How to find CHEAP HOTEL deals (4 easy hotel booking tips to slash your bill)

Summary

This video shares four effective tips for securing affordable hotel stays, including utilizing mobile apps for exclusive discounts, leveraging Google Hotel Search for comprehensive price comparisons, exploring last-minute deal sites like Priceline and Hotwire for significant savings, and maximizing reward points for free or discounted accommodations. A bonus tip emphasizes the value of destination flexibility for budget travelers, suggesting that choosing less expensive countries with lower hotel rates can lead to unique and memorable experiences without breaking the bank.

Takeaways

• 📱 Use mobile apps for booking as they often offer exclusive discounts and cheaper prices compared to websites.
• 🔍 Utilize Google Hotel Search as a meta search engine to compare prices across different booking sites efficiently.
• 🏨 Consider last-minute deal sites like Priceline and Hotwire for significant discounts, even up to 70% off, but be prepared for mystery hotels.
• 💳 Leverage reward points from credit cards for free or heavily discounted hotel stays, especially useful for luxury travelers.
• ✈️ Be flexible with your travel dates and locations to find cheaper hotels; sometimes less popular or distant destinations offer better deals.
• 🌍 For budget travelers, save reward points for flights and look for cheap accommodations elsewhere to maximize savings.
• 🏢 Be open to staying at non-brand hotels or guesthouses for lower prices and unique experiences.
• 🗓️ Book your first night through a booking site and then negotiate a longer stay directly with the hotel for potential price reductions.
• 🏞️ Explore lesser-known destinations or times of the year for cheaper hotel rates and a more authentic travel experience.
• 🤝 Sometimes you can negotiate even better rates by booking directly with the hotel after an initial booking through a website.

Q & A

What are the four easy hotel booking tips mentioned in the script?

The four tips are: 1) Use booking websites' mobile apps for potential discounts. 2) Utilize Google Hotel Search to compare prices across different booking sites. 3) Explore last-minute deal sites like Priceline and Hotwire. 4) Use reward points to book hotels.

Why should travelers consider using mobile apps for booking hotels?

Travelers should use mobile apps because booking websites often offer cheaper prices and exclusive discounts that are only available on their mobile platforms.

How does Google Hotel Search help in finding cheap hotels?

Google Hotel Search is a meta search engine that compares prices from various booking sites simultaneously, providing an overview of different prices in one place.

What are the potential downsides of using last-minute deal sites like Priceline and Hotwire?

The downside is that you book a 'mystery hotel' without knowing the exact hotel name, only receiving a star rating, reviews, location, and description.

What is the benefit of using rewards points to book hotels?

Using rewards points can significantly reduce the cost of hotel stays, sometimes even allowing for free accommodation, especially for luxury travelers.

What is the bonus tip provided at the end of the script for finding cheap hotels?

The bonus tip is to be flexible with your travel location and choose a country with cheap hotels to save on accommodation costs.

Why might booking through a mobile app be cheaper than through a computer?

Booking websites aim to increase mobile app usage, so they offer mobile-only discounts and cheaper prices to encourage downloads and engagement with their apps.

How can travelers ensure they are getting the best deal when using Google Hotel Search?

Travelers should double-check the details of the hotel as there can be occasional errors, such as incorrect photos being displayed for a property.

What is the strategy for using reward points effectively as mentioned in the script?

The strategy involves opening a rewards card, using it for everyday purchases to accumulate points, and then using those points for booking hotels instead of cash.

Why might last-minute bookings not always offer the best deals according to the script?

The script suggests that sometimes booking far in advance on last-minute deal sites can still offer cheaper prices than normal booking sites like Expedia.

How can travelers negotiate even cheaper prices after booking the first night through a booking website?

By booking the first night through a booking website and then extending the stay directly with the hotel, travelers can sometimes negotiate lower rates.