The Top 3 Major expenses on a trip are Stays, Food & Transport. In today's article I am going to share how to save money on stays!
I have learned these tips throughout the years by staying at many national and international hotels, home-stays, hostels and even tents!
Getting straight to the point, here are your tips!
Tip #1 - Call the hotel directly instead of booking online!
I know this is quite a controversial tip but it works! It has helped me get the room for less that what was mentioned on websites and also helped me get a free upgrade !
Having said that, I must also clarify that this has worked for me mainly for home-stays and only a few times with hotels. (I guess it all depends on the availability and demand)
Pro Tip: Sometimes, hotels quote the exact amount which is available on websites even if you call them and book directly.
Don't give in.
NEGOTIATE.
Explain it to them politely that you could have booked online too for the same price but as you are calling directly, you are saving them the commission fee which the websites charge them. Ask them to at-least deduct the commission fee amount and if you talk to them respectfully and politely, they might even give you a room upgrade!
Are there any more benefits of calling the hotel/home-stay directly?
YES!
You can get your room even when it says completely booked online!
Sometimes, hotels and home-stays keep some extra rooms available for walk-in guests. These rooms are not mentioned on any online website. You get access to them if you call the stay directly and confirm it to them that you would definitely be booking it. Generally they ask a small amount in advance to lock-in the room but this way you get the room even when the websites say all rooms are booked ;)
Tip #2 - Search your stay options in Incognito Browser/ Private Browser.
Just like how the flight prices increase when you keep searching them, the hotel prices keep fluctuating too (generally they increase)
To save yourself from paying more for the same room, always search on incognito mode. This tip would help if you are planning to book your stay through online travel websites.
Tip #3 - Personal Favourite Tip: Book a home-stay over hotels whenever possible.
Home-stays are not only mostly cheaper than hotel rooms, they also give us a local flavour of how that place is in it's core apart from the touristy spots of that location. You get to interact with local people, people around the world who are staying at that home-stay and just gives you a broader perspective of the place you are visiting.
Tip #4 - If you are on a budget trip, consider staying in hostels!
With WFH increasing rapidly, mostly all the hostels provide good wifi connection and a great common space to sit and work at.
The price per night to stay can start from as low as Rs 200 per day!
They even offer weekly and monthly discounts if you are staying for a longer duration so it's lighter on our pockets and gives us more time to explore the place too!
Tip #5 - Don't forget to check online websites to grab the best deals!
I know this contradicts my first tip but it doesn't harm to check any travel website once when you are sure you want to plan a trip!
Sometimes, during festivals, off-seasons and any special occasion for that website, they offer great deals and prices than any other normal day. So do make sure to check them out too before booking.
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