Metallica at Eden Park drives Auckland hotel prices above $1000 a night

Metallica are set to perform to tens of thousands of fans at Auckland's Eden Park tonight. Photo / Getty Image

Travellers to Auckland may find it difficult to secure last-minute accommodation as hotel room rates soar ahead of Metallica’s concert at Eden Park tonight.

Few hotel rooms are available as thousands of metal fans swell the city.

Yesterday, Auckland Council’s cultural agency said Tāmaki Makaurau is expected to be heaving, with 40,000 visitor nights booked and the city’s hotels at 100% capacity before the massive show.

The World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education (WIPCE) is another major event running in Tāmaki Makaurau and drawing huge numbers. The conference is expected to attract nearly 3800 international delegates and add a further 16,000 visitor nights over the course of the five-day event, according to Auckland Council’s cultural arm, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited.

Popular travel agency website booking.com only has seven hotels available for a single person staying for one night from today in Auckland at the time of writing.

The cheapest rate was $1399 at Proximity Apartments close to Auckland Airport. The most expensive hotel available was Horizon by SkyCity, offering its superior king room for more than $10,000.

Using the same filters, hotel price comparison website Trivago currently shows 12 hotels available. According to the listing, the cheapest rate tonight is at the Waitākere Resort & Spa, from $924, and the most expensive hotel is again at Horizon by Sky City.

Cheaper options are available on Airbnb, with some room rates under $200.

Last week, Annie Dundas, director of destination at Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, said: “It’s not every week you get to say Metallica and WIPCE in the same sentence, but that’s exactly what makes Auckland such an exciting, world-class events city”.

“From metal militia to educators, everyone contributes to the vibrancy of our region and the strength of our visitor economy. The energy they bring before, during and after these events, is felt in our streets, our hotels and our hospitality venues.”

Similar Auckland Council events have injected millions into the local economy. Tātaki Auckland Unlimited said major events hosted in the city contributed to an $89 million boost in GDP.