{{This post might contain affiliate links. If you use any of these links to buy a product, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you}}. Read my full disclosure for more details.

|Updated on October, 13,2024|

Finding cheap hotel deals doesn’t have to be tricky. With plenty of travel tips and tricks available, you can save a significant portion of your travel budget on accommodation these days. After all, why spend a lot on a place where you’ll just sleep and shower? Instead, why not take advantage of cheap hotel deals whenever possible?

So, to avoid overpaying for hotel stays, I created a list of things for you to know before you book your accommodations with the best tips and hacks on how to find the cheapest hotels.

Key Things to Know and Do Before Booking a Hotel

Always check the hotel details, such as amenities and if they have resort fees. Sometimes the hotel prices can be low until you look at the fine print and find out about the resort’s cost, which can make the total cost insanely expensive.
If the hotel offers complimentary breakfast, read through the details to ensure it is provided for all rooms.
Confirm check-in and check-out time. Most of the time, you will be able to check in earlier, but you can’t rely on that for sure, and if you come earlier than needed, you might end up in a long wait.
Check if they offer airport pickup and drop-off. Even if there is no such info on the website, they can still provide this option. Never afraid to ask. They can either do it for free or at a discounted rate.
Check their return policy upfront. You never know if you will have to cancel your booking, and it is better to get a full refund.
If you have a car, check what parking options they offer. Most of the time, parking is free, but with some additional
requirements.
If you have a pet, check with the hotel first if they allow fur friends; if they do, ask if it’s free or if you have to pay.
If you book a hotel with your points, in case of unexpected cancellations, you will most likely have to deal with your bank directly, not the hotel. If you must cancel your stay, contact your bank before check-out. Otherwise, you will never get a refund.

How to Find Cheap Hotel Deals:21 Best Tips and Hacks

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 got was $382, but when I changed from two guests to one guest, the cheapest price was $352. So, the $30 difference is not bad at all, especially if you stay more than one night.

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.

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.

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

Do not forget about checking Groupon. Most of the time, you will find good hotel deals or all-inclusive packages right there. They are 100% legit as I used them myself once and was able to find a $100 deal for the Best Western Hotel in St.Louis which was very good.

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.

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.

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 lot 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 Chrome extensions that automatically search 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.

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, and AAA members. Always do not hesitate to ask.

|Hotels.com offers 10% OFF for hotel accommodations if you are a student, a teacher, a US Military, 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 recently. 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 to Save on Hotel Prices

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.

The Best Hotel Booking Sites to Get Good Deals on Hotels

Booking.com

Booking.com is often the first site that comes to mind for hotel reservations and for a good reason. I frequently use this website to compare prices, as it offers excellent deals and flexible cancellation policies. However, popular hotels can book up quickly due to the site’s high traffic.

One advantage of Booking.com is that you rarely need to pay anything upfront; you can reserve a room for free or with a small deposit. Additionally, by signing up, you’ll receive occasional emails with the best deals available.

Skyscanner/Snaptravel

I haven’t booked hotels through Skyscanner before, but out of curiosity, I checked it out. When you select the hotel’s tab on Skyscanner, it redirects you to Snaptravel, where you can access special discounts by choosing to communicate via SMS or Facebook Messenger.

Snaptravel also offers a price match guarantee; if you find a better deal for the same hotel, they will match the price and give you a $10 credit for future use. Although their prices were slightly lower than on other sites, the price match and additional discount make it worth considering.

Hotels.com

Hotels.com is user-friendly and offers attractive discounts, like earning a free night after collecting 10 stamps or accessing secret prices by signing up.

Most hotels on the site come with free cancellation options, and they have a price guarantee policy. You can also unlock additional benefits and secret prices if you achieve elite status.

Hotwire

Why do I love Hotwire?

Hotwire stands out from other third-party sites by offering great hidden deals. For instance, with their Hot Rate option, you won’t see the hotel’s name until after booking, but you can view details like location and rating. This feature is perfect for booking last-minute hotels.

You can set up price change alerts, so if the price for a hotel you’re interested in drops, you’ll receive an email and have the chance to book it for less.

Additionally, having an account with Hotwire can unlock further savings.

I’ve used them once for a same-day booking in Miami at Christmas time. First, of course, I had to find same-day accommodation. Still, as you can imagine, Christmas time in Miami is insanely busy, and finding a hotel for a reasonable price, especially same-day booking, is just unreal.

All the other sites I checked had prices starting from $300, which seemed quite expensive. Then I discovered Hotwire’s hidden deals and found a fantastic hotel at half the price—only $150 per night. I ended up saving 50%, which was a great deal!

Priceline.com

Priceline offers competitive prices similar to other sites, along with price matches, discounts, and express deals, similar to what Hotwire provides. While they may not reveal the hotel name for certain deals, they offer reasonable prices for these sales.

To find the best deal, be sure to compare prices across all these websites. For instance, I found that Priceline offered the best rate for the same hotel room—$114—compared to $128 on other sites.

Final Thoughts

Staying at hotels doesn’t have to break the bank. By utilizing these tips and hacks for finding cheap hotel deals, you can save a significant amount of money, allowing you to invest more in future travels rather than overpaying for your accommodations.

I hope you found these 21 tips and hacks helpful in your search for affordable hotel stays. Thank you for reading!

Pin it for later