21 Proven Tricks to Get Cheap Hotel Deals

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|Updated on December 11, 2025|

 

Finding cheap hotel deals doesn’t have to be difficult anymore. With these 21 Proven Tricks to Get Cheap Hotel Deals, you can save a big portion of your travel budget without sacrificing comfort. And really, why spend a lot on a place where you’ll just sleep and shower? It’s always smarter to grab a great hotel deal whenever you can.

1. Specify the Number of Guests Needing a Room

As the default number of guests is always 2, you might miss updating those details if you travel alone, and then you will receive a higher price.

 

For example, when I searched for a hotel for two guests, the lowest price I found was $382. However, when I changed the search to one guest, the lowest price was $352. That $30 difference adds up quickly if you’re learning how to find hotels for cheap.

2. Call the Hotel Directly to Check the Prices

Once you find a reasonable price, call the hotel and check the price with them. Sometimes they might have a better price or can offer you a room upgrade, which you won’t be able to get if you book online.

3. Be Flexible

Be flexible, as the lowest prices are usually during the week, while the most expensive rates are on weekends and holidays. If you’re looking for how to get the lowest hotel rate, adjusting your dates even by one day can make a big difference.

4. Book Package Deals

Consider package deals (flights+hotel+car rent+attractions). The package hotel prices are always different from booking a single room, and you might get a good discount.

5. Get a Last-Minute Deal

Keep an eye on the last-minute deal. An excellent app to use for that purpose is Hotel Tonight. I’ve checked the prices there and was able to spot a 4-5-star hotel the same day for less than $100. Such a great example of how to get hotel rooms for cheap.

6. Book a Hotel With Your Bank Directly

When you book hotels, check your bank website, as they can offer additional discounts if you book through them directly.

7. Check Groupon for the Best Hotel Deal

Don’t forget to check Groupon. They often have great hotel (and other) deals and even all-inclusive packages. They’re completely legit. I use it myself all the time and once scored a $100 Best Western stay in St. Louis. Such a good find!

8. Apply for a Hotel Credit Card

If you are an avid traveler and like to stay in the same chain of hotels, definitely apply for the hotel credit card, as they also offer good discounts and deals.

9. Book the Hotel Room on Roomer

Check out the Roomer site to find good-priced hotels. Roomer was created for those who had non-refundable bookings before and couldn’t get their money back from the hotels. Roomer allows posting those hotels for a discounted price, so it is a win-win situation for the previous guest and the new one.

10. Book Your Accommodation in Advance

The best time to book your hotel room for the best price is 14 to 21 days before your travel dates. Try to stick to that time frame if possible.

11. Book Hotels Outside of Downtown

Look for hotels outside of touristy places. If you noticed, hotels near the airport are always cheaper than hotels in the city. So, if you do not care about the distance, it makes sense to look for the nearest options when figuring out how to stay at hotels for cheap.

12. Book Multiple Rooms

If you book multiple rooms, ask for discounts. Most of the time, securing more than 1 room can guarantee a good deal and other benefits. This is another trick to get a cheap hotel room.

13. Book a Non-Refundable Deal

Look for non-refundable deals if your plans won’t change, as those deals are always cheaper than refundable ones.

14. Apply for Cashback Apps and Save

Use cashback apps to save money on almost everything, including flights and hotels. For example, if you have a Rakuten or Capital One shopping app, you can get 4% back from the price you paid with Priceline. Since I started using these apps for every purchase, I’ve saved a good amount of money by getting a good percentage of what I spend back into my account.

15. Download Chrome Extensions for Price Comparison

To ensure you’re getting the lowest prices, consider installing a Chrome extension that automatically searches for better deals for you. Pruvo tracks hotel prices after you book the place to stay and sends you the price drop alerts to your email.

 

So if Pruvo finds a better price, you can cancel the booking and re-book or call the hotel, and they will do all the work for you. I find it such a helpful trick to get cheap hotel rooms.

16. Use Website Extensions Outside of the US

As prices can vary based on the country and currency, try to look for the UK version instead of the US, India, etc.

17. Check if You Qualify For a Special Discount

You may qualify for the discount if you are under one of these categories: seniors, government employees, students, members of the military, or AAA members. Always do not hesitate to ask.

 

|Hotels.com offers a 10% discount on hotel accommodations if you are a student, a teacher, a U.S. military member, a Government Employee, or a first Responder.

18. Check-in Late

Sometimes, checking in late can lead to a room upgrade. If you’re arriving late and the hotel has extra vacancies, the staff might upgrade your room from a single to something more luxurious, as fewer guests will be checking in at that time.

19. Book a Room in a Brand New Hotel

Look for brand new hotels which just opened. Most of the time, those hotels offer lower prices than their competitors.

20. Take Advantage of the Special Days and Types of Hotels

If you stay at resorts, the lower prices will be during the week, and if you stay in a business-type hotel, the best prices will be on the weekend.

21. Divide Your Stay Into Separate Bookings

Before booking a hotel for your entire stay, try comparing prices for each day separately or booking in segments. For example, if you need a hotel for 4 days, check if booking two separate 2-day segments offers a better rate.

 

I tested this approach for a hotel in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. When booking all 4 days together, the price was $160 per night. However, by splitting the booking into two separate 2-day segments, the rate dropped to $76-85 per night. This strategy can lead to significant savings, so it’s worth trying for your next hotel reservation.