April 7, 2006, Newsletter Issue #105: Saving money on room rates

Tip of the Week

To help save money on your hotel room rates:
Make your hotel reservations as soon as possible. Usually only a limited amount of the cheapest rates are available to the first few that reserve on a particular date and they go quickly.
Being flexible about when you travel can often save you money.
The best rates are usually found during the off-season and at other times when hotels tends to have empty rooms. Business hotels in the downtown area will often have specials on the weekends.
Be sure to ask about weekly rates or weekend specials.
Be sure to ask about suites. A hotel might have a suite available that would be less expensive than two separate rooms. Remember to check on the bathroom arrangement.
Shopping on the internet is usually the quickest and easiest way to compare many hotels’ rates and to find the best deals.
Booking a room through a consolidator can often save a lot of money. They buy large blocks of rooms and often will pass their large discounts on to individual consumers.
Also check the national chain’s 800 number and with the hotel directly, since one operator may be offering a special of which the other is unaware. Ask for the best rate available.
Try booking your vacation as a package. By booking your room along with a certain airline, rental car or attraction ticket package, you should be able to save money.
Be sure to apply coupons (read the coupons carefully for exceptions and their terms of use).
Be sure to ask apply any special discount programs for which you are eligible.

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