Monday, July 12, 2010

Discount Accommodation - How To Secure The Most Attractive Hotel Deals

By James Brad Lee

Planning for your next vacation or business trip can be a money-saving process. Whether you are travelling to a neighbouring country for a quick getaway or somewhere more exotic, you can save money by going for discount accommodation and focus on the activities of your trip instead.

Such accommodations which offer regular discounted rates can easily be found if you know where to look. It does not matter whether you are looking for a motel, budget hotel or even a luxury hotel - discounts are offered by different accommodation types. By following the simple tips below, you can be assured that you will not ever have to pay the full price for any hotel stay again.

Use discount coupons and coupon codes

Discount coupons can not only save you a lot of money on your hotels, they can often be found and used with minimum effort. Search newspapers, entertainment books and coupon books issued by welcome centres for some of the most attractive hotel coupon deals and cut them out.

Alternatively, you can also go online to conduct a search for specific online coupons that apply to your destination or hotel chain. To use them, simply enter the coupon codes when prompted by the hotel booking portal which you are booking your hotel with.

However, do pay close attention to the fine print as you may have to meet certain requirements before you can use the coupon such as having to fulfill a minimum number of nights' stay. A little effort on your part can thus go a long way in obtaining substantial savings on your hotels.

Book last minute hotels

Last minute travelers can get to enjoy some attractive discounts from hotels which still have available rooms during the period of your stay. These discounts are offered in a last minute bid to bump up occupancy rates, especially during less busy periods.

If you do not have a fixed travel date, or if you are travelling during a period when hotel bookings in your destination are likely to be slow, you can wait till the last minute to book your hotels. All you have to do is to browse through newspapers or websites to pick out the best deals.

Be more flexible with location

A hotel that requires you to walk a little longer to reach a main tourist spot is usually more likely to offer attractive discounted rates than another hotel located just next to it. Hence it pays to cast your net wider when it comes to searching for a hotel with the best deals. The savings that you will enjoy by staying in these hotels would be well worth the extra commuting distance.

Ask around for the best deals

By simply asking around, you will uncover valuable information about the hotels which offer discounted deals. You can first try asking your friends and relatives about any deals that they were previously entitled to in discounted hotels in the past.

You can also ask the hotels themselves for any other special rates or discounts when before checking in. There may also be special discounts offered in conjunction with certain events or festivals, so be sure to ask if there are any.

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