Penny-pinching travelers got a great ride in 2009 — U.S. hotel rates last year fell nearly 9% on average. But fasten your seat belts: 2010 may be rougher going. Average room rates will continue to slide this year but only by about 2% as more travelers hit the road, predicts expert Scott Berman, U.S. leader of PricewaterhouseCoopers Hospitality & Leisure Practice in Miami.