This is a money saving and travel post by Ellie Jo.
Hotel rooms are notoriously expensive, which can be bad news if you’re trying to have a dream vacation on a budget. They are particularly expensive at certain times of the year, such as popular tourist seasons when hoteliers hike their prices up.
So, if you’re looking to save money on vacation, it can be easier said than done.
Of course, you don’t have to stay in a hotel at all. If you don’t mind a few bugs and beasties, you could go camping and stay in a tent. This is by far the cheapest option.
And if you visit the same place year after year, you could also consider a timeshare. Of course, this latter option isn’t ideal if you like to hop around the globe, as you will waste rather than save money. It’s also hard to resell a timeshare, although timeshare exit companies are useful in this regard.
But if your heart is set on a hotel room, then so be it. As we said, they can be expensive, but you can bag yourself a cheaper hotel room with the following tips.
#1: Take advantage of membership reward programs
A lot of vacation and hotel booking sites offer member reward programs, where you can earn exclusive discounts on hotel stays. They might offer you a number of free nights after a certain number of bookings or discounted rates if you’re a regular customer. Expedia, Booking.com, and Hotels.com are just some of those sites that offer their members regular rewards, so sign up and take advantage of their offers.
#2: Use coupon sites
Coupon sites are great, for all kinds of reasons, as you can get money off fashion, DVDs, meals out, and a range of other purchases. They are also great for hotel bookings, as sites such as RetailMeNot, Coupons.com, and Honey.com provide coupon codes for some great hotel discounts. Browse these sites and look for others online, and use them to get money off anything else you need for your vacation time.
#3: Take advantage of last-minute deals
Hotels and booking sites often offer last-minute deals, especially when they have a need to attract more customers, so take advantage of these. HotelTonight and Expedia are just two of the sites where last-minute hotel deals can often be found, so bookmark these and other sites you find, and benefit from the lowered rates on offer.
#4: Stay in a hotel for longer
Nightly rates can reduce significantly the longer you stay in a hotel, so consider an extended booking. Hoteliers often offer these cheaper rates as it means there will be fewer room changeovers, so they still stand to benefit financially.
#5: Use price matching
Some hotel and booking sites price match, meaning they will reduce their rates if you find another site offering a hotel stay for cheaper. In some cases, they might even lower their prices to remain competitive. So, shop around before committing to a deal that could be quite expensive.
#6: Stay off the beaten track
If you don’t mind a longer walk to the beach each day, you might be able to save money. Hotels that are situated further away from popular touristy places are often cheaper. They are usually placed in quieter locations too so you will get a better night’s sleep. Consider the option when you’re searching online and price up all hotels in the area, and not just those that are in a prime location.
Why pay more for a hotel stay when you could be paying less? Consider our suggestions and do what you can to bag a cheaper hotel room the next time you’re planning to get away.
