No one likes paying more in hotel fees than they have to – travel can be expensive enough. But with these seven sneaky hotel tips, you’ll save money and still have a ball.
Book at the best time
The price tags on hotel rooms change over time. Service is an app that will automatically refund you the price difference anytime the cost of a hotel room drops after booking, so you won’t have to stress about the perfect purchase time. On the other hand, if you’re a spontaneous traveller who doesn’t like booking ahead, HotelTonight.com can help you pick up some great last minute deals on rooms.
Cut out the middle man
Something you may not know is that hotels pay commissions to booking sites such as Hotels.com and Expedia … and they can really raise the price of a room. To avoid having to pay these costs, some hotels will try to encourage people to book directly, offering the lowest prices and even extras such as gift cards or additional free nights.
Sell your room
If you’ve ever had plans change suddenly and been stuck with a non-refundable hotel room, you’d understand what a blow it can be to the wallet. Luckily, you can use sites such as Cancelon.com or RoomTravel.com to sell your hotel room on to other travellers for a discount price.
Bring your own drinks
It may not make you feel like the fanciest traveller but skipping the hotel bar can save you a small fortune. We’re not suggesting you sneak a bottle of liquor under your coat, but buying a bottle of wine or a six pack from the store and unwinding in your room in front of the TV will help keep your hotel tab on the slim side. LifeHacker recommends that you fill up your hotel room sink with ice to keep your drinks cool.
Avoid paying for laundry
If you’re torn between paying hefty hotel laundry fees or carrying around a suitcase of old clothes, it might be time to look into some portable, self-wash options such as the No detergent portable washer. For more tips, check out these eight washing tips for travellers.
Make an inventory of your minibar
You may just want to flop on the bed upon arrival, but glance over the minibar and make sure everything it claims is there is actually there. You don’t want to be charged exorbitant prices come checkout for snacks you didn’t even have.
Avoid paying for wifi
Having to pay for internet access is a common unfactored fee and having to pay for multiple devices can be quite a blow to the budget. Luckily, devices such as the Skyroam Solis allow you to connect on multiple devices to unlimited 4G data in over 130 countries. You pay a standard fee of $9 per day. It’s worth comparing the price of this handy travel gadget to the cost of hotel wifi usage.
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