The white-hot hotel Santa Clarita hotel market took a dive in December, dropping 10.5 percent from the same 2005 period, according to a study of hotel trends by PKF Consulting. Santa Clarita hotels had an occupancy rate of 67.48 percent in December 2006, compared to 75.38 percent a year prior. The decrease was the largest of 16 L.A. County areas monitored by PKF. Countywide, the occupancy rate increased 1.2 percent while in the San Fernando Valley, the rate jumped 2 percent, registering at 64.43 percent. Room rates also showed healthy increases, jumping 10.6 percent to $121.63 in the San Fernando Valley, 10.9 percent to $125.51 in Santa Clarita and 10.4 percent to $143.05 across the county.