5 Tips to Help You Save on Hotels
5 Tips to Help You Save on Hotels Lodging
Hidden fees and fluctuating prices can make it difficult (and frustrating) to find an affordable hotel room. Whatever your destination or budget, these simple strategies can help.
AARP Travel Center Call: 1.800.675.4318 Search Flights Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: search Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: search Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: Flight 2 Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Flight 3 Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Flight 4 Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Flight 5 Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Add Another Flight search Search Hotels Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date Room 1 Room 2 Room 3 Room 4 Room 5 Room 6 Room 7 Room 8 search Search Packages Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date You didn't specify child's age Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: Room 1 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age Room 2 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age Room 3 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age Room 4 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age Room 5 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age You have more than 6 people total Please select a trip duration less than 28 days search Search Cars Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date search Search Cruises Select a valid location Select a month search Search Things to Do Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date search × Let's Go Reset Featured AARP Member Benefits See more Car Rentals offers > See more Travel offers > See more Hotels & Resorts offers > See more Gas & Auto Services offers > Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures
Five Ways to Save on Hotels
Know where to look and when to book
Hidden fees and fluctuating prices can make it difficult (and frustrating) to find an affordable hotel room. Whatever your destination or budget, these simple strategies can help.
1 Use a short-notice booking app or website br
Hotels would rather offer bargain rates than have empty beds, so if your itinerary is flexible or you’re booking at the last minute, like HotelTonight (which also has a website) or One Night to score serious savings. HotelTonight lets you choose from unclaimed rooms in more than 40 countries, which you can book that day or up to a week — sometimes even 100 days in advance — depending on the city. Need a room on short notice? One Night offers discounted same-night stays in select hotels across the country, starting at 3 p.m. daily.2 Take advantage of rewards
According to Bankrate, an estimated 31 percent of credit cardholders have never redeemed their points — leaving a lot of potential travel savings untouched. Check to see if your credit card rewards program offers discounts on lodging or other hotel perks, like late checkouts or spa activities. And if you’re part of an organization that offers discounted hotel stays (including AARP and AAA), take advantage of membership savings. You usually can get a discount of about 10 percent. To help you plan your next big trip,3 Avoid the middlemen
Sites such as KAYAK, Google Hotels and Momondo can help you compare hotel deals side-by-side, but many hotels now offer a low-price guarantee for booking directly through their website. If you find a lower rate on another site, ask the hotel to match it. And hotels generally only grant loyalty points for direct bookings — so if you’re a hotel rewards member, it pays to avoid third parties. Booking direct also helps you avoid the pitfalls of blind booking sites such as Hotwire and Priceline, which offer steep initial discounts but come with potentially serious setbacks. You won’t know where you’re staying until after you pay, for one, and special requests (such as a late check-in or non-smoking room) may not be guaranteed.4 Plan ahead and find any hidden fees
Just as you can set up fare alerts for airline tickets, you can do the same for hotels on the site HotelsCombined or with the app Hopper, which analyzes prices to tell you whether to book now or wait for a better discount. Also look for 15 to 20 percent discounts from both hotels and booking sites for non-refundable rooms booked in advance. But no matter how you book, don’t commit until you know exactly what’s included. WiFi? Breakfast? Taxes? The cost of extras and hidden fees can add up quickly.5 Time it right
If you can plan your trip for the off-peak or “shoulder” season (like a beach town in the fall), you’ll enjoy lower hotel prices, and maybe even savings on airfare. This also applies to the days of the week you decide to visit: City hotels that cater to business travelers may have better prices on the weekends, while resort destinations geared to weekend stays may be more affordable during the week. As for when to book: Friday is probably your best bet. Expedia’s 2019 Travel Pricing Outlook found that average daily rates are lowest on Fridays (and highest on Sundays), while a 2018 KAYAK report showed that rates for hotels at home and abroad peaked Monday through Wednesday before falling on Friday and Saturday. Editor's note: This article was originally published on March 21, 2019. It has been updated with the AARP Top Tips video.More on Travel
AARP Travel Center Call: 1.800.675.4318 Search Flights Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: search Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: search Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: Flight 2 Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Flight 3 Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Flight 4 Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Flight 5 Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Add Another Flight search Search Hotels Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date Room 1 Room 2 Room 3 Room 4 Room 5 Room 6 Room 7 Room 8 search Search Packages Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date You didn't specify child's age Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: Room 1 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age Room 2 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age Room 3 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age Room 4 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age Room 5 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age You have more than 6 people total Please select a trip duration less than 28 days search Search Cars Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date search Search Cruises Select a valid location Select a month search Search Things to Do Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date search × Let's Go Reset Featured AARP Member Benefits See more Car Rentals offers > See more Travel offers > See more Hotels & Resorts offers > See more Gas & Auto Services offers > Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures