Going on vacation gives you time to relax and recharge your batteries. You intend to have a great time and come home feeling fresh and new. However, if the trip has cost you more than you planned, you could bring home more stress and worry than you bargained for! Bringing down the cost of key areas, such as air fares and accommodation, can give you more money to spend on experiences during your trip – and prevent a need to eat into your savings.
When cutting hotel costs, you don’t need to compromise on quality. You can still enjoy luxury travel and stay in fine properties, even if your budget is tight. By taking advantage of the right deals and using a bit of inside knowledge, you can get the best bargains and see the world in real style. Take a look at some of the ways you can save on your next hotel stay.
Compare room prices and check out reviews online
Thanks to the internet, we can all be our own travel agent and book our own trips. However, there are so many places to start looking – how do you know if you are really getting a great deal? Price comparison sites can show you where the cheapest deals are – look at Trivago, Hotels.com and LastMinute.com for deals, or to find out where a room is available cheapest. By doing this, you can find extremely low rates for premium rooms. Take a moment to consider reviews as well: TripAdvisor is a great place to start. Get a little insight into which hotels routinely offers upgrades to guests, or which provide plenty of extras and treats for its visitors, and you could get much more for your money.
Use vouchers for great deals
If you have your eye on particular luxurious over-the-budget hotels, try searching online for voucher codes or special offers. VoucherBin provides you with a huge range of deals on hundreds of accommodation options, which include half-price stays, free nights and meal/drink packages. You could get a luxury suite in a five-star hotel for the price of a standard B&B stay! Hotel brands will often run their own offers and promotions as well. It is well worth following your favourite hotels on social media, and watching out for any competitions or special deals posted on these pages
Make use of loyalty schemes and rewards
Do you like to return to the same hotel, or use the same hotel chain? Make sure you sign up for their loyalty scheme. Frequent visitors are often rewarded with special discounts and can get access to cheaper rooms. If you travel often for leisure or work, it is always wise to consider signing up to a reward scheme. They more you visit, the cheaper the cost to you.
Loyalty schemes for retail and finance brands sometimes include hotel rewards as well. Your credit card, insurance policy and even your mobile contract could earn you points which you can put towards a hotel stay.
Consider short stays at airport hotels
Many hotel chains, including budget brands like Travelodge and luxury names like Hilton and Starwood, have set up new hotels directly at the airport, designed for overnight stays or between flights. Typically, these hotels have been seen as an expensive and unnecessary extra, but the savvy traveller can use these hotels to their advantage. Firstly, using an airport hotel allows you to fly at unusual and unsociable hours – saving you the cost of peak air fares. It will always cost less to fly at 3am with a mid-way stopover than to take an afternoon flight that goes straight through to your destination. Secondly, many of these hotels include free parking, which can drastically cut your holiday costs. Airport parking is a big expense – avoid it and use the savings for more holiday fun instead.
Bundle your travel services for added savings
If you know where you want to go and what you want to do, why not book everything before you go? Not only can advance bookings be cheaper, but you can land yourself some serious discounts with travel bundles. Many travel sites offer deals which include flights, hotel bookings, meals, rental vehicles and excursions – similar to a package deal, except you arrange the parts of the package. These bundles can be paid for in advance, and you can use the savings you make as spending money for your holiday! Prices in popular tourist areas can be extremely high when you pay on the spot, but booking in advance for things like tours and trips can save you up to half of the cost on average.
