 hours before taxes to pay for the two-night Hampton Inn stay, about 97 hours for Home2 Suites and about 113 hours for the Hilton Garden Inn. At Indiana’s minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, those same stays would require about 145 hours, 201 hours and 233 hours of work, respectively, before taxes. Indiana’s minimum wage remains $7.25 per hour, the same as the federal minimum wage.

Some less expensive hotels were still far above what many working families would consider cheap. Best Value Inn was listed at $191 per night, or $428 total. That equals about 29 hours of work at $15 per hour, or 59 hours at Indiana’s minimum wage. Travelodge by Wyndham Bloomington was listed at $331 per night, or $741 total — about 49 hours at $15 per hour, or 102 hours at minimum wage. Super 8 by Wyndham Bloomington University Area was listed at $381 per night, or $853 total — about 57 hours at $15 per hour, or 118 hours at minimum wage.

Short-term rentals also carried commencement-weekend prices. A downtown studio near IU and Kirkwood was listed at $300 per night, or $1,023 total. A Hoosier-themed bungalow near downtown was listed at $765 per night, or $2,026 total. A four-bedroom home near IU with a hot tub was listed at $912 per night, or $2,358 total. One apartment listed as “Little 5 Condo: King Beds | Ping-Pong | Garage” was advertised at $2,326 per night, or $5,757 total — equal to about 384 hours of work at $15 per hour, or about 794 hours at Indiana minimum wage.

The listings also showed several Bloomington properties unavailable for the two-night stay, including IU Biddle Hotel, La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Bloomington, SpringHill Suites by Marriott Bloomington, Comfort Inn Bloomington near University, Century Suites Hotel and Motel 6 Bloomington. Others, including Hyatt Place Bloomington, Graduate by Hilton Bloomington, Holiday Inn Bloomington-University Area, Candlewood Suites Bloomington, Courtyard by Marriott Bloomington and Wampler House, either required longer minimum stays or did not allow two-night bookings for those dates.

It gives a whole different meaning to Hoosier hospitality.

And while some families priced out of Bloomington hotels may be tempted to just sleep in their cars, it’s not that simple. Sleeping in a vehicle can run into parking limits, trespass rules on private lots and, beginning July 1, Indiana’s new law barring unauthorized sleeping or camping on public land. As if sleeping in the car is a good solution to attending a special occasion when most want to look their best.

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