5 Top Hotel Hacks From The Seasoned Traveler

Whether you’re traveling abroad or in the country, there are different types of lodging to choose from. You may be the campervan rental kind of traveler or you prefer high-end hotel rooms. Either way, you’re doing what you love and finding the best way to do it.

If you like to stay in hotels instead of RV parks, you may be looking for ways to save a bit instead of always paying full price. Granted, lodging is always one of the biggest expenses in travel and sometimes can see like a little too much. To help you learn the ins and out of saving on hotel rooms, following are some hotel hacks that can help you do just that:

1. Try out different dates and locations, and consider staying during the week. Sometimes one may travel on a whim and decide to book weekend trips or special holidays. While this makes a lot of sense, if you can avoid weekends and busy dates, you could save a lot of money and still get to enjoy a nice hotel. A lot of hotels offer lower prices during the week as weekends always tend to be much busier, thus raising the price. If you can wing it, plan your travels and stays for weekdays. Also, you may need to do things in a certain area, so you automatically book in that location. Of course, if it’s a touristy or trendy location, the prices may be high as can be. Consider booking on the outskirts of the location. The price will go down, but the convenience won’t.

2. Think about making a call to the desired hotel instead of booking online. Sometimes the price online is considerably higher than what you may get when calling a hotel. If the hotel price is too high for your taste or budget, call the hotel and ask if they have something more budget-friendly. Sometimes they won’t, but many times they will. People tend to look online, and book online and often think that what you see on there is what you get. But, sometimes, there are deals that you may be missing out on. You might as well try, because after all, what do you have to lose? If you can’t find something, you can always consider a campervan rental.

3. Consider clicking on flight + hotel deals on your favorite booking sites. On nearly any travel website, when you go to find a flight, you’ll be offered flight and hotel packages. Most of the time, travelers ignore this option and go straight to the flight. But wait; you may be missing out on saving big time. These packages aren’t always that great and can easily make you think you’re saving money when you aren’t, but other times they really do offer a great discount. Do your research and try out looking for flight and hotel package deals.

4. Join a hotel club or reward program. If you have a favorite hotel that you always seem to stay at, consider joining that hotel’s reward program or club. It may not save you much at first, but with time, you could find yourself getting great (free) services, discounts, and more. Some of these programs often gift free nights to loyal members, so if you’re someone who travels a lot, it may be a great idea for you. It isn’t the best for a person who goes on a trip once a year, but for the seasoned traveler who has to stay in a hotel more than at their home, it makes a world of difference.

5. Consider your needs in a hotel. What do you really need? Do you need that extra “living-room” space or the fancy furniture or fascinating view? While these perks are definitely must-haves for some, are they for you? When booking a hotel, you want to consider what you really need. If you’re just looking for a comfortable spot for a good night’s sleep, but you won’t be spending much time in the hotel, don’t worry so much about the amenities or luxury options. This can help you to save money. If you don’t really need it, don’t book it and instead look for something that costs less but gives you the basics that you need.

Traveling can be great, but your lodgings will always be one of the most important things to consider. From traveling on a budget to trying to get good deals, the above hotel hacks can help to make your stay in other place, a cheaper experience.

If you’re planning to travel soon and need a place to stay, you can try a campervan rental or try the above-mentioned hotel hacks for more affordable and money-saving lodging. Spend less for a place to sleep and more on things to do.