Finding the Best Discount Hotels

When it comes to hotels, things boil down to a tradeoff between low cost and convenient location.  In many cases, especially when traveling to major cities and popular attractions, the closer the hotel to the city or attraction the more you can expect to pay.  The best way to save money, particularly in large cities, is often to stay in the suburbs.

Of course, this means that you will spend more time getting to the places you want to visit, and this will mean spending additional money on gasoline, etc.  It is important to compute all these costs to make sure that you will really be spending less on a less convenient hotel room.

There are of course a number of ways to save money on hotels and motels without compromising quality.  For one thing, a membership in AAA or a similar auto club also entitles you to discounts on hotel rooms, as does military service and senior citizen status.  When inquiring about a hotel room, always inquire about discounts that may be available.

In addition, shopping early for a hotel room can often yield the best deals.  That is because hotels often reserve a block of low cost rooms, and when they are gone they are gone.  Thus the last room at a hotel may be much more costly than the first.  Getting the best hotel room deal is often a matter of timing.

Of course getting a great deal on a hotel will mean nothing if the place is a dump.  Shopping for discount hotels should not mean settling for hotels that are dirty, poorly run or in an unsafe location.  

Fortunately, finding discount hotels has been made much easier with the help of the internet.  What used to take weeks or even months to research can now be done in a matter of hours or even minutes.  Many hotels, even budget properties, feature pictures of the property and the surrounding area, so be sure to research the property you are considering if you have never stayed there before.

It is important to research the area in which the hotel is located as well.  Be sure to check out things like restaurants and attractions within walking distance of the hotel.  Doing some research on the area will help ensure you do not end up staying in a dangerous neighborhood just to save a couple of bucks.

The internet also provides a number of review sites where those who have stayed in various hotels share their experiences and their impressions of the hotel properties.  These review sites can be very useful for travelers, particularly those traveling to a new location for the first time.

In addition, the internet hosts a number of comparison web sites where travelers can easily find and compare hotel properties for their individual dates of stay and destinations.  These web sites offer a number of ways to search, including distance from a particular tourist attraction, price, star level and more.  The only caveat to consider when using such a web site is its independence.  Some comparison web sites feature only properties that pay an advertising fee, so using a comparison site does not necessarily guarantee the best price.  It is best to use a number of such web sites to get a true picture of the lowest prices available.

One comparison web site that does not feature only properties that pay an advertising fee is Budget Travel inc. I highly recommend them for researching discount hotels.

Discount Hotels

There is no doubt that hotel costs are among the biggest part of any vacation budget, and the failure to find affordable lodging has harpooned many an otherwise well planned vacation.  One of the keys to enjoying a great vacation without breaking the bank is striking the best possible deal on the roof over your head.

Fortunately, the internet has made the process of finding a great discount hotel much easier.  There are some great hotel, motel and bed and breakfast deals out there, and the internet has made them easier to find than ever.

Making a hotel reservation ahead of time is absolutely essential, as is shopping around.  You simply cannot expect to simply show up at a hotel and get a good rate.  Most hotel chains reserve their best room rates, and they limit their numbers.  Once those low cost rooms are booked, they are simply no longer available.  

It is also important to book ahead because it can be difficult to gauge the demand for lording in a particular area, even if you are familiar with your destination.  Special events of which you are unaware could cause a spike in hotel demand, and hotel prices, and leave you either paying an arm and a leg for a place to sleep, or, worse yet, find yourself without a place to stay at all.

It is also important to take advantage of any and all discounts to which you may be entitled, and to not be shy about asking for discounts.  Many hotel chains and independent hotels offer discounts to those in the military, senior citizens, and members of travel clubs like AAA.  If you think you are entitled to a discount, be sure to ask, and be sure to verify that the discount has been applied when you arrive.

In addition, many hotel chains offer programs that are similar to airline frequent flier programs.  These programs reward loyal guests with free nights and other perks.  It is important to sign up for these programs whenever you can.  Most of these programs are free, so signing up will cost you nothing, and you could end up with a free hotel stay.

There is no doubt that finding a great hotel rate will take some time and some hard work, but it is very important to keeping your travel budget under control.  The cost of lodging often represents at least half, and often much more, of the total cost of a vacation.  It is easy to see, then, how getting the best possible deal on your hotel can keep your cost level low and your vacation fun level high.

When looking for those great hotel deals, there are a number of comparison web sites that let you easily compare available hotels by price, star level, and even proximity to certain tourist attractions.  It is always best to search several of these sites, since not all hotel chains participate in every comparison site.

One comparison web site that does feature major hotel chains, smaller hotel chains and boutique independent hotels is Budget Travel inc. I highly recommend them for researching discount hotels.