subject: How To Find Discounts On Hotels [print this page] Finding the hotel of your dreams can often result in a healthy dent in your pocketbook. However, there are several ways to find discounts, which can result in lots of saved money that can be spent on other activities on your trip.
To search for discounts, there are many avenues you can rely on to search for savings. There are several online websites that specialize in discounts on hotels. They will offer packages with discounted rates for certain cities and period of stay. If you find that these packages match up with the time you plan to vacation, there's no question that booking your stay over the Internet will make plenty of sense.
If you're not comfortable with spending money over the computer, seek out your local travel agents. Many travel agents have agreements with a lot of different companies, so they can offer you packages at a great discount. You also can have the comfort of discussing money with a live person, face to face. Also, don't hesitate to look for savings in various forms of print media. Hotels are constantly placing advertisements that feature great savings to catch your attention, because they depend on full rooms to stay afloat. If you have a specific chain you like to stay at, research what months out of the year happen to have the best deals.
Discounts can be found in the places you often forget about or don't expect. Car insurance companies, such as AAA, give out great discounts to their members. Make sure to check out any coupons you are sent from your insurance company, or spend time on their website to take a look at any travel deals. Even better, you can sometimes find package discounts on restaurants and rental vehicles along with your lodging costs. If you don't find any discounts through your insurance company's website, don't be afraid to call ahead and ask anyway. Another sometimes forgotten method to discover savings is the usage of specific search tools. Look for search websites to compare different rates for rooms.
Sometimes the best way to find deals is asking your friends. There's always a strong chance somebody you know has stayed in the same area you're planning to vacation. Ask them about the places they've stayed at in the past and the type of deals they were able to find. You can also request that they refer you to their hotel of choice, and you might find yourself with the exact name of a person who is willing to give you a great discount.
Finally, always be willing to call ahead. Even if you see a rate online that seems fair, you should always assume that you could get a better discount by calling yourself. Try to talk the price down, and if you find nobody willing to budge, you can always settle on the original discount. As long as you're willing to do your research and ask around, you'll find that there's always an opportunity to find a lower price on the hotels you want to stay at.
