Budget Hotels and Hostels may come to mind as cheap budget accommodations, but over the years they've come a long way - often offering private rooms and luxury amenities at a fraction of hotel costs. There are even tricks and secrets for booking budget hotels such as using comparison websites, signing up for loyalty programs, and traveling off-peak.
Hostelworld is the world's largest hostel booking platform and an ideal way to begin your accommodation search. Boasting millions of vetted reviews and offering the Best Price Guarantee, make sure that you read their terms and conditions before booking any room with them!
Filters allow you to narrow your search and choose a date range. Also, take note of the overall rating - an aggregate of all reviews which gives a good indication of guest satisfaction - which gives an accurate representation. Note also that prices are displayed per person.
Once you've narrowed down your choices, click 'View Details' and 'Book Now'. At this stage, a 15% deposit/down payment will be deducted from your total when checking in at the hostel.
Alternatively, booking directly with the hostel may help avoid these fees; many offer discounts when booked this way and still deliver an exceptional experience. Be aware that not all hostels advertise this perk and some may even not appear listed on these booking websites; personal research can reveal hidden gems! Plus when you book directly with them they're usually better at helping plan out your itinerary and giving tips about their city!
If you want to save money when booking hotel stays and hostel stays, becoming a member of a travel club could be worthwhile. Many offer discounts on flights, hotel stays, and even cruises while offering special offers exclusively to their members. Memberships tend to be free; you can opt-out at any time!
Travel clubs operate similarly to timeshares: they invite travelers for presentations offering them free cruises or vacations in exchange for joining their club. While such membership may prove lucrative for companies, not always is this the case with members.
Before joining a travel club, do your research. Read reviews on the company and any complaints against it, as well as ask the sales associate to let you review the contract so that you can inspect its fine details and understand if their savings match up to promises made to members.
As your travel club expands and your workload increases, having someone assist with recruiting, marketing, and trip planning can be immensely helpful. If you can't find an interested partner to share this task with, hiring a junior group coordinator can give an extra set of hands that helps expand faster while offering fresh perspectives and helping make group travel more affordable - not to mention sharing responsibility and earning bonus payments for their efforts!
Booking hostel and hotel accommodations during off-peak seasons is key to finding better prices and more reasonable accommodations. Prices tend to skyrocket during peak travel seasons due to increased competition for available beds - for instance, one that cost $60 in January might cost $115 by July if more people try and book these accommodations during their peak seasons; similarly with Airbnb rentals. Traveling during off-peak seasons allows you to find great bargains; these properties may even be more open to negotiations due to more available beds during this period than during regular seasons! However, by taking advantage of any vacancies they might be more willing than normal because of having empty properties available when filling up during these off-peak seasons!
Book last-minute to save money when booking hotels and hostels, since many offer discounted rates for last-minute reservations to prevent their rooms from sitting empty. This method works best in large cities that feature plenty of hotels; apps like Hotel Tonight offer last-minute hotel deals at unbeatably cheap rates. Note, however, this strategy only works well if your travel dates are flexible; otherwise, it doesn't work in small towns or rural areas.
Comparison sites make it easier than ever to see what's out there and find the best price. Their sophisticated algorithms quickly sort through all available products to provide a list of what's currently on offer at prices that are updated frequently.
Hostels provide an economical alternative to hotels and are an excellent way to meet other travelers. But for some travelers, sharing a room may be too confining a space; if this is the case for you, Airbnb or HomeAway offer larger accommodations such as houses and apartments that may suit you better.
Consider also that hostels typically require a pre-payment (which may or may not be refundable) before booking to guarantee your room and bed are booked, otherwise overbooked hostels could leave you sleeping on the floor!
Be mindful of comparison sites' commission fees on bookings made via them; booking directly through hotel websites could often be less expensive, especially if discounts can be negotiated. Furthermore, some hotels do not wish to appear on comparison sites because they cannot control the prices or content of listings presented there.
Hostels may have a bad rap for being rough-and-ready places, but they are designed as fun budget accommodations with amenities like breakfast, movie nights, and free walking tours to provide excellent value.
Booking directly with a hostel often provides better rates than booking through third-party sites; often meeting or beating any advertised internet rates! They're often happy to meet or beat those if asked nicely!
This hotel booking trick may require some effort and careful consideration, but it could save you both money and avoid disappointment when the time comes for check-in.
Switching up your dates when searching for hostels can make a substantial difference during peak season and weekends, especially if traveling for an event or purpose-specific travel plans. Booking early will also help stick within your travel budget and avoid disappointment. Lastly, keep an eye out online for promo codes - there's sure to be one out there that could make all the difference to your final bill! This strategy works especially well when booking hotels - many larger chains provide them as an easy way to save more on accommodation costs!
- Use price alerts from Kayak to get notified when the prices of your desired hotels drop.
- Snag other travelers' unwanted rooms with Roomer, a website that lets you buy hotel reservations from people who have to cancel their trips.
- Check for hotel coupon deals on websites like Groupon or LivingSocial, which often offer discounts of up to 50% or more on hotels and travel packages.
- Use Hostelgeeks to find the best hostels in the world, rated by quality, design, location, and social atmosphere. You can also get exclusive discounts and promo codes for some of the 5 Star Hostels.
- Snatch last-minute deals with Priceline or Hotel Tonight, which offer huge discounts on unsold rooms for the same day or the next few days.
- Subscribe for membership discounts on websites like Hostelsclub or Booking.com, which offer lower prices and perks for loyal customers.
- Use Hostelz.com to compare prices from different hostel booking websites and find the cheapest option for your desired hostel.