While seniors are focused on their upcoming graduation, juniors might want to be thinking ahead as well. Some hotels in the area sell out as early as a year in advance.

"I mean, it's like conquer and divide. It's like war games out there for these people to get these rooms," said Katie Dukeshire, Director of Sales and Marketing at the Burlington Courtyard Marriott.

Dukeshire says the Marriott sets a specific date and time for families to make graduation reservations, but the hotel staff works on a time crunch. For this year's graduation, The Burlington Courtyard Marriott booked its 122 rooms within the span of five minutes.

"Our revenue manager, she didn't believe it. She was like, there is no way that you sell out in five minutes, and we said ok, you just watch it. And she was looking at it and she said at 10:01 it opened up and by 10:06 all of the rooms were gone, and she said are you kidding me and we said no, not kidding," Dukeshire said.

The Econo Lodge in Burlington, N.C. offers rooms up to a year in advance, and sold out this year in January, according to the hotel's General Manager, Brian Durham.

Despite both hotels selling out, they have cancellation lists for customers on a first come, first serve basis.

Although some students try to book hotels a year in advance, their families may not be able to check-in. This is what junior Rachel Hall currently struggles with. Hall and her family knew to book a hotel a year in advance after not finding one for her sister's graduation three years ago. After talking to staff at more than five hotels, Hall's family was met with the same response: they can't make reservations until at least a year out from next year's graduation.

"It's kind of frustrating because we don't know what we'll do yet. If we don't get a room, we'll have to go to plan H and figure something out," Hall said.

Hall's family decided to try to book the Burlington Country Inn and Suites, but can't make reservations until May 11.

"Students can come in and put their names on a list and we all register until the hotel is full. So you just go and it's kind of a mad free for all and you just hope for the best and hope you get a room," Hall said.

According to Hall, each student can book a maximum of two rooms.

Out of the 16 hotels that we contacted in the Burlington-Greensboro area, 12 are already sold out. Many of them said rates fluctuate as graduation comes closer. The lowest rate we found was $69 per night plus tax at the Econo Lodge for a single room. The highest was at the Burlington Marriott at $229.

Econo Lodge General Manager Brian Durham says the best way for families to be safe is to book early.

"The sooner the better of course," he said.

That's not always the most convenient option.

"Now I have to spend a Sunday right before exams in a hotel lobby waiting to book a room for a year away [from] graduation," Hall said.

If your family is still looking for a hotel for this year's graduation, check out the Park Lane Hotel in Greensboro for rooms at $89 per night. If you don't want to travel that far, the Days Inn in Burlington has a few rooms left at $125 per night.

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