10 Money Saving Tips for Booking a Hotel
By Andrew Kardon
Vacations are awesome, but your hotel room might be the biggest expense of your trip. And why would you want to spend a fortune on the place where you’re mostly just sleeping? If you’re willing to hunt out hotels that offer money saving amenities or forgo some of the luxuries you don’t really need, you can shave big bucks off the cost of your hotel stay. Just check out these 10 helpful tips, frugal traveller.
Book Early
You know how they say that the early bird gets the worm? Well, that may or may not be true, but he sure doesn’t overpay for his hotel room. Some of the more popular destinations sell out their cheap rooms months in advance. Booking as soon as you decide where you’re vacationing can often snag you the lowest rate. Best of all, if your room rate goes down for some reason, most hotels will let you rebook at the new lower rate (assuming you don’t book a nonrefundable rate).
Travel During Off-peak Times
Just about every travel destination has an “off” season. Plan your trip during these less popular times and save some cash. Just remember that there’s usually a good reason for an off season, and it’s usually weather-related. Do a little research to make sure you’re not traveling during monsoon season.
It Pays to be Loyal
Every hotel chain has a loyalty program that lets you collect hotel points and/or airline miles for your stay. Sign up for free and try to stay in one hotel chain’s group of hotels (for example, Starwood PreferredGuest hotels include Sheratons, Westins and Four Points, while the Intercontinental Priority Club hotels include Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and Candlewood Suites). When you sign up, you’ll need to select whether you want to earn hotel points or airline miles, though Hilton hotels allow you to earn both at the same time! And if you stay three or four times in one chain, your next hotel stay might be on the house.
Save Money with More Togetherness
Don’t pay extra for additional rooms for your large family. Get a room with two queen beds, then get an extra roll-away bed for one more person for as little as $20 extra per night. Or, consider a hotel that offers suites, like Embassy Suites, Hawthorne Suites by Wyndam, or Marriott Residence Inn. You get more sleeping space, and the in-suite kitchens let you cook meals in your room. Just remember that a “studio suite” means one big room and does not include a separate bedroom and living room.
Say “Amen” to Amenities
Look for hotels that offer free goodies, like free breakfast, free shuttle service and free wi-fi. Homewood Suites goes beyond the standard pastry and cereal breakfast and offers a full breakfast with hot yummies like waffles and eggs. And Monday through Thursday, they even serve a free light dinner!
Make Your Own Free Wi-fi
Hotels with free in-room wi-fi include Best Western, Holiday Inn and Courtyard by Marriott. Some hotels that charge for in-room wi-fi may offer free wi-fi in the lobby or even have computers available for guests’ use. (Be sure to ask.) Or pick a hotel near a coffee shop that offers free wi-fi. Even an over-priced latte is cheaper than a $10 daily charge for in-room Internet access.
Ocean Front vs. Ocean View
If you’re traveling to a sandy beach, decide just how much of a view you really need. An ocean front room directly faces the ocean, while an ocean view room might show just a sliver of the sea. (Guess which is cheaper.) If you do shell out the big bucks for an ocean front view, don’t be afraid to politely complain if your view is obstructed in any way. Hotels are in the hospitality business, and that includes trying to make their guests happy whenever possible.
Watch for Hidden Fees
Be aware of parking charges if you’re driving or renting a car. It pays to ask before you book. Hotels often include a self-park option that’s cheaper than the valet. Check the fine print before booking to avoid any other unexpected fees.
Visit the Hotel Website and Call the Hotel Directly
By all means, check out the hotel booking sites like Priceline, Expedia and others. But take a few minutes to visit the hotel’s own website. You might find discounts or promotions that aren’t offered elsewhere on the web (including AAA and senior rates). And it never hurts to call the hotel to try to find the best deal. But don’t use the toll-free number for the hotel’s call center; call the hotel directly and ask for the sales department. You may be able to negotiate a deal to beat the online quotes. Or, if you’ve gotten a great deal from that hotel chain before, ask for the same deal!
Consider Paying More
It hurts to suggest this, but sometimes the best way to save money is to spend a little extra. If there’s a chance you might need to cancel your trip (kids get sick, jobs get hectic, life happens), you might get stuck with a large cancellation fee. Some of the cheapest deals do not allow for cancellations. So make sure your great deal has a small cancellation fee, or none at all, or you might get stuck with a big ol’ fee.
Finally, when you arrive at your vacation getaway, don’t forget to send me a postcard!
BIO: Andrew Kardon is the president and deals, price comparisons, product reviews, shopping blogs and more.