Booking hotels is a very tricky job as there are no fixed rates or the MRP tag on hotel rooms. Most of the hotels use the aggregate supply and demand concept to rate their room and services. This is the reason some smart travellers manage to bag a bargain each time they check in to a hotel while not-so-smart travellers keep on sulking over the high price they have to pay every time.
If you are a traveller who wants to learn the secrets of scoring the best deals while you book hotels online, you have landed on the right page. Keep on reading to know 10 most easy tips to score the best deals on hotels.
Check Online ForCoupon Deals – This is the most intuitive tips for gaining discount and deals. There are a number of websites dedicated especially to coupons and deals; check them for gaining some amazing deals for you.
Get In Direct Contact With The Hotel – This is one of the most effective but least talked about tips for gaining good hotel deals. Don’t be shy to pick your phone and talk directly to the hotel you want to book. Talking personally to someone on the front desk of a hotel will not hurt you in anyway even if they don’t have any special deal to offer you.
Use Credit Card Points – Most of the hotels can be paid using a credit card,so use the facility to your benefit. Different credit cards have adifferent rewarding system. So, it is always advisable to check it with the bank before taking a card. If you’ve earned some points, you can use them in paying for your hotel room.
Last Minute Deals Are Not So Bad – Early booking is always considered good but if you’ve failed in booking early then sit quietly and wait until the last minutes. Normally24-48 hours before check-in are the cancellation window for most of the hotels. If some early birds cancel their advance booking, you can get those rooms at thevery low price if you contact the hotel at that last moment, i.e. 24-48 hours before check-in.
Consider Business Hotels For Weekend Booking – The hotels claiming themselves as business-hotels do not bar non-business persons from entering their premise. These hotels have a slow business on weekends or other holidays so they’ll surely drop their price at these phases.
Take The Less Travelled Road– If you are travelling in peak season and booking hotel in peak season, you are sure to be charged high because everyone is doing the same at the same time. Travelling the less travelled road means doing what everyone else is not doing. Travel in off-season and book hotel in theoff-season; you’ll automatically get cheap rates.
Pay Attention To Inclusive And La Carte Deals–Don’t get fooled by the room price quoted on price comparing websites. Some hotels quote their room price with inclusive offers like free Wi-Fi, free parking and free breakfast. While some other charge on la carte basis where you have to pay for everything else; you only get the hotel bed at the quoted price.
The Most Profitable Time To Check-In Is Late In The Evening – Most hotels offer afreeupgrade at the time of checking-in. When you enter the hotel late in the evening you are most probably going to get the benefit of freeupgrade as by that time the hotel staff would get clear about the vacant room position for the next day.
Look For Reciprocal Deals – Reciprocal deals are like combo pack where you get adouble benefit. Many hotels have collaborative relationships with some flights or transportations like Ola and Uber; so don’t only search for hotels… look for reciprocal deals.
Be Flexible With The Hotel Location – Hotels at aprimelocation, e.g. near theairport and railway stations, charge higher prices. Use Google map to locate hotels just outside the primelocation. Understand the fact that ‘prime-location’ is a hyped and over-rated word.
Be thrifty, be smart!
