6 Ways to Save on Your Next Hotel Room

If you're the type of traveler who just wants a decent place to hang your hat and you don't want to spend a fortune to do it, here are seven ways to save on your next hotel room:

Be flexible
Hotel rates are based on supply and demand, so be aware of peak periods. If your destination's high season is from December through April and you're trying to book near the end of April, you might find considerable savings if you change your travel dates by a week or two. Also, keep in mind that at many properties you'll be charged peak-season rates for your entire stay even if you straddle the dates between peak and nonpeak seasons. So ask when rates go down.

Use your frequent-flier miles
If you have a credit card that allows you to earn frequent-flier miles for purchases, contact the company (or visit its Web site) and ask about hotel deals or promotions during the time you'll be traveling. Also check with any airlines for which you have frequent-flier miles.

Check out our website
Our hotel booking engine gives you access to hotel rooms bought in advance from consolidators as well as access to last minute sell-offs from the large hotel chains. It is rare to find a lower rate than what is available on our engine because of our partner's enormous buying power. Hotels are anxious to post their best rates on the engine because they know how successful it is in bringing customers to their properties. travelmyway hotel booking engine

Don't be afraid to haggle
Most people are so intimidated by know-it-all hotel desk clerks that they don't try bargaining for a better deal. But negotiating for a better deal is often worth the trouble, because most hotel general managers would prefer having a customer paying a lower-than-usual rate to no customer at all. And if you find something on your hotel bill that you feel is unfair -- such as an outrageously high phone charge -- don't be afraid to complain about this either. To keep your goodwill, hotels will often reduce or eliminate such charges.

Look for weekend deals at business hotels
High-end chain properties that cater to businesspeople are often busy only on weekdays. To fill up rooms on weekends, such hotels often drop their rates dramatically on weekends. Because many of these places are in leisure destinations such as San Diego, Palm Springs, and Miami, they're worth considering even if you're not traveling on business.

Avoid hidden costs
Pricey little extras that hotels never mention can significantly increase the cost of your stay. Don't let this happen. Find out about resort fees, fees for parking, Internet use, safe-deposit boxes and fitness centers before you agree to stay. And don't touch the hotel's phone unless you absolutely have to -- the rates at many large properties can be more than $2 a minute! Also, don't book yourself into a hotel that has amenities, such as business centers or in-room fax machines, you don't need, because the cost of providing them is factored into your room rate.