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How to Book
Cheap Hotel Rates?
A downturn in the economy has forced
everyone to try to find a cheaper way
to perform the same functions.
Traveling has been transformed in
recent years by the trend of upward
spiraling costs, making it more difficult
to find affordable rates at hotels. There
is a way to book cheap hotel rates that
will keep more of your money in your
pocket.
1. Start the search early. Just as you would
when reserving tickets for a trip,
beginning your search for a hotel early
will allow you to make a choice without
the typical worries. When you wait until
the last minute to book rooms at a hotel
you will often make a rushed decision
instead of shopping around to find the
best price versus acceptable quality.
While some websites specialize in
finding the cheapest hotel rates at the
last minute, it will still be cheaper to
book earlier when using them.
2. Configure your stay. Try to find out when a
hotel has a lower attendance because this
will mean they will offer lower prices. For
instance, if there is an event in town that will
draw many customers, you will in turn pay
more because the hotel will be at a higher
capacity. Some hotels cater to business stays,
which means the majority of their down time
is on the weekends, while others, near theme
parks for instance, are generally busy on the
weekends. During lulls in business hotels will
often lower their rates to attract customers.
Instructions
3. Perform a combination search. Use all the
current tools available to perform a search for a
hotel. A combination of search methods, using
either online searches or a telephone directory to
call the hotel's service desk may produce a
cheaper rate. Using both of these methods
during your search for cheaper rates will give you
the advantage of price comparison on your own
and shouldn't take a lot of time. Some businesses
offer a lower rate for using their online booking or
call in reservations that they do not offer to walk-
in customers.
4. Take advantage of discounts and group or
extended rates. Ask the hotel if they have
discounts for larger groups of people if you are
going with a group. If you plan on staying for
longer than 3 nights, also ask if they have an
extended stay discount for longer termed
occupancy. Beyond these discounts you will
always want to use age specific discounts, or
military discounts if you are able to in order to
save money. Hotels will not likely offer these freely
without inquiry, so be sure to speak up.
5. Become a loyal member. After you have decided on a
hotel, joining their membership (if applicable) will often
yield better rates. These are relatively inexpensive and will
save you more than you spend on the membership if you
do a lot of traveling. It will also help to build a rapport with
the hotel if you have special requests and are a frequent
customer.
Tips & Warnings Joining online traveling discount agencies, such as Expedia.com
and Travelocity, may also yield cheaper hotel rates as well as travel package rates.
Be prepared to use a credit or debit card in order to reserve a hotel's rate ahead of time and look for places that have a secure payment method when using you card online. Always ensure that you get and keep verification of your payment.
Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_4856545_book-cheap-hotel-rates.html
Images: http://hotelstellar.com/