5 Insider Tips on Booking Hotels & Saving Money
Ever paid too much for a hotel room? Whether you’re traveling for business or vacation, it can be easy to neglect your personal budget. After all, when you’re taking a break from your daily routine, money is often the last of your worries.
If you’ve been traveling for some time now, you may have a trick or two up your sleeve for saving on hotel rooms. But even your most proven methods may fail from time to time.
To help save money on booking hotels, consider our insider tips.
1) Be Flexible
No matter where you’re traveling, you may have an ideal hotel picked out. You’ve done your research. You’ve compared rates. And the day you try to make reservations, it’s already reserved. So what do you do?
First off, there’s no need to panic. While you may not be able to book the exact room, consider options nearby. If you filter your hotel booking search around specifics such as ratings and pricing, we can bet you’ll find a comparable alternative.
Don’t be afraid to shake things up a bit. Who says change is a bad thing?
2) Know the Lingo
Hotels speak a language of their own. Much like healthcare and insurance, the travel industry is riddled with jargon. To help you wade through the acronyms and terminology, it’s best to know a few terms.
Instead of asking for “the best deal,” ask for “the cheapest nonrefundable rate.” Curious about extra services such as meals or upgrades? Ask about “add-ons.” Wondering what DBL or MLOS are? “Double occupancy room” and “minimum length of stay,” respectively.
The more you know, the more you’ll potentially save.
3) Find Out What’s (And What’s Not) Included
It’s one thing to know what “add-ons” are. It’s another to know exactly what’s included in the price of your stay.
Factoring specific amenities into your travel budget can help put a price tag into perspective. For example, a complimentary breakfast saves you the cost of morning meals and coffee. Free shuttle services can reduce the costs and headaches associated with taxi and public transportation. Some hotels even offer discounted food and drink, whether you’re aiming to satiate a client or yourself.
Similarly, it’s important to educate yourself about hidden costs and fees before you book your hotel. Do your homework and find out whether or not you need to pay for Wi-Fi, parking, and other modern necessities.
4) Start A Bidding War
If you’re a travel pro, you probably already know the benefits of booking cancellable rooms. If you’d really like to find the best rates, follow this process—but take it a step further and call nearby hotels to see if you can find a better deal.
Mention how you recently made a reservation at [insert property name] for [insert price], but how you’re second guessing your decision because of [insert reason].
If you work your magic, you may be able to convince a hotel to lower their rates.
5) Consider Corporate Perks
You may not know it, but your company may offer corporate travel perks. Unsure of your employee benefits package? Contact your human resources representative.
Many businesses offer exclusive memberships for booking hotels—whether it’s for work or play. Consider Engine. Between discounted rates, intuitive search features, and extensive coverage, Engine provides hotel booking solutions designed for business travel.
Learn how our exclusive corporate rates can transform your hotel booking experience.