Check out my list of how to get cheap hotel deals for some easy ways to stretch your budget to the max.
Just to clarify I’m all about getting the best hotel possible at the best price – this isn’t about hostels or cheap accommodation.
How to Get Cheap Hotel Deals
How can you get cheap hotel deals?
Travelling out of season is the best way to get cheap hotel deals. Check package deals as these can be cheaper. Sign up for hotel loyalty schemes. Use search tools such as map search to find cheaper hotels.
How to Get Cheap Hotel Deals
1. Travel Out of Season
The reason this is at the top of the list of cheap hotel deals is that it’s my number one tip.
Travelling out of the normal season, which is generally April to September, is a great way to find cheaper hotel deals.
It’s a simple matter of supply and demand and it can mean there are plenty of deals.
Hotel prices are much better value because hotels need to fill their rooms.
Out of season can often mean a much quieter hotel or resort. I personally enjoy this, although some people may find having the pool to themselves a bit unnerving!
Spring and autumn can mean cheaper hotels deals and weather that can be great too.
Check out UK bank holiday dates here so you can avoid travelling on these dates.
If you want to check out school holiday dates in the UK then you can check them for your local area here.
Bear in mind that holiday dates in other countries are different including school holidays.
There are also a variety of sites that can help you find warm places to travel to at different times of the year such as this Met Office post about places in the world that are 20 degrees in March.
October and November can be great as can February and March depending where you go of course!
Having a trip in these months is also a great way to deal with the winter blues.
Alicante is a great option for travelling to out of season. Here are some cheap hotel deals in Alicante.
How to Get Cheap Hotel Deals
Pro’s Of Travelling Out of Season
- Many more hotel deals are available and much cheaper rates
- Better chance of getting upgraded
- Quieter hotel and hotel environment
- Quieter visitor attractions and areas to visit
- Weather can be lovely
How to Get Cheap Hotel Deals
Con’s of Travelling Out of Season
- Some hotel facilities can be closed i.e. outdoor pools etc
- Less activities and attractions open – might be reduced opening hours
- The weather may be more changeable
How to Get Cheap Hotel Deals
2. Price Up a Package Deal and Compare
Sometimes a package deal can be cheaper than putting together a trip yourself.
This varies depending on the place, time of year, and demand of course.
There are some great package sites where you can get some good deals.
My favourite package sites are;
- Travelzoo
- Fleetway Travel
- For city breaks Lastminute often has good deals
Package deals have the advantage that if something goes wrong you are protected. However, do double check because some package sites have separate bookings for flights and accommodation so this is not always the case.
How to Get Cheap Hotel Deals
3. Check Loyalty Schemes and Offers
Booking.com has a loyalty scheme called Genius.
It rewards loyalty and there are two levels of membership depending on how many hotel stays you have.
The first level gives 10% discount on hotel stays if you book 2 stays in a 2 year period.
The second level gives another 15% discount on hotel stays if you book 5 stays in a 2 year period.
The great thing about the Genius program is that once you achieve you Genius membership level it stays with you for life no matter how many hotel stays you book. This means you automatically get cheap hotel deals whenever you book.
Genius Deals = Perks
You can search via Genius deals when using Booking.com which is an easy way to find these travel perks.
Genius perks can include;
- Room upgrades
- Free breakfast
- Lower prices
As always remember that a perk is only valuable if it is something you want.
(Below is a detailed guide to the search function for Booking.com including more of Genius levels)
Some hotels have loyalty schemes which are worth registering for because they sometimes have loyalty scheme offers.
I had a lovely hotel experience in the Algarve at a Pestana Hotel and I really liked it. I joined their program and receive regularly tempting deals and offers. I particularly like their Pousadas which are historic hotels and am planning a trip based around these in the future.
They have some particularly good offers like cheap Sunday nights, or stays including a meal.
How to Get Cheap Hotel Deals
4. Use a Great Search Tool
Using a great hotel search tool is a great way to find cheap hotel deals.
How to Get Cheap Hotel Deals – Summary
Find cheap hotels by;
- Travelling out of season if you can find – it is the simplest way to find cheap hotels because of lower demand
- Using Booking.com for good deals if Genius loyalty member
- Check package deals for cheap hotels and flights combined
- Register for hotel loyalty schemes to get emailed special offers
How to Get Cheap Hotel Deals
Finding Genius Deals on Booking.com
Booking.com have a fantastic selection of hotels all over the world.
Genius Benefits
Booking.com has a great loyalty scheme called Genius.
There are two levels.
Genius 1
- Book 2 hotel stays through Booking.com in 2 years to activate.
- You will then receive a 10% discount.
- This benefit stays with you for life i.e. no matter how many hotel stays you book through the site in future.
Genius 2
- Book 5 hotel stays through Booking.com in 2 years to activate.
- You will then receive an additional 15% discount.
- This benefits also stay with you for life.
The thing I really like about Genius is that you often get nice things like a free room upgrade or free breakfast.
Tip
You can filter your search by those properties that give Genius benefits to find these options more quickly. This can be another great way to make your travel budget go that little bit further.
You can refine your search by the following options;
- Map search
- Filter by budget
- Select popular filters – such as hotels only, free cancellation, ‘Very Good’ hotel scores etc
- Privacy level – entire house, hotel room etc
- Star rating
- Distance from the city centre
- Online payment
- Fun things to do – fitness, cycling, happy hour etc
- 24 hour reception
- Free cancellation and no prepayment
- Local landmarks i.e. hotels close to those landmarks
- Bed preference – double bed or twin beds
- Review score
- Hotel facilities
- Room facilities
- District
- Hotel chain
- Accessibility
You can filter once you have selection your options by the following;
- Top picks for solo travellers
- Entire homes
- Price – lowest first
- Review score and price
- Stars
- Star rating and price
- Genius
- Distance
- Top reviewed
If you are a Genius member you may get a better room deal using Booking.com if you are able to get a free room upgrade or a free breakfast.
Page Links
Further Reading
If you have found my cheap hotel deals article useful then you might also like;
6 Flight Hacks – for finding great deals and new destinations
Packing Hacks – to help you travel light with all the right grear
Mobile Phone Travel Hacks – to help you save time and money when travelling
Cheap Airport Lounges – how to find the cheapest lounge access for you
You can find more money saving resources on my Travel More and Spend Less page
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