How to Get the Best Deal Booking a Hotel

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Do you want to get the best rate possible on hotel rooms? Different guests staying in the same hotel in identical rooms are very likely paying very different prices. Make sure you are paying the best price.

Steps

1. Opaque travel sites like Hotwire.com offer the best deals, but the downside is that you don't know what hotel you are getting until you buy.
2. Search for hotel deals on major travel sites like HotGuzzi.com, Travelocity, Priceline etc. Or compare all the major travel sites at once with hotel comparison sites like Tripmama or NameTrips.com. You can even compare hotels within each site by checking the box next to hotels you like and then clicking on the 'Compare' button. This way, you will have page view of three hotels side-by-side that you can also print for later review. Some hotels do not include free internet, breakfast etc. That can be seen using this 'Compare' feature.
3. Check one of the "Hotel Search Engines" such as NameTrips.com or Kayak.com. These sites are very popular today. They allow you to instantly search hundreds of different travel websites and then post the lowest rates. Using these search engines to find and sort hotel rates can save time and money. Don't forget to check DealAngel to make sure the rate you book is actually a bargain.
4. Join a members-only club for special deals. These sites can offer lower prices because the rates aren't available to the general public. Vacationist is a members-only site that holds special sales on luxury hotels around the world. Hotel Engine is a members-only site that offers discounted rates on a ton of hotels and claims to beat the prices found on other sites most of the time. Membership in both clubs is free.
5. Go directly to the hotel website. Investigate the prices on the site. Do they have any specials currently being advertised? Sign up to be notified of any specials by email. Note the prices for the date you are interested in.
6. Call the hotel directly. Do it from the airport or train station before reaching the hotel if you are booking for the same night. Tell them you are interested in getting a good deal. When you get their price, make a counter offer and take a hard line when negotiating. Most hotels will offer very good deals after 6:00 p.m. if they have a lot of unsold inventory as the revenue will be lost on those rooms otherwise. After 8:00 p.m., you may be able to negotiate up to a 75% discount, especially with owner-managed, smaller hotels.
7. Make the hotel operators aware of any discounts for which you might qualify. This would include automobile association cards, senior rates, entertainment cards, business traveler rates, government rates, and others.
8. Use any flexibility you might have. If you are flexible about the date of your stay, investigate different days of the week or an alternative week.
9. Book your room. After you have all of this information, now you can book your room and be confident that you are getting the best rate possible.
10. Negotiate your rate at the hotel. If you are a walk-in guest (meaning you don't have reservations at the hotel) take advantage of the front desk staff. Tell them you're only looking for a place to sleep, and ask them for the best deal they can give you. Chances are, they'll lower their advertised price in order to keep you from walking out the door. Most hotels are willing to negotiate their rates down by about $20. In the eyes of the business, selling a room for $20 less than planned is better than not selling the room at all.
11. Ask for an upgrade. If a hotel isn't full, you can often get an upgraded room, like a king bed or corner room, just by asking. This might not save any money, but it does get you more for the money you are spending.

Tips

• Before calling to book a reservation, have all of your questions ready and, again, do not take any longer than absolutely necessary to place the reservation. Desk clerks are masters at multi-tasking, and just because they are friendly on the phone (which they are paid to be), does not mean they have the time nor inclination to chit chat.
• Trying to negotiate your rate after you have made a previous reservation often will not work. By making a reservation with your credit card you have already committed to pay that rate!
• Most hotels have some less preferred rooms which they are willing to offer at a lower price. For example, there may be a room with a blocked view, one near the elevator or an odd shaped room or which is slightly noisy etc. If you do not mind the small inconvenience, you may be able to strike a bargain.
• Be polite to the front desk clerks. A good clerk is happy to assist in any way possible, but please do not monopolize their time. At any given time, a clerk may be doing paperwork, answering the phone and needing to assist the guest behind you.
• Hotels will not always negotiate a rate. For example, if a hotel has only one vacancy, the hotel staff is not going to be very inclined to lower the rate because they are more than likely to sell the room to another person walking in after you. If the hotel is nearly empty, they're much more likely to lower their rate for you. Just the simple "Law of Supply and Demand."

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