Contrary to the popular belief, you don’t always have to pay a fortune to stay in a top hotel. A little bit of legwork here and there and you just might score some incredible bargains on your room tariffs, whether it’s a luxury resort, a run-of-the-mill hotel or just bed and breakfast.
There are numerous budget hotel booking apps and sites claiming to offer discounted rates, but unfortunately, it’s not that easy. The hotel prices are very dynamic and could change even in a matter of hours. However, there are certain tricks and tips which if properly applied, may get you some great deals on hotels and make your stay sweeter. Let’s take a look at some of the most effective ones-
- Book with Business Hotels
According to travel pundits, business hotels can sometimes provide great discounts on hotel bookings, especially in Europe. The reason behind this is that business can go dry in the summer months and on the weekends for the hotels catering to the business travelers, which again leads to cheaper prices.
2. Call the Hotel
Before you book, call the hotel directly during the business hours and enquire for the prices to compare them against the ones you found online. A number of times, they may offer extra amenities such as breakfast, late checkout or free Wi-Fi. This gives you more flexibility as normally you don’t have to pay in advance neither you need to deal with a third party in case something goes wrong or you come across a better option.
3. Make sure to ascertain the total cost
Many hotels charge a resort fee separate of the online quote. Others may charge for gym, breakfast or Wi-Fi. To avoid such unpleasant expenditures, make sure to find out what all is included in your online quote and the charges for the separate amenities.
4. Check out the Less Popular Hotels
To avoid search site commissions, many hotels don’t participate. When you call them, usually you are speaking to the owner or a manager capable of offering you discounts and perks but it is recommended for you to directly go to the hotel to make your reservations.
5. Look for other Alternatives
When you are planning a longer stay or traveling with your near and dear ones, you can also try and rent a house or an apartment. There are a number of websites where you can find such listings with a host of other services. You can save big bucks on meals as you can prepare your own meals in the kitchen.
6. Be Cautious of the Advance Payments
If you book a service that requires for you to pay in advance, make sure to read all the fine print and also find out how much it would cost you, if you need to cancel the service.
7. Check out the Daily Deal Sites
Keep an eye on the daily deal sites as they offer a lot of exciting travel deals, and you need to act real quick in order to grab one.
8. Go for a Full Package
When traveling to just one destination, try and book a full package that includes airfare, hotel and car rental, which may cost you less than buying these components separately.
9. Cash in Your Reward Points
A number of credit card companies offer equivalent points to the number of night stays just for a sign-up. You may also earn some points by using your new credit cards. Using such hotel points for stays is often dubbed as the best deal in the travel industry, one which not many people are aware of.
10. Visit in the Off- Season
An off-season is perhaps the best time to find the cheapest deals on hotels and airfares since hotels and airline companies are forced to trim the prices due to lack of tourists.
11. Book within the Cancelation Period
When it comes to hotels, sometimes waiting until the last minute may help you grab a lower price. Usually, a hotel’s cancellation period falls between 24 hrs to 48 hrs advance, during which the prices are reduced.
12. Sign-Up for Loyalty Programs
Signing up for a loyalty program and sticking to it is often considered the best way to receive free upgrades. Loyalty Programs include best –price guarantee for customers, free – Wi-Fi, entries to exclusive events and programs, free items and much more.
13. Sign-Up for Price Drop Alerts
There are various websites where you can sign-up for price alerts. You will receive emails at the time when the prices drop saving you the time and efforts of checking again and again.
14. Book with New Hotels
Booking in a new hotel can often lead to great savings. This is because the hotels at these times would be looking to make their mark and attract new customers and once the word is out, you can find rooms at lower and cheaper prices.
15. Mention in case of a Special Occasion
If you’re traveling at the time of your anniversary, birthday, honeymoon or it’s your first stay at the hotel, it won’t hurt to mention that you’re there for a celebration. Many hotels would offer free amenities and upgrades that would make your stay more cherishing.
16. Stay Midweek
If you can plan your trip during the weekdays, you may save some great cash. Most of the hotels increase the tariffs during the weekends and public holidays. Also, pools, spas, casinos etc would also cost less and may offer some great deals.
17. Surf the Web for Deals
There are numerous travel portals online offering attractive deals and offers on hotel and other travel bookings. They also offer great flexibility in terms of rescheduling and cancellation. Booking with such portals may save you some big bucks.
18. Refer Your Friends
A lot of hotels offer reward points to their guests on referrals that bring in new customers. These referral points can be used to grab discounts and other upgrades and amenities.
Guest Post by Isabella Jones
Isabella Jones is an inspired travel writer. She is an avid traveler from New York whose soul is infused with vivid imaginations and the passion of writing. She leaves no stone unturned for exploring new places and enjoying them to the fullest. She dreams to travel the whole world and pen down her experience for LookUpFare.com, so that all who reads her stories can go on a virtual journey with her.
