We've compiled great ways to get cheap hotels and deals on hotels for your next stay! (These tips are in no particular order of importance or usefulness.)

 

1. Book Last Minute

 

When booking your hotel stay last minute, whether it's for 1 or multiple nights, you can potentially get great rates when hotels are trying to fill un-occupied rooms. Most hotels will cut rates the day of booking in order to be competitive and fill as many rooms as they can. BUT... This method has potential to make planning much more difficult and can make for the opposite as well. For example, if you are looking at staying at a hotel that is very popular, in an important area or tourist destination, and/or booking during holidays, you may want to plan ahead as rooms can fill up fast making for no available rooms or even HIGHER prices on remaining rooms. So to be short, this tactic is a gamble and should be considered that when planning, be sure to have a back up plan in case of the worst outcome.

 

2. Book Directly Through The Hotel

 

When booking directly with a hotel, the hotel may offer better rates as they are not using a third party service to fill a room. This they do not have to pay a service fee to a third party platform leaving out the inflated price you could see otherwise. Again this is not always the circumstance as some third party platforms will offer better pricing, but you may be able to price match directly with the hotel and reduce the chance of hidden fees & extras at checkout. We always suggest checking rates on third party platforms and then calling the hotel directly to check what their price is before booking your stay.

 

3. Check 3rd Party Booking Sites

 

As mentioned above, third party sites such as trivago, tripadvisor, orbit, etc. may have more expensive rates when in comparison to hooking don't recall with the hotel in question. On the flip side at times you can score a great deal with third party services because they may have contractual discounted rates with hotels and thus can pass the savings along to you in hopes to make some commission in the process.

 

4. Check For Military & Service Member Discounts

 

If you are service member, military, police, fire fighter, etc. You may be able to get a discount on your stay! If using a third party service we recommend contacting their customer support line to inquire about any available service member discounts. When booking directly with a hotel we suggest calling them directly as well to check for appropriate discounts!

 

5. Use AAA 

 

If you are a AAA member you will likely benefit from 1 of the many perks of being a card member. A LOT of hotels will actually offer a discount for AAA members, the exact discount depends on some variables such as location and hotel brand. Although you must pay for a AAA membership, in most cases you will definitely get your money back from your multiple ways to save with discounts ( and that's not even mentioning the free tow service!)

 

6. Become A Rewards Member

 

This is by far one of the best option if you travel frequently and use hotels often. And most cases Hotels offer a member or rewards program for you to earn points on each and every day at your favorite Hotel chains. For example when becoming a Hilton Rewards member you can receive points that will give you inclusive access to complementary parking late check out and continental breakfast to name a few!

 

7. Sign Up For Hotel Credit Card

 

If you're familiar the perks that are often accessible once becoming approved for a credit card you may be aware that some hotel chains have their own branded credit cards that at times have great benefits and sign up offers! We only suggest this method if you are responsible with your credit and are likely to use the card in order to grow your point / reward balance. Credit cards can be better than cash when used properly, being that you can get points or free hotel nights when you use your card!

 

8. Ask The Hotel For Any Available Discounts

 

So this one is often overlooked by many people. When you go to book your hotel stay try contacting the hotel directly and simply ask if there is any available discounts or ways to save money on your stay. Be very surprised that the willingness of the hotel front desk attendant to help you save money and get the room that satisfies you. Some hotels have special discounts that they only use last minute to incentivize would be Bookers to finalize their stay.

 

9. Stay In Hotels Further Away From Tourist Destinations

 

Are you going to a very popular tourist destination? If so, we recommend you check out hotels that are slightly further away from where you plan on visiting. Bros of this would be that typically you will find cheaper rates the further away you get from touristy areas but the con would be that you will have to travel to your destination of choice which may take longer based on how far out you stay. If you're really trying to budget though this method can definitely be worth a few extra minutes of a drive.

 

10. Book Your Stay During The Week

 

Have you ever noticed that hotel rates can drastically increase on the weekend? Honestly it makes sense because most people try to plan their vacations or day trips on weekends. Don't get me wrong I love Saturday and Sunday just as much as the next person but if you can schedule your next trip or hotel stay on a weekday you can save drastically and comparison to booking on weekend. 

 

11. Book Early 

 

Even though we do suggest booking at the last minute, booking in advance also has its benefits. For one you can rest assured knowing that everything is planned for and you are less likely to have the stress of deal ing with last minute difficulties such as no vacancy or price hikes. But nonetheless when booking well in advance you may be able to lock in a great rate before any upcoming price fluctuations due to unforeseen circumstances.

 

12. Don't Touch The Mini Bar or Room Service

 

This one is extremely simple, just don't do it! In most (if not all) cases, room service and mini bar items are extremely overpriced. Although it may be convenient it can definitely add up to some hefty charges during your stay.

 

13. Book Hotels With Free Parking & Complimentary Breakfast

 

One thing to keep in mind is that parking and breakfast is not always included with your hotel stay. A lot of hotels in more dense areas such as New York City charge for parking on top of your hotel rate. Be sure to check in advance before booking to see if you will be able to park for free and if breakfast is included! 

 

14. Get The Room Without The View

 

This one is a toss up, as some rooms may be the same price or a little bit more if they have a view of the city, monumental areas, beaches, etc. But if you don't plan on spending a lot of your time in your room then it can be worth it to opt out of the room with a view and the higher prices.

 

15. Double Check For Any Fees or Extra Charges

 

This one's a no brainer but is often overlooked. You may begin to book your room and see a great price, then once you hit checkout the price is way different! This one is hard to avoid, but at the least, you can be prepared for it when budgeting and planning your next trip. Depending on the fees and extra charges, you may be able to get them waived if you speak with someone directly, especially when booking through a hotel and not a 3rd party service. 

 

At any rate we hope these tips find you and help you save some more money on your next hotel. At times it can be hard to save money on vacations but every dollar adds up, especially when you utilize these methods to get yourself a great stay, at an even better price!