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People are back to being on the go, nearly more than ever before. In addition to vacations and pleasure tours, many of you may also have to make business trips.
The conferences and meetings that used to take place online have all started to happen physically. This means you will have to travel and find decent accommodation wherever you go. However, you don’t have to spend a bundle.
Following our clever list of tips will save on next hotel stay.
Use Loyalty Programs
Loyalty programs are at the top of our list because most hotel chains offer loyalty programs for their regular guests. Once you start to accumulate points by staying at these chains regularly, you can redeem them for a free room or an upgrade. Business hotels, in particular, offer very attractive loyalty programs.
Some banks offer hotel-oriented credit cards that will help you accumulate loyalty points. It would help if you did some research because these programs differ geographically.
Book Directly at the Hotel
There is a lot of competition these days, thanks to websites like Booking.com, Agoda, Airbnb, and other companies. As a result, hotels have begun offering heavy discounts to customers who book directly.
Booking direct is a sign of loyalty, and hotel chains like to retain customers who book directly with them. Skipping the middleman may entitle you to the best rooms and extra discounts. You can directly mention the discount you see on different websites and how the hotel can help you with a better rate.
Take Advantage of Prepaid Discounts
Many people hesitate to book in advance at hotels. Travel plans can change, and one does not have the luxury of being able to cancel at the last minute without incurring penalties. As a result, hotels offer prepaid discounts. This ensures that guests will pay in advance and not cancel because it comes with a cancellation fee.
Pre-booking your hotel room is good if you know the dates and travel plan. However, you may not get any refunds if you cancel your plan without some sort of travel insurance as backup.
Compare Online Booking Apps
Most people won’t know which hotel to stay at when they visit a new destination. As a result, booking directly at the hotel does not make sense if you don’t know what it’s like. Instead, you can compare prices on different booking applications to choose the best rate.
Many booking applications also provide free transfers to and from the hotel, taxi services from the airport, and other such facilities. Look for these amenities on the app before you book a room.
Use Private Browsing
Technology can be incredibly sophisticated these days. Websites leave cookies on your browser to track your behavior and understand what you’re looking for. When you start looking for prices at different hotels, booking sites quickly learn you’re trying to book a room. As a result, you will see higher-than-usual prices on your browser.
Instead, use private browsing, also known as incognito browsing. This stops booking sites from tracking your website usage behavior, which will cause you to see lower prices than usual. This way, you can book rooms at a reduced rate.
Manipulate Free Cancellation
Most booking sites offer free cancellation for up to a specific period. This often ranges from being able to cancel without a fee until 24 hours before the check-in time to 48 hours before check-in time. But it depends on the country and the location where you’re traveling. You can use this offer and wait for other hotels to drop prices.
Once you see something better at a lower price, you can cancel what you first booked. This also gives you peace of mind that you’ll always have a room to stay even if you don’t find something cheaper at the last moment.
Travel During the Week, if Possible
It makes sense to book during the week, depending on where you travel. Most hotels are cheaper on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. If traveling to the Middle East, remember that the weekend begins on Friday. As a result, it will probably be expensive to book rooms between Thursday and Sunday.
On the other hand, in most parts of the world, the costliest days to stay at hotels are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Mondays can be expensive, too, as many people stay in rooms to get some rest.
Choose Your Location Smartly
You don’t have to stay in the most exclusive locality of the city you’re visiting. Stay away from tourist hubs, exclusive nightlife destinations, and upscale suburbs. Instead, stay at hotels that are conveniently located but outside exclusive zones.
A quick Internet search will help you find less premium destinations. You can search online with keyword phrases such as city + midrange localities, city + modest neighborhoods, city + safe but cheap locations, etc. Use your imagination!
Try Last-Minute Discounts
Many applications help you book rooms at significantly lower costs at the last minute. If you’re familiar with the city or if it’s a large town with enough infrastructure, you can take this risk.
Register on these last-minute applications, and watch out for discounts just before you arrive in the city. This way, you get an average of 40 to 75% discount on hotel rooms. In this particular case, whoever said procrastination is bad was certainly wrong. Just wait until the last moment!
Use Hotel Facilities, Freebies and Perks
A lot of hotels offer complimentary breakfast and other amenities. This may include access to the gym or swimming pool or even discounts at the bar for those who stay in the hotel. Instead of going outside the hotel for breakfast, you can use what they offer you for free and reduce your expenses. If you stay at a hotel with a club, you may not even have to pay the entry fee. Speak to the hotel manager where you plan to stay and ask for the freebies available for you as a guest.
Many hotels offer travel guides, photocopier machines, free refillable water, and even rides to the nearest bus or subway station. If you’re a businessman, you can meet your potential clients at the hotel’s conference room, which you can book at a discounted price. The possibilities are endless!
Don’t Use the Minibar
The mini bar usually contains tempting candies, cookies, beer, liquor, and food products. However, it is priced at a premium and more expensive than the nearest store. This is due to what the hotel industry calls a “convenience tax.” This tax is applied to provide you with the convenience of not having to step outside the room.
Do not pick up anything from the minibar, no matter how tired or tempted you are. This will help you save a lot of money in a few days.
Try to Cook for Yourself
Most hotel rooms have a kettle for brewing coffee and tea. You can also use the kettle to boil water and prepare instant noodles and other pre-cooked food. Of course, this is neither healthy nor very tasty, but if you plan correctly, it will help you save a lot of money.
You can do several things to prepare your own food, even without a stove. You can purchase cereal and milk from a nearby grocery store and eat. You can also carry food from home if the destination isn’t far away, but ensure your luggage doesn’t become too heavy.
Use the Tea Bags and Instant Coffee Pouches
We all know fresh tea leaves and ground coffee taste the best. Instant coffee is looked down upon by most coffee drinkers, as are teabags by tea drinkers. However, if you want to save money and not spend a lot on expensive coffees and teas, use the kettle in your room and make tea or coffee for yourself. This will help you save money and prevent you from ordering more coffee or tea when you’re outside.
Buy Your Own Alcohol
Drinking at bars and hotels can be expensive. You may also not like the crowd or feel quite lonely. Instead, go to the nearest grocery or liquor vendor, purchase what you want, and bring it to your room. Turn on your favorite music playlist or log into a video streaming service, and have the drink in your room. It’s, in fact, the perfect “me time” you’ll ever have.
Better still, make yourself a drink and sip slowly in the bathtub, but be sure you’re safe and sound. There have been many drowning accidents after falling asleep in the bath.
Ask for an Upgrade
This one should have been at the top of our list, but we moved it to the bottom because you don’t really save money on it. However, you get to stay in a better room. Speak to the receptionist or manager and ask them if upgrading to a better room is possible.
If you have any complaints about the existing room, mention them. Most hospitality professionals understand that a disgruntled customer is more expensive than providing them with an upgrade. Even if they offer a discount on a fancy room, it’s still a good deal if it is within your budget.
