We all love vacations. Whether it’s the stay at the hotel by the pool and sip on Pina Coladas’ kinds or go on treks and explore the city. It’s the calm and comfort of a break that our hearts long for, after working day in and day out for months.
While a vacation replenishes our soul and gives us plenty extraordinary experiences to reminisce upon, it also has the possibility of burning a big hole in your pocket. But not every trip has to be expensive. If you have a few tricks up your sleeve on spending smart, especially on hotels and travel, you can save big and have an exotic vacation at the same time.
- Book and Pay in Advance
It is an obvious truth that the nearer your trip is, the more expensive the hotel charges will be. That is why the first thing to do is to plan your trip well in advance. Then book your hotel after doing an extensive search on finding fabulous deals online. If you book well ahead of time, you can avoid last minute room fees, peak charges, and maybe also enjoy a huge discount if you’re lucky.
It is said that the best time to book travel tickets and hotels is approximately 2 months before the vacation. While booking, you should also pre-pay for your stay. Hotels always prefer prepaid stays as this ensures them that the reservation shall not be wasted vis-à-vis a post stay payment method, because for the hotel it is a gamble. It is why hotels always encourage pre-paid stays through discounts or offering extra complimentary services.
- Use a Hotel Price Comparison Service
You should always go for online comparison websites like Expedia, Trivago, etc. to make sure you are booking the best priced room. There are always offers on websites like makemytrip, hotels.com, which offer big discounts. To make sure you are getting the most economical deal, you should check on a comparison website too. Many travel websites offer heavy discounts and deals like oyorooms hotel offers makes sure you don’t miss out on any promotional scheme and avail only the best price for your desired room by making use of these comparison websites.
- Check for Reviews and Deals online
Always check for reviews and deals online on different websites other than the hotel website before making reservations. There are special websites dedicated to collecting reviews from travellers all over the world so as to give other travellers proper knowledge about the stay. You can check TripAdvisor for such reviews, other than the trip planner websites like Makemytrip and Yatra. These reviews will give you a clearer picture about the hotel and you can also get a better idea about the best deals available for bookingand how to avail them.
- Be part of a Loyalty/Rewards Program
Just like shopping brands and credit cards, hotels are also offering reward or loyalty programs these days. When you keep using the same hotel services from time to time, they offer you ‘rewards’ for your loyalty to their brand. The more you book the same hotel, the more you collect. After collecting rewards over time, you can use them for discounts or other perks while booking. It is an excellent deal, and besides saving on discounts, you can also get amazing perks and promotions. And because they are exclusive to loyal customers, unlike booking from general websites, you can get your hands on some really lucrative deals. The subscription is also free most of the time, or will be a nominal amount.
- Make your own breakfast.
The hotels generally club ‘complimentary breakfast’ and few other perks and charge extra on the same room as compared to just the basic price for the room. It may seem like a great deal, but it’s actually just a clever way to rip you off. You can save pretty much a lot by managing your own breakfast. Look for hotels close to markets or carry cereal with you. Booking with breakfast may seem like the comfortable choice, but breakfast outside will cost you way less than what the hotel might be charging you.
- Book Each Night Separately at a Hotel
If you are planning a long vacation, always check the per-night charges of a hotel as well as a cumulative charges for the entire stay, before making the final call. Sometimes, the hotels tend to offer a more expensive room for all nights so they can earn more money. They may show both charges, but make the total cost seem more visible so customers don’t notice the individual rates. It may seem a hassle to change rooms every day, but if it’s a big saver, then one should totally go for individual night booking as it’s totally worth the hassle.
- Book Directly with the Hotel
In order to get in direct calls, some hotels have started encouraging direct bookings by offering lucrative deals. This also has a number of benefits. Firstly, when you book a room by directly calling a hotel, you might get some discount if you try to bargain a little. It may not be as good as a website discount, but you can manage in extra services maybe like spa, driver services, etc. for the that price. Another added benefit is that you can get personalised information about which room has the best view, or on any other aspect about the rooms. Instead of calling different reservation numbers, call the hotel directly.
Using these tips, you will for sure have the economical deal for your stay. Booking a hotel doesn’t always mean you have to sell a kidney or break a bank. Remember to look for the basic amenities like air conditioning, Wi-Fi, hot water supply, etc. as these are essentials one cannot compromise on. Luxury does not always have to be pricy, if you just do your homework on time and make use of the aforementioned tips, you are sure to find a great accommodation for your much needed vacation.
Posts by SpeakBindas Editorial Team.