RETAIL / TOURISM

Rates at the Inn: The Red Lion Inn in Costa Mesa may be rated as one of Orange County’s best hotel bargains, but the owners say they are working hard to boost the rates.

The rates have been kept low to maintain the hotel’s occupancy rate at the expense of profits, according to Vicki Quick, a Red Lion corporate spokeswoman. The average room rate for the Red Lion, located on Bristol Street near South Coast Plaza, has averaged $63. That is a slight increase over last year’s average of $57.

That rate earned Red Lion the top spot as Orange County’s best bargain in overnight stays in the Zagat United States Travel Survey, in which 5,000 business travelers rated more than 1,400 major hotels nationwide.

But it also reflects that the 490-room hotel has a visibility problem. Though it carries the name of a chain best known for modestly priced accommodations, the Orange County hotel is decidedly upscale and caters to business travelers and the banquet business.

“We like to tell ourselves we’re making inroads into people’s consciousness. We have a long way to go,” Quick said.