When travelling accommodation can be an expensive part of your trip besides trying to find a cheap flight, therefore, it is essential to understand the hacks and tricks you can do to save yourself money! The more you save on accommodation then, the more spending money you have. In the article, we will go through some of the very best tricks on how to book the cheapest hotel possible.
1. COMPARE DIFFERENT BOOKING SITES
Personally, my favourite hotel site to use is Booking.com. I find the site always offers the most significant number of cheap places and that’s the most important thing when it comes to saving money. I also like how it gives you a direct comparison of so many different hotels in the area.
However, that doesn’t mean then when I’ve found a hotel I like I wouldn’t then check that hotel on another site. Other search engines I use are
- Expedia (good for members only discounts)
- Agoda (suitable for booking hotels in Asia)
- TripAdvisor (you can search both hotels)
- Hotels.com (often has coupons)
2. SIGN IN FOR MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNTS
Hotels and hotel booking sites do offer membership discounts for returning customers. Obviously, as someone that wants to save money on their accommodation then do take advantage of this! You can get things like discounted hotel rates, room upgrades or free breakfasts, Booking.com’s loyalty program always gives you more from travel. Here’s a breakdown of their level 2 loyalty reward.
Genius Level 2
Complete any five stays within two years to unlock Genius Level 2
Genius travel rewards
- Free lifetime membership once you’re in the programme
- 10% and 15% discounts at select properties
- Complimentary breakfast with your Genius stay
- Free room upgrade on availability
3. COMPARE RATES WITH THE HOTEL WEBSITE
If you’re booking a big named hotel such as the Hilton, Hyatt or Marriot then it’s worth also trying their website. A massive benefit to booking directly on global sites is you earn points and status with your stays. Which you can redeem for a free night or room upgrade
4. BE FLEXIBLE ON DATES
The more flexible you are with your travel dates, the likelier you are to get a cheap hotel room. Hotels will usually charge more for rooms when they know people are desperate. Rooms are always expensive during peak seasons or when there is a huge festival or event in the area you are visiting.
5. BOOK LONGER STAYS
Some hotels offer a discounted rate for people who book longer stays while some will offer a complimentary free night after a certain number of stays.
For instance, Vrbo offers discounts for extended stays. Using them can save you hundreds.
6. LOOK FOR LAST-MINUTE DEALS
For any last-minute hotel rooms, I always use the hotel tonight.
Last-minute bookings don’t work in every circumstance, though.
7. HOTEL REWARD PROGRAMS
Almost every if not all major hotels have a rewards program. It helps you earn points that you can then redeem for local activities or room upgrades.
Hotel booking sites like Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, and Agoda all have their loyalty programs. The beauty of this is you earn rewards staying at any hotel, unlike just staying at one chain of hotels.
Hôtel chains reward programs can still be a great choice. Many hotels give their program members exclusive perks and discounts, such as late check-out and free internet access. Many hotel services are well-linked to other partners, and you can receive points through credit cards, flights, car rentals, online shopping and more
Hilton rewards are one of my favourites
8. BARGAIN
It never hurts to call a hotel and ask for a better deal. Sometimes they can give you better rates, especially if it’s during mid-week on some non-peak time of the year.
9. USE AIRLINE MILES TO GET FREE HOTELS
Another good way to get cheap hotel rooms is by using airline miles. In most airlines, you can convert miles into dollars that you can then use towards a hotel booking. This benefit is good if you are a frequent flyer.
10. CONSIDER HOTEL ALTERNATIVES
If you’re travelling to a location that has expensive hotels such as London, New York, Tokyo, or Switzerland, then it may be a good idea to look at some alternatives since these can save you quite a lot of money.
Vrbo. The platform offers customers the chance to search for a vacation home or apartment, mostly if they are travelling in a group. Sometimes you can rent just a single room at a host house which can be a huge money saver.
Hostels can be another great way to save money on your accommodation. Hostels in most countries are a fraction of the cost of a hotel and are still incredibly clean, well maintained and relaxing. This can be a great alternative to a hotel as the more money you save on accommodation, the more you can spend on actual activities! You will be able to meet a lot more people which can be great if you’re travelling for an extended period.
Couch surfing you can browse hosts of the city you are travelling to and send a request on the ones you would like to stay with. If any of them accepts your request, then you have a place to stay.
The host may ask you to complete some tasks for them. This can include making sure the house is clean, looking after children, or even working on a farm. The tasks can be completely different depending on the place that you stay. Be sure to work it out with your homeowners, so you know what you will have to do.
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