5 Tips You Have to Remember Before Booking Hotels

It’s all about cheap lodging. A big-budget items with many ways to save, affordable booking is key. This tips will help you save money when booking hotels. But the old way is not the only way.

Once upon a few years ago we were searching and comparing the meta search sites that searched and compared the booking sites. All of those windows, all of those options. *Shudder. Now, thanks to mega-successful and highly functional search engines (ahem, Google), we can type in a single search and have all the comparisons pop up right in that handy side bar. Easier for us, but also easier for the industry, creating a more united pricing front among the big bookers.

So we need to get creative…or actually we need to get consistent. There are a few things that are so simple that we neglect them. A few are the new tricks of the trade. Before you click submit, remember to consider these often forgotten booking options.

Be loyal to one booking site to earn points/nights

It may be tempting to go back and forth between booking sites, choosing the room site that has the very cheapest price. If you’re a frequent traveler that makes the most sense. But if you book around 10 hotel nights a year, you’re likely missing out on a much bigger money back option. One of the top tips in booking hotels is loyalty. Almost all of the major booking sites have a rewards program. You stay so many nights with them and they give you room credits. In others you earn points to cash in for stays. Your preferred booking site may not always be the cheapest, but the differences are often negligible with the big companies. Loyalty pays in the long run because you will earn money every single time. Hotels.com is my personal favorite because the free night credit is easier than counting points, but the choice is yours.

If you just can do it, sign up for Rakuten. You can chose whichever site you googled the best price from, enter the site through Rakuten, and earn money back.

Check direct

When it comes to reservation security and service options, it’s always best to book direct if you can. Direct bookings are more likely to get upgraded (all other factors equal). They are more likely to get random perks you didn’t know were possible. There is less room for system errors when there is only one system. It’s also easier for hotels to see what booking sites are doing and everyone wants to match prices. If you see a lower price on a booking site, don’t be afraid to ask the hotel if they will match it. Most do. And, every once in awhile, you’ll find the unicorn direct booking. The booking that is cheaper than the sites. (One of those lucky timing things where the price has dropped and the rest haven’t caught up.)

Outside the box: Hoteltonight

Here’s a wild one: Hoteltonight. I’m still playing with this one and am open to feedback from anyone that has experience with this. This site appears to be selling rooms, last minute and otherwise, at let’s-clear-these-rooms-tonight-and-get-some-money prices. For instance, I searched an expensive spa hotel and found $213 in savings through Hoteltonight. Here’s the catch: it only guarantees a room that sleeps 2 people and most of the time you can’t pick your room type. I checked with the hotel in the above scenario and they confirmed the validity. They even stated they would match the price, but also verified I would get whatever room they determined and it was usually a single queen.

The other catch is some of the frustration people have reported with the booking process and various errors not being able to get refunded. If you truly are looking for a last night booking, this might save some big bucks. But I’d double check with the hotel after you book. It’s always smart to book on a credit card that can challenge the charge if you don’t get a room as promised.

Staying in someone’s house

Sometimes the top tips for booking hotels involve skipping the hotel entirely. Airbnb is so hot right now they have their own magazine and a trail of controversies. (Mostly cities fighting zoning issues.) Right on its heels is Vrbo, especially helpful for family or large group stays as it tends to have more “vacation home” options. When using these there are two highly important pieces: location and fine print. You often can’t see EXACTLY where the residence is before you book but you can get a sense of the area. How close is it to your sites? Most importantly, what type of neighborhood is it? Sketchy, residential, industrial, quiet? Walk the area on Google Earth. I’ve been grateful many times for that feature. That fine print will tell you all about the home rules and what your cut off dates are for refunds (if you’re getting one.)

The most frustrating thing about these sites is, if owners change their minds, they can just cancel. Your only recompense is to leave a crappy review. I haven’t yet had it happen to me at the last minute, but the cancels I have had were frustrating. That said, all the other stays I’ve had through these sites were above expectations. If you really want to get wild, especially if you’re a female traveler or traveling with one, there are groups you can join that have “open space” for their members. These homestays help community members the world for low or no cost in accommodations. It all depends on what type of gambler you are (or are not.)

What are your public transport options?

This is one area where people can either save or cost themselves a lot of money. Sometimes you are better off splurging for the right lodging if the lodging itself is a destination. Another splurge fit is when the lodging is in an expensive area that also happens to have all of your sites. This is especially true in resort areas or big cities. You have to decide how much your time is worth if you’re staying in the suburbs but are traveling downtown each day. And if you want to rent a car or not. But please, please, check your public transport options first.

If you’re like me and are from a place that doesn’t have much public transport, the maps to subways, buses, and ferries can be daunting. Transport sites and Google are making it easier and easier to figure out how to use public transport to get around. If you can find a nice location in a cheaper area of a city AND if it’s easy to walk to a train station that will drop you off right at your location, then jackpot.

Last but not least, part of the experience of travel is the lodging surprises. Some are unexpected gems. Some smell like an aquarium. Use these tips to save when booking hotels, but don’t be consumed. I love it when a great deal comes together, but sometimes it’s just worth it to put the money down and let the hustle go.

May the road rise to meet you and may the sheets always be clean.

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter for more lodging tips and updates hot off the presses! (see below)