Even if you aren't the biggest cheapskate, saving will be one of your biggest concerns when you want to go on vacation. You shouldn't have to work hard or spend a lot of money to find a safe place to call home. There are many ways to find cheap lodging without sacrificing quality in the place you're going on vacation.
The best way to find cheap hotels is to shop online. There is a lot of competition in the travel business today, and you can find out about it in magazines, online, and even through text messages. Businesses will compete for your vacation money if they know you are interested. If you follow these few simple tips, you could sleep on some of the most comfortable beds in the world for a great price.
The first thing you should do is figure out what kind of lodging you want. When you book, you will be asked what kind of bed you want, how many people will be staying in the room, and if you want a meal package with your booking. If you don't know all of these things right away, you'll be sold more expensive things before you can say "continental breakfast." There are a number of online shopping sites that can help you find the best deals based on these criteria.
You also need to know what you want for the holiday season as a whole. Have the kids come along? Are you going to want a swimming pool? Spa? Gym? If you want more, you will have to pay more. Learn how the rating system works. The AAA guide says that the more stars a hotel has, the more money you will spend. The hotel has more amenities if it has more stars or, in some cases, diamonds. There will be things like a free continental breakfast, indoor or outdoor swimming pools, an on-site restaurant, a concierge service, night maids, day maids, and so on. In fact, it's hard to believe that deals like this were even possible before online shopping.
The cost of your stay will go up the more of these services your hotel offers. These are called "amenities," and even though they are called "free services," the cost of providing them is built into the price of your room. If you don't need a concierge but still want a pool, look for a mid-range hotel with just a pool. Again, the number of stars a property has doesn't tell you how "nice" it is; it tells you how many amenities you can use. If you look in the right places, you can get a nice hotel room with no extras for a good price.
When you check in, don't be afraid to ask for a better room. If a hotel isn't full, they should be more than happy to let you stay there and work hard to make sure you come back. The best way for a hotel to do well in the service industry is for people to talk about it. In the hotel business, bad news spreads quickly. Before they hear about how soft the pillows were, your friends will know what you didn't like about your trip. Hotels know this and want to make your stay as pleasant as possible so that you'll want to come back. Ask for a free upgrade. The worst thing that can happen is that you can't get it. A premium room is the best thing that can happen.
Lastly, if you can, try to travel when everyone else isn't. This will save you a lot of money. During the off-season, all hotels lower their prices to get people to stay there. Once you do, they treat you well and hope to see you again during peak season. And who knows, maybe they will if they do their jobs well.
Remember that online shopping is great, but only for smart shoppers who know where to get the best deals.
