Coolayla

Cheap seems to be the name of the day when you’re searching for a hotel to stay in these days. Be it London, Manchester, Chicago or Las Vegas people are always keen to shave a few cents off of their vacation fees. Here’s a quick guide to help you find the right price and make the right decisions.

The primary factor for determining the price of a hotel is how far in advance you create the booking. Many hotel chains offer cheaper rooms for those smart enough to book well ahead of time. Also be aware of local events, the arrival of a large sports team or contest can push the prices way higher in the days leading up to it.

The trick here is to consider when the hotel is likely to be empty and under booked. Usually, this is just after a major event such as a public holiday. An example is just after the children’s summer holiday in October. Tourists are less likely to be away then as they value their children’s schooling and prefer not to interfere with it.

Another good option is to aim for unusual times and dates. An example would be to book a hotel room between Sunday and Wednesday which it traditionally a cheaper period of the hotels week. You’ll also find the start of the week is cheaper as less people are busy and many have returned to work.

If you have Internet access you can always make use of the comparison websites. These are slightly long winded and can be tedious but they are an excellent way to save some money. During my time using these websites I found it best to stick with one as they’re all pretty much the same, they all give similar discounts with the operators.

Experimenting with different locations is another great idea. Hotel prices are usually directly related to their location within a city. Genuinely, the closer you get to the city centre the more expensive they become. Have a look on Google Maps before you decide on a hotel to see how far it is from the main visitor hotspots. Saving money on the room is good but you certainly don’t want to pay it out again for taxi and travel fares.

Also think about the amenities you really need. Do not book into a hotel with a complementary gym if you are not going to use it. You may think it doesn’t matter if it comes free but you can be sure that this has been factored into your overall room price so you are most likely paying for it anyway. The golden rule is never to pay for facilities you do not need or are not going to take full use of.

Sometimes, phoning up and bargaining for a cheap deal is worthwhile. Usually, larger chains will deny you but smaller independent businesses can bend over slightly to make the sale. There’s zero to lose is there?

Clearly there are more things to think about when booking a hotel than you first though. Don’t be overwhelmed though, with a little forethought and careful planning you can cut your hotel fee in quater.