How to Book Cheap Hotels

Travel is fun, but it's expensive. Hotel accommodations are usually the most costly part of any vacation, save an overseas flight or theme park tickets. But you can reduce this expense by booking cheap hotels online. There are many ways to get these discounts, and you can find them in almost any city in the world. You may even find bargain prices in the places you would least expect that will afford you the opportunity to stay in hotels normally out of your price range.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step 1

Compare websites. Go to a travel website like Travelocity to find the average costs of hotels in the area. Compare hotels based on the star rating and starting price.

Step 2

Visit Hotwire.com. See if you can get a good discount on a similar-level hotel in the area. Many times you'll receive a 30 percent to 50 percent discount. If you don't get the price you want, check areas close by.

Step 3

Name your own price. Try this approach for a similar-level hotel in the area through Priceline. Choose an area, a star rating and a price that you can afford. You will know within minutes whether your offer was accepted. You may have a better chance at an accepted offer if you are just days away from your vacation.

Step 4

Check your email often. Priceline might send a counteroffer, if your original offer is declined. It may still be a very affordable price that is slightly higher than your original offer. You can also make another offer that is slightly higher than the original, even if you don't receive a counteroffer. An increase of $5 or $10 might be all it takes to still get a good deal.

Step 5

Look at the hotel's website for specials. Many hotels offer a reduced price for booking 45 days in advance or booking online, or they may offer deeply discounted managers' specials that could be cheaper than rates found on Hotwire or Priceline.

Step 6

Reserve your chosen deal. Use a credit card to make your reservations as soon as you get an acceptable offer so that you don't lose it. There may be a limited number of rooms associated with the deal, and you may lose yours to someone else if you try to wait it out.

Tips & Warnings

Some hotels add a resort fee of $5 to $30 per night even if the hotel is not really a resort, which may not be divulged to you. Read the fine print before accepting a deal to see if you could be charged this extra fee. Hotwire does list an approximate fee before you make a reservation, if your hotel charges a fee.

Article Written By Christopher Cross

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