How To Save Money on Hotels Anywhere in the World, Any Time of Year
Written by
Jordan Rosenfeld
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Katie Wudel
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Hotel prices have been all over the place in the past few years. After rock bottom prices early in the pandemic, they have rebounded and then some. According to Money.com, hotel prices were as much as 54% higher in January 2023 as they were the prior year. Higher demand, inflation and a need to recoup lost costs during the pandemic have all contributed to the higher rise in price.
Fortunately, no matter where you want to travel and how long you plan to stay, there are ways to save on your hotel booking. Here, experts weigh in with some tips to help you get the best deals on hotels.
Find Out:
Choose Hotels With Free Meals
While you won’t necessarily save money on the hotel itself, finding hotels that offer complimentary meals does save you money, said Shawn Richards, expedition coordinator at Ultimate Kilimanjaro.
“Many budget hotels offer free breakfasts to attract weary travelers,” he said.
Big chain hotels are more likely to offer free meals than smaller boutique hotels, so you’ll have better luck at those, such as Best Western, Marriott, Hilton, Radisson and Hyatt.
Take Advantage of Student Discounts
Being a student has its perks beyond the university-travel discounts. According to Kayak, many airlines offer student discounts, which can range from 5% to 40% cheaper than regular flights. Some hotels and youth hostels also offer discounted rates. Sites like CheapOair and StudentUniverse are great places to search for these deals. Student discounts may also apply to train passes, museums and other activities.
Use Voucher Extensions or Cash-Back Plug-Ins
You may want to check out sites such as Honey or Pouch, which help you find promo codes quickly and earn credit at the same time.
Even Groupon can help you earn vouchers on hotels, food, or leisure activities. Owain Powell, a consultant at UP Hotel Agency, said, “Use cash-back sites and install the Honey Chrome extension. Someone looking to book a stay can effectively earn cash back for landing at a website such as Holiday Inn, Accor Hotels and countless others.”
Helpful: 13 Insider Secrets From Travel Agents That Will Save You Money
Book Direct Rather Than Through a Third Party
One way to save money is rather than booking a hotel through a third-party site such as Booking.com or Hotels.com, to book directly with the hotel and ask if they’ll match a better rate you found elsewhere.According to the Washington Post, travelers who booked directly report having better customer service than through a third party, and fewer fees.
Sign Up for Cards With Rewards and Bonuses
Another way to save money is to sign up for a credit card that is offering sign-up bonuses in the form of free cash, miles or points when you spend a certain amount of money, said Andrea Woroch, a consumer expert, writer and bestselling author.
“Plan ahead and open a new card before your trip so you can use those bonus rewards to cover your hotel stay,” she said.
Woroch recommends comparing sign-up bonuses and cash-back programs through sites like CardRates.com.
Book Prepaid (Non-refundable) Rooms
Another little trick if you are pretty confident that nothing will throw your stay off track, is to book rooms that are prepaid and nonrefundable, according to NerdWallet. These rooms often come at a lower rate, but of course, they also come with greater risk, in case your plans fall through. If you’re traveling more last minute, this might work out better.Woroch recommends a site called RoomerTravel.com.
“[The site] enables people to book hotel rooms from travelers who can no longer use them, at a discount,” she said. “Each hotel listing features user reviews from TripAdvisor, so you can select among properties with the highest reviews.”
Stay Off-Season
Perhaps the best way to snag a good deal is to stay off the usual travel dates.
“Hotels are typically more expensive during busy holiday seasons, so try to book a stay during slow times of the year,” said Brian Donovan, CEO of Timeshatter. “Look for hotels with a free cancellation fee and consider booking a room way in advance to lock in that rate. If you end up finding something better, you can easily cancel.”
Book Last Minute
If you’re not a book-in-advance type, Woroch said that procrastinators can actually get major last-minute discounts on hotels and airfare through such sites as Priceline’s “tonight-only deals.” These are typically 35% less compared to published prices found elsewhere, she said.
NerdWallet found that as much as 66% of the time, it was indeed cheaper to book a hotel room as little as two weeks prior to an event versus months out.
“Meanwhile, the HotelTonight app will show you hotel options based on your location for up to 70% off on same-day reservations,” Woroch added.
Use the Right Sites
Try to avoid the big-name booking sites such as Booking.com or Hotels.com, where the prices are probably going to be higher. If you’re willing to put up with a little risk, Lanie Vanderhorst of Make-More-Adventures.com, recommends sites like Hotwire.com.
“Their hot rate hotels are often much cheaper, especially when I want to stay at a four- or five-star hotel that I would not normally be able to afford,” she said.
These are not always refundable or transferable, however, but if you’re looking for a good deal, that’s what you’ll find.
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Gabrielle Olya and contributed to the reporting for this article.
