Top Money-Saving Hotel Tricks For Vacationers
Those who travel often have their plans well established. They are savvy about using their elite status to their advantage and saving money on hotel stays. However, there are a few tips and methods that not everyone will be aware of. You can save a significant amount of money on hotels by being smart about how and where you book. Whether you’re spending a single night or many, these tips can help you save money on lodging.
Image Resource: unsplash.com
Sign Up For A Reward/Loyalty Program
There’s more to loyalty programs than merely accruing miles and points for future redemption. Indeed, they are incredible advantages. When you achieve elite level, the experience multiplies to provide even more benefits. Discounts on hotel stays, however, are still another incentive to sign up for a loyalty club, even if you don’t travel much. Hotel programs reward members who make direct reservations by giving them a discount when they use their own channels. As a result, you can save costs significantly.
Spend Less With Assuredly Low Prices
Hotels often provide a lowest-rate guarantee to encourage direct booking. This guarantees that their own website will have the best deal. Hotels must pay a fee when reservations are made via online travel agencies for hotel stays. To assist in preventing such, direct reservations are encouraged. Hotels will frequently give you a discount or freebie if you discover the same accommodation for the same dates at a lesser price elsewhere. This may include extra points or a portion of the money returned as a refund. Understanding price guarantees can assist you in saving money, particularly when looking for hotels in premium locations.
Use Hotel Credit Cards Wisely
Image Resource: unsplash.com
A hotel-affiliated card could be a great way to save money on future hotel visits, especially if you stay often at a certain hotel chain. In addition to the rewards points you’ll get for paying with the card, some of them also come with elite benefits that might help you save money throughout your stay. The Hilton Aspire Card, for instance, provides its cardholders with Diamond status in the Hilton Honors reward program, while the IHG Premier Card provides its cardholders with Platinum Elite status in the IHG Rewards Program. It can be helpful to have access to club lounges, have breakfast, check out late, and even have welcome beverages and fruit platters. These benefits are free of charge for the duration of your stay, saving you money.
Use Everything That The Location Has To Offer
Similar to the amenities of elite membership, but open to all guests, some hotels provide complimentary breakfast, nighttime happy hours, and other perks. Many companies include these added benefits in their value offers. When searching for the best hotels for a location with your family, there’s no need to spend additional money on breakfast every morning when some hotels provide it for free. Free cooked-to-order breakfast is available at many hotels, which adds up to significant cost savings for a family. It might save a lot of money if you know what the different hotel brands within a network provide.
To Get Extra Rewards, Use Cash-Back Booking Sites
This will be more beneficial the more you spend on your hotel (luxury accommodations, extended stays, etc.). Making online purchases via cash-back portals is an excellent method to save money since it allows you to “double dip” on your reward winnings. To complete the booking process, all you need to do is go to a cashback portal website and click on the website of the online merchant or hotel you’re planning to book. There are few exceptions, but many major hotel groups take part in this. Spending in your account will earn you a rebate that can be cashed in for real or used to purchase other goods and services. If you’d rather earn those perks in the form of miles or points rather than a free flight or room, airlines and hotels both provide shopping websites where you may do so.
Play The Odds With Pre-Paid Hotel Prices
This is for the adventurous traveller. Prepaid rates often are not refundable but may save a significant amount of money on a hotel stay. You can save some cash, but your options will be more limited. Without additional coverage, you risk losing your whole trip expenditure if you have to make a sudden change of plans. However, if you know for sure that you will be staying the night, this might be a good method to save money on your hotel.
Negotiate A Deal
Get in touch with the hotel’s sales office if you want to stay frequently or for a longer period of time. There’s a good chance they will give you a discount if you make your reservation directly. If you plan to spend a lot of time at the hotel during the year, and if you’re travelling with a large group, the hotel may give you a discounted rate because of the volume of your reservations. While results can vary depending on the location and kind of property, it’s always worth giving it a try.
Make Reservations Via Travel Agents To Maximise Your Access To Affordable Choices
Certain websites and applications provide last-minute rates if you don’t care about exclusive hotel loyalty, accruing points, or benefiting from elite status benefits. This is an excellent method for hotels to get rid of extra stock without damaging their brand. Because these offers are opaque, you won’t find out the precise hotel until you make the payment. By doing this, you may save money, but you might not necessarily receive the best accommodation available.
Conclusion
With the additional money you save on lodging, what are you going to do? The next time you reserve a hotel room, follow these money-saving tactics like a pro. Think about the costs and benefits of obtaining the lowest prices vs booking with a hotel that offers loyalty points. If gaining elite status or receiving complimentary hotel stays is not a top priority, you may use that extra cash for something more meaningful while travelling. Try a few of these suggestions whenever you book a hotel stay and see if you can save a little more money.
