How to find cheap hotel rooms for your holiday

Accommodation is often one of the biggest outlays when booking a holiday. So, finding a great deal on a hotel room can make a huge difference to the overall cost of your trip. Here’s what you need to know to find cheap hotel rooms without compromising on the quality of your holiday accommodation. 

How can I find cheap hotel rooms?

There’s little more annoying than realising you’ve paid more than others for the same thing. But whether you’re staying in Europe or travelling further afield, the same type of room in the same hotel can often cost wildly different prices depending on how and when you book. 

So, how do you ensure you get the best possible deal?

Using a search engine and comparison websites to shop around for hotels is the first step. 

For example, if you are visiting San Francisco, simply typing “San Francisco hotels” into a search engine such as Google will pull up results – and prices – from the main hotel booking sites.

Once you’ve had a look through those listings and chosen where you want to stay, it’s worth contacting the hotel directly to see if it can beat the best price you have seen. It may even offer you a special deal, such as a superior room for the same cost as shown on the booking site.

Just like when you’re searching for cheap flights, it’s also worth playing around with your dates a bit if you can, as shifting your holiday by just a couple of days can dramatically change the price. 

Cut costs on hotels and more

The following top tips can also help you save money and find cheap hotel rooms.

• Check the terms and conditions carefully to see what is included (breakfast, sea view, etc.)

• Look at cancellation policies and aim to choose a hotel where you can change your booking for free

• Read reviews on independent sites such as Tripadvisor to see if there are any common complaints

• Look at package deals, which can often work out cheaper and offer ABTA protection to boot 

• See if you can get money back against your booking via a cashback site

• Use reward points and discount codes to cut costs where you can

• Get insurance as soon as you book, just in case you need to cancel for any reason

• Pay with a credit card for extra purchase protection

When is the cheapest time to book a hotel?

Avoiding peak times and choosing to travel mid-week can save you hundreds of pounds on holiday accommodation.

When it comes to how far in advance to book a hotel, the answer depends on where and when you are planning to travel. The cost of a room will fluctuate based on the level of demand for the period in question. 

So, if you’re visiting a popular summer holiday destination in August, booking early is likely to mean paying less than if you book closer to the time. Even if you are travelling outside high season, a one-off event such as a local conference or exhibition could push up demand – and therefore prices – in the run-up to your trip.

However, if a hotel is struggling to fill its rooms when you want to visit, you may find that waiting until the last minute brings down the price.

What if prices drop after I’ve booked my hotel room?

Hotels often change their prices throughout the year. 

If demand for a certain week is high, the price will rise, but if bookings are scarce, it can fall. It’s therefore worth looking for hotels that allow you to cancel your booking free of charge. 

That way, you can cancel and rebook if you notice prices have dropped, without having to pay a penalty. Just remember to check that free really does mean free. 

If you reserve your hotel room via a booking site, you may also be able to ask for a refund of the difference if you find the same room for a lower price elsewhere. 

Again, it’s important to check the terms and conditions when you book to find out when you can do this. 

Where can I find cheap hotel rooms?

As explained above, an internet search engine is often the best place to start your quest to find a cheap hotel room for your holiday. 

You can then compare the various deals available on booking sites, such as Hotels.com, Booking.com, trivago.co.uk and Expedia.com. 

The next step is to contact the hotel of your choice directly to see if it can beat the best price you’ve found online.

Another handy tip is to check the deals available on cashback sites before you book. You may be able to earn back 10–15% of the cost of your reservation if you’re lucky.

If you’re a member of a loyalty scheme, such as Nectar, you may also be able to use your reward points to cut your travel costs.

Will going directly to the hotel save you money?

It’s always worth ringing the hotel directly once you’ve decided where you want to stay, just to find out what is available. 

Hotels have to pay booking sites a commission on each reservation made, so they will often offer those who book directly a discount.

They may also run special promotions, such as three nights for the price of two, that are only available to guests who book through their own website.

Even if the price is the same, you may get some free extras, such as breakfast or wifi access.

What fees should I look out for?

Hotels often charge extra for things like breakfast or access to the spa. 

So, check the small print carefully to ensure that you know exactly what’s included in the price of your hotel room.

Things to check include:

• Is breakfast included? And if not, is there a local café you can go to for your morning meal?

• Do you have to pay extra to use amenities such as the spa or hotel wifi?

• If you’re booking an all-inclusive stay, are there any restrictions on the food and drinks you can have free of charge?

• Does the hotel offer a free transfer or shuttle service from the airport or train station?

As mentioned above, it’s also worth checking the cancellation policy before booking – in case you need to change your plans or want to cancel and rebook to take advantage of lower prices.

Finally, consider related costs that could push up the total cost of your holiday. This includes checking tips to help you travel on a budget.

While a hotel that is outside the centre of a city destination may well be cheaper by the night, you could end up paying more overall due to the cost of travelling to and from the places you want to visit.

Think about your travel money

To get more bang for your buck on your next holiday, it’s also crucial to ensure you get the best deal on your travel money. This includes investigating how to find the best exchange rate to ensure you get a good deal when buying euros, US dollars or even Australian dollars. Finally, make sure you read up on how to avoid making costly currency conversion mistakes while you’re away.