Business or pleasure, doesn’t it always seem like transportation and accommodations are insanely expensive? It doesn’t have to be that way. Savvy travelers looking to stretch their dollars only have to perform a small amount of research to find cheap hotels.
These days, cheap hotels aren’t defined by lousy rooms, terrible service and questionable cleanliness. Hotel owners know they have to step up their game to convince you to forego perks in order to save a buck. Do your homework, and the money you save on cheap hotels could reward you in other ways, like a longer vacation or a larger nest egg.
Follow these tips to find cheap hotels:
1. Look online.
Travel sites compete for your business just like brick and mortar. See what cheap hotel deals they offer for the dates you are interested in traveling. These Web sites do a lot of the legwork for you. Also, take a gander at your favorite hotel chain Web sites. You may be able to discover promotional deals others don’t have access to.
2. Go in the off-season.
The supply and demand for cheap hotels could be used to your benefit. Hotels set the higher room rates (and get it) when demand is high. But, when occupancy rates are low, prices drop to attract off-season business.
3. Book on weeknights.
Everyone wants cheap hotels on the weekends, so that’s a much more difficult prospect. Hotels take advantage of high demand for rooms on the weekends in order to stay in business the rest of the week. The same room that costs $39 on weeknights will likely fetch $54 on the weekends.
4. Look for independently owned hotels.
Supporting a locally-owned hotel provides several travel advantages. The Shady Pine Hotel might not have a concierge or minibar, but the owner can tell you where to get the best steak in town, how to avoid traffic and where you can find cold medication at three in the morning.
5. Be willing to trade amenities for savings.
A chocolate left on a pillow and health club facilities are nice touches, but it all boils down to wants vs. needs. You need a comfortable bed to get a decent night’s sleep, plus a nice shower in the morning to start the day off on the right foot.
You might want a sauna in your room and late night room service to indulge a hot wing craving, but you’re going to pay extra to get it. Cheap hotels may not offer a ton of amenities, but why pay for stuff that you may or may not take advantage of?
6. Talk to family and friends.
When it comes to the scoop on cheap hotels, your family and friends are untapped resources. Their advice is likely to be reliable simply because they’ll hear about it if the cheap hotel they suggest turns out to be a dump. They can also tell you about which places to avoid and the juicy gossip as to why. By seeking out their advice on cheap hotels, you just might make their day in the process.
7. Book a travel package.
Travel packages are convenient and save money. All of the transportation, tickets, cheap hotel rooms, and other details are taken care of in one easy step. In addition, you can score travel discounts not available if you just purchase cheap hotel stays by themselves.
8. Haggle.
Most people working the front desk are personable, and if you approach them in the right way, they may give you the skinny on how to get cheap hotel rates or a better room. Approach them while the hotel manager is not behind the desk breathing down their neck.
9. Use a travel agent.
Travel agents have connections with hotels that allow them to pass cheap hotel rates onto you. However, make sure the cheap hotel room savings are significant enough to offset the fees agents charge.
10. Be willing to travel a few extra miles to your destinations.
If you don’t mind staying 20 miles or more from your main destination, you can easily find cheap hotels off the beaten path. When situated a little farther out from the attractions, cheap hotel rates abound in order to lure business.
Finding a cheap hotel room isn’t as difficult as some would have you believe. If you do a little leg work on your own, it can result in great deals on cheap hotels. If you forego the fallacy that cheap hotels mean crappy hotels, you will find spectacular cheap hotel gems to recommend to your friends and family.
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