Traveling isn’t cheap, and one of the biggest expenses can be hotel rooms. This can make finding strategies for saving money on hotels important to your budget and overall planning. There are a lot of ways to do this, including staying at less popular hotels or taking advantage of on-site benefits and perks.
For example, many hotels offer free breakfast to their guests. This can range from a continental breakfast to a full cooked-to-order breakfast that offers significant value. While this isn’t something that every hotel can afford to do, it does provide a way for you to save on food while you’re away from home.
Besides offering a variety of on-site benefits, hotels also offer a wide variety of room rates depending on the season. During the tourism offseason, hotels are less motivated to fill their rooms, so you can often get good deals on rooms that would be much more expensive during peak tourism seasons.
Another common way to save on hotel costs is to keep shopping around even after you’ve made a reservation. If you find a better rate at a competing hotel, most chains will offer to match the price or give you bonus points to use toward future stays. This is especially true if the hotel you’re booking with is part of a large, reputable rewards program.
While both hotels and Airbnbs have their perks, Airbnbs are usually a more cost-effective option for extended stays. This is because they tend to offer residential-style amenities like living rooms, kitchens, dining areas and laundry facilities. Some hotel chains even offer dedicated extended stay brands that have similar features to Airbnbs. However, most hotels have far more oversight than Airbnb properties and are a safer bet for those looking for the comforts of home on their travels.
There are a lot of different ways to save on travel and hotels, but you’ll need to take the time to find the right strategies for your situation. Using a credit card that offers hotel rewards or other benefits may be the best way to make sure you’re getting the most out of your accommodations. Check out Credit Intel, Amex’s personal finance education center for more tips and advice. We’ve partnered with them to bring you this content. Learn more about our partnerships here.
