People get joy from not only exploring a new place but also from finding the right place to stay. A good hotel can be the difference between a good and a bad trip—if you could be eating some delicious food and enjoying the best time of your life. One of the key aspects of the hotel industry is that prices fluctuate, and two people booking the same room for the same night are likely to pay different amounts. How so? It is the hotels that change the rates pretty much daily. And even for the same room—two rooms ten feet away—the prices can differ significantly. The reason for that is that hotels need to restructure their prices to be in line with demand.
Whether you want to go away for the weekend or you are planning a month-long trip, you can use the information on the best location, time, and way to book to help you land some nice discounts that will never let you down. Inside, you will come across some secret “hotel hacks,” intelligent booking methods, and “exclusive” discounts that are really pushing the edge, making you happy with your next travel expense payment.
Find the Best Hotel Deals
Hotel prices in the US can be unpredictable. The average room costs $148 per night, but rates fluctuate based on demand, time of year, and booking method. Some travelers pay a much higher price because they book poorly.
To get the lowest hotel room rates, book early, compare prices on different platforms, use loyalty programs, and find hidden discounts. If you follow these strategies, you will consistently find cheap hotel rooms without having to compromise comfort.
For your comfort and money-saving, this part shows you the most powerful hotel booking methods, including tactics for price comparison and the tricks of discounts that would, without a doubt, reduce your hotel costs.
Choose the right booking platforms and price-comparison sites.
It is certainly a great deal to find a perfect hotel with a discount, but the alternatives are numerous, and the competition is intense. Technologically advanced U.S. companies give a large number of choices like Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda, and Hotels.com, where the contest claims no respite even to be the greatest benefactor. Hotel prices, on the other hand, may be different among different platforms, so a comparison of prices becomes a must. A number of services, including Google Hotels, Trivago, and Kayak, let you search for many booking sites at once, thereby preventing the probability of overpaying, as you will know all the offers from every website at a glance.
Consumer Reports described it as an amazing fact, though you have to spend between 10% and 15% more on third-party sites, although hotels are still cheaper when they get direct bookings. Some hotels will be part of the price match program. If you find a lower rate with someone else, they will refund it. They can also provide free breakfast or parking. Call the hotel and directly ask them about the straight booking discount. It is always great to involve the hotel staff in getting the deal done.
Another thing to consider is the way of booking apart from the above information. The prices are very attractive and low at the beginning, but as soon as you choose the room and proceed with the payment, additional charges for the resort, service fees, and taxes are listed. Thus, always recheck the final price before reserving the room to be sure that it is the most inexpensive option.
Book in advance (but not always)!
To save money on hotels, timing is important. A NerdWallet report from 2023 shows that booking at least 15 days in advance saves travelers an average of 13% compared to bookings made months beforehand. However, for peak times such as holidays and major events, it is best to make reservations 2 to 3 months in advance to get the best deals.
Last-minute deals can work well in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, where hotels have unsold rooms. Apps like HotelTonight and Priceline Express Deals offer discounts for last-minute stays. This is suitable for travelers with flexible schedules who do not mind waiting until the last minute to book hotels.
For big events or holidays, don’t wait until the last minute to book your hotel, as prices are usually higher closer to the date. Alternatively, monitor price drops and set alerts on Hopper or Google Hotels for regular travel so you can secure great deals.
Take advantage of hotel loyalty and rewards programs.
Many hotels have loyalty programs. They give free nights, cheaper prices, and special perks. Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors are some of them. When you stay at these hotels, you earn points.
The Points Guy notes that you can cut costs by $300 yearly using hotel loyalty programs. Even if you’re not really traveling a lot, having a free loyalty account helps you get lower rates.
Some credit cards give points for hotel bookings. Cards like Chase Sapphire Preferred and American Express Platinum earn rewards for stays. For just a few trips in a year, loyalty programs can lead to significant savings.
Get First-Time Discounts
When booking for the first time, check for first-time user discounts. For example, Hotels.com, Expedia, and Agoda usually have promo codes that discount the first booking by 10% to 20%.
Also, hotels give newsletter subscribers exclusive offers and discounts. Some hotels offer app-only deals that give lower prices when booking through the app than via the website.
Use coupon codes and membership discounts.
Your total bill in the hotel can be dramatically reduced with the help of hotel coupon codes and membership discounts. Websites like RetailMeNot, Honey, and Rakuten commonly feature promo codes that are usable at the major hotel booking sites. Rakuten is one of the platforms CNBC mentions. Travelers can save about $50 per booking. This happens whether they use a referral code or not. Rakuten shares part of its earnings from the booking as a reward.
Unquestionably, the use of different membership programs, e.g., AAA, AARP, or Costco Travel, will take you to the exclusive clubs that will offer a hotel discount as well. Thus, according to the hosts, there are even some hotels that allow you to use your student ID or military discount while booking. Be sure to ask about the discounts that will be available before personalizing the decision to stay there.
Find the Best Last-Minute Deals
The last-minute option of booking a room is suggested for those who do not have any commitments. Download booking applications such as HotelTonight or Hotwire, which are characterized by such a service among other travel booking platforms. Buy products at a discounted price that no one else can even dream of! Hotels drastically reduce the prices of their unsold rooms.
The report from Skyscanner informs us of the possibility of a 30-50% discount on the last-minute booking of rooms in places like Las Vegas, Miami, or even Orlando. Adjust your reservation date so that it is within 24-48 hours of the check-in time after booking, and you will be surprised by the good deal you get.
Stay Longer & Negotiate for Discounts
Many hotels would reduce the price of staying there if it is for a longer duration. Most people who use services on a weekly or monthly basis usually enjoy relatively lower daily costs, especially when they enter prolonged hotel accommodations. If you decide that you are going to spend a more significant amount of time in a hotel, it will be beneficial for you to reach out to the hotel administration using the hotel’s contacts and inquire whether they have long-stay discounts.
The negotiation of the front desk staff sometimes yields better rates than those that are available online. It is worth trying in smaller, non-chain hotels that can be more flexible in their pricing policies.
Use price matching and hidden booking tricks.
Dozens of hotels and booking websites nowadays provide price-matching guarantees, which means you can ask them to match the price if another vendor offers the same trip for a lower sum. Expedia, Marriott, and Hilton all provide price-matching options, with some of them even giving extra discounts should they not beat a competitor’s price.
The other way is to avail oneself of a VPN or search from a different one. A lot of tourists vow that hotels are currently accessible by checking a VPN located in a different country. It happens; sometimes websites will show you lower prices. Also, deleting your browser’s cookies or using incognito mode can help mitigate the situation by making sure that you are charged only the price you see on the first visit.
Conclusion
Finding cheap hotels in the U.S. is no longer a game of luck. It’s about mastering the right strategy. There are six easy ways to save money when booking hotels, such as selecting the right time and using loyalty programs, coupon codes, and last-minute deals. In other words, it’s necessary to check different prices, remain flexible, and utilize every discount in sight.
Make use of the strategies mentioned so you don’t get overcharged for hotel stays anymore and enhance your comfort and quality at the same time.
