Ways to Find the Best Price on Hotels

Finding cheap, nice hotels

If you are going on vacation, chances are, you are looking for good deals on a number of things, including hotels. There are great deals out there; you just have to know how to find them.

First of all, go to a general internet travel site – choose any one. Select your criteria and search for hotels. You should get a list of what’s available for the dates you plan to travel, and what amenities the hotel offers.

If you know for sure what you’re looking for – a particular type of room, certain features, a particular location – make a list of these requirements before you go on the site. If you’re not sure yet, take a look at several of the hotels and see which interest you the most. Take note of which features you enjoy most about the hotels you’ve found, as well as what company the hotel is.

Then, go to several other travel sites and cross-check prices. Don’t ever accept one website’s price as final. Different sites may list different prices, and they may have different specials on hotels. If your travel dates are flexible, check several different options on each site; this can make a significant difference in price

As you search the different sites, narrow down your list of hotel choices. It’s best to ultimately select which hotel or company you would like to go with, and concentrate on checking the prices for that hotel.

When you’re doing this, don’t forget to check the company’s website or even call them directly. Sometimes the lowest rates are through the company itself, because there is no “middle man” to go through. Other times, the “travel giant” websites can offer you lower prices. Check both to see what’s available.

If you have an AAA/CAA membership, make sure to look for hotels that mention a discount for membership, or call the company and ask if you can get a discount for it. Many hotels will accommodate you there. If you’re a member of the military or another organization that could offer a discount, check on that too. It may not be mentioned outright, but if you inquire, you could end up with a discount.

If you’re checking far in advance of your vacation, especially if you plan to go during peak times, you are likely to get better rates than if you are checking closer to the date you plan to go. So, once you find the hotel you want, book it as soon as possible so that you’re guaranteed a room at the offered price.
Don’t book the hotel until you’ve checked several major chains whose rooms are similar; their prices can differ by a lot. Don’t book the hotel until you’ve cross-checked prices on different sites.

If you’re not sure what sites to look at, ask around. There are several available and many people have used them before. You can also go on any search engine and type in “hotel prices” and come up with several sites. These are worth it to check out. Even if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, many will allow you to select a hotel near a place or attraction. Some will let you choose the type of room and features you want. Each site has its own ways of finding your hotel rooms.

If you make use of this modern convenience, and you don’t book too quickly, you can find great hotels at great prices.






Written by Catherine Hillard - Pagewise