With summer yet to arrive, the weather and hotel occupancy are beginning to heat up.

Lodging numbers from the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association show that statewide, 66.3% of hotel rooms were booked during the month of May, the highest percentage so far this year. 

Boulder and the U.S. Highway 36 corridor hewed to the statewide average with 65.9% and 66.2% occupancy, respectively, at average daily rates of $229.66 in Boulder and $171.05 along U.S. 36.

Other areas of the Northern Colorado region, for the most part, exceeded the state average.

Longmont’s hotels were 75.4% full, with an average daily rate of $134.62.

Loveland lodging facilities came in at 72.9% occupied for May, with an average daily rate of $134.73.

Close behind was Greeley, with an occupancy of 72.8% and rate of $99.52.

Fort Collins hotels were 64.4% occupied and had an average daily rate of $155.04.

Estes Park hotels, just on the cusp of their peak season, were 54.7% occupied, with an average rate of $170.28.

Perhaps foreshadowing the summer tourist season, Denver International Airport lodging was the highest in the state at 81.7% — an indicator of renewed travel. Year to date a year ago, just 61% of hotel rooms in that area were booked.

While Colorado resort communities are seeing seasonal declines — 32.1% occupancy for the large ski towns — destination community Durango was at 78.7% occupancy in May.