Holidays are coming soon. Whether it’s Thanksgiving in the States or year-end celebrations worldwide, holidays are always a good time for a little getaway. Some people use those getaways to rest and relax on a beach somewhere. Others want to explore European Christmas markets. Regardless of which group you fall into, you’re probably looking to save money on hotel stays while traveling. In this article, I will give you 4 strategies to help you cut cost without compromising comfort on your choice of accommodations.
Sign up for loyalty programs
All big hotel chains have reduced rates for their members. Furthermore, being a member of these chains allow you to rack up points which can be used to book future stays, and Elite status which grants various perks such as late check-out, free breakfast, and a welcome gift (Hilton cookies are amazing while Marriott has often left me a basket of fruit!). And sometimes, you can even get a free night such as Marriott’s little known “stay 5 nights for the price of 4” policy.
You can speed up your access to Elite status by signing up for a travel credit card such as the American Express Platinum or the American Express Bonvoy card(s). If you’d like to know which card is best for you, you can book a personalized 1-on-1 Intro session to Travel Hacking with me. Here are the main hotel chains I recommend signing up for. Membership is free for all of them:
- Marriott Bonvoy
- Hilton Honors
- IHG One Rewards
- World of Hyatt
- Accor
- Radisson Rewards Americas* | Radisson Rewards International
- Choice Hotels*
- Best Western
*Radisson Rewards America is now under Choice Hotels. However, the two programs will remain distinct at the moment of writing.
Third-party operators are also worth signing up as both Expedia and Booking offer 10% discount to their entry-level members, helping customers save money on hotels. You can sign up by clicking on these links:
Price match hotel rates
Ever saw a hotel you’re interested in booking and the price is lower on Expedia than on their official website? You can always inquire for a price match (also called a Best Rate Guarantee) and see if they’ll match it. It’s always best to book with hotels directly as you can accrue Elite nights and have access to perks. If they refuse to price match, compare the rates between Expedia, Booking, and Hotels.com; and ask them to price match. Any discrepancy is more dollars saved.
Try Housesitting
Do you like pets? Do pets naturally gravitate towards you when you enter a house? Do you have a green thumb? If you answered yes to any of these questions, housesitting may be for you. What is housesitting, you ask. As the name suggests, you housesit someone’s home while they’re away. Most housesits involve taking care of pets and/or plants. Although in rare occasions, you may get a house without any pet or plant responsibility. And best of all, it’s free! Yes, you read that right. You get a free house (or apartment) for your vacation. And if you get rave reviews, you may even housesit professionally!
For more information on housesitting, I strongly recommend subscribing to Stephanie Perry’s newsletter over at vaycarious.com.
Try Couchsurfing
For the more adventurous and budget-conscious travelers, couchsurfing is a great way to meet people from various cultures. Although the name suggests that you’ll be sleeping on a couch – and it’ll probably be the case more often than not – some hosts have full guest rooms for visitors. The original couchsurfing website now requires a fee to sign up but the free alternative Trustroots has been growing in popularity.
What about Airbnb?
Airbnb was great when it started. It was housesitting without the responsibility. It was couchsurfing but with a guaranteed room and bed. But then developers started buying houses left and right to host on Airbnb, destroying local housing markets and increasing prices on the platform. The expansion of fees on the platform has made it as expensive as booking a hotel but with less service. All this to say that Airbnb is not as appealing as it once was.
However, it can be useful for certain scenarios. Parties of 4 people or more are better off booking an Airbnb over an hotel, especially families as there are very few hotels outside of North America that cater to families for a reasonable price (and in Europe, hotel rooms are tiny af). Airbnbs are also good for long-term travelers who need amenities like a fully functional kitchen, a washer and dryer, closet space – all the little things that make you feel like you’re in a home. In those cases, I do recommend Airbnbs. Just make sure you’re renting from an individual and not a company.
So there you have it. Four easy ways to save money on hotels when you travel. I hope you found it useful and that you’ll be able to book your next vacation without burning a hole in your pocket.
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