Smart Hotel Booking: How I Find 5-Star Stays for Less
Discover our top 10 hacks for saving on hotel bookings! Learn how to book luxury hotels for less without sacrificing quality.
Traveling is an enriching experience, but it often comes with a hefty price tag, especially regarding accommodations.
However, there are hacks to save money on hotels without compromising comfort and quality.
I wrote this guide with the 10 best hacks for saving money on luxury hotel bookings.
How to book luxury hotels for less
- Use the Booking.com mobile app for cheaper rates.
- Join comparison sites loyalty program.
- Be flexible with your dates.
- Search for newly opened hotels.
- Turn on your VPN when searching for hotels.
- Ask the hotel for a direct booking price.
- Check out websites with secret deals.
- Join hotel chain loyalty programs.
- Look for last-minute deals.
- Book cheap hotels on Roomer.
1. Use the Booking.com mobile app for cheaper rates
Booking.com is my favorite hotel booking platform because of its good user experience.
It also provides many filters, like a gym, good reviews, distance to the city center, etc., that make it easy to find a hotel that meets your expectations.
Did you know?
Many hotels are cheaper on the app than on the booking.com website!
Booking.com has noted that over half of its reservations are made on mobile devices. To capitalize on this trend, Booking.com incentivizes hotels to offer special mobile-only discounts.
In return, these hotels gain enhanced visibility on the platform and are awarded a badge indicating their participation in the program.
2. Join comparison sites’ loyalty programme
Many comparison sites, like booking.com or hotels.com, have loyalty programs to get free nights, breakfast, upgrades, or discounts on stays.
I’m at level three of Booking.com’s Genius loyalty program and get a discount of up to 20% at participating hotels!
Hotels.com offers a loyalty program where you earn one free night after staying for 10 nights.
3. Be flexible with your dates
It’s not a secret that hotels charge much more on weekends or during the high season.
If you want to stay in luxurious hotels while sticking to your budget, consider booking during mid-week in the off-season.
4. Search for newly opened hotels
Keep an eye on newly opened hotels, as they often offer special introductory rates to establish their reputation and accumulate reviews. This is a fantastic opportunity to stay at upscale hotels that are usually quite expensive.
Insider Tip: Many excellent websites list newly opened hotels, so you don’t have to search for them.
5. Turn on your VPN when searching for hotels
Using a VPN can help you find better deals on hotel bookings, as prices sometimes vary based on your geographic location.
6. Ask the hotel for a direct booking price
It is also worth it to message hotels to ask if they offer a better rate if you book directly with them.
Whenever you book a room on platforms like booking.com or hotels.com, the hotel has to pay a commission to these platforms.
This hack works exceptionally well on Airbnb! Just be smart about how you formulate your message, as Airbnb will automatically block any words they interpret as you try to book off the platform.
7. Check out websites with secret deals.
Use websites like Secret Escapes to get significant discounts on luxury hotels.
Due to agreements with platforms like Booking.com, these hotels are restricted from publicly advertising better deals elsewhere. For this reason, websites like Secret Escapes are exclusively for members.
Membership, however, is often free as these sites earn money from hotel commissions for every booking made.
The concept is straightforward: hotels aim to avoid vacant rooms, so they offer these rooms at reduced rates, which works to your advantage.
This approach requires flexibility, as your options regarding specific locations and dates might be limited.
Websites with secret deals:
8. Join hotel chain Loyalty Programs
Another hack to save money on hotel bookings is to join hotel chain loyalty programs.
You might get free upgrades, welcome drinks, high-speed WIFI, complimentary breakfast, or lounge access, depending on your status.
Hotel Chain Loyalty Programs:
9. Look for last-minute deals.
Looking for last-minute hotel deals is one of the best ways to save money on hotels.
Hotels often reduce prices at the last minute to fill up rooms that would otherwise remain unoccupied. This is a win-win situation; the hotel increases occupancy, and you get a room at a fraction of the usual cost.
Websites to find last-minute deals:
10. Book cheap hotels on Roomer
Many hotel reservations are non-refundable, and unforeseen plan changes can lead to financial loss.
Roomer serves as a marketplace for these non-refundable hotel bookings, enabling individuals who cannot utilize their reservations to sell them to others.
This is where you can find opportunities to save money by purchasing other people’s hotel reservations.
Frequently Asked Questions – How to Book Cheap Hotels
What is the best way to book cheap luxury hotels?
The best way to book cheap luxury hotels is to combine multiple strategies: use the Booking.com mobile app which often shows lower prices than the desktop website, join comparison sites’ loyalty programmes like Genius for exclusive discounts, be flexible with your travel dates to take advantage of off-peak pricing, search for newly opened hotels offering introductory rates, use a VPN to compare prices from different geographic locations, and contact hotels directly to negotiate better rates without platform commissions.
Is the Booking.com app cheaper than the website?
Yes, many hotels offer cheaper rates on the Booking.com mobile app compared to the desktop website. Booking.com has noted that over half of its reservations are made through the app, and hotels participating in the Preferred Partner Programme often provide mobile-exclusive discounts to attract more bookings through the app.
Can using a VPN help me find cheaper hotel rates?
Yes, using a VPN can help you find better deals on hotel bookings because prices sometimes vary based on your geographic location. Booking algorithms may show different rates depending on which country you appear to be browsing from. By switching your VPN to different server locations, you can compare prices and potentially find significantly lower rates for the same hotel room.
Are there websites that offer secret deals on luxury hotels?
Yes, websites like Secret Escapes specialize in offering significant discounts on luxury hotels through members-only deals. Due to agreements with platforms like Booking.com, hotels cannot publicly advertise better deals elsewhere, so these secret deal sites operate as exclusive clubs. Membership is typically free, as the sites earn money from hotel commissions on each booking.
Is it cheaper to book directly with a hotel instead of through a booking platform?
It can be cheaper to book directly with a hotel. When you book through platforms like Booking.com or Hotels.com, the hotel pays a commission to these platforms. Many hotels are willing to offer you a better rate if you book directly with them since they save on commission fees. This hack works especially well with Airbnb properties too, though you need to be careful about how you approach the host.
How do hotel loyalty programs help save money on bookings?
Hotel chain loyalty programs offer significant savings through free upgrades, welcome drinks, high-speed Wi-Fi, complimentary breakfast, and lounge access depending on your membership status. Programs like Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and IHG Rewards accumulate points with each stay that can be redeemed for free nights and other perks, making them especially valuable for frequent travelers.
Do newly opened hotels offer cheaper rates?
Yes, newly opened hotels often offer special introductory rates to establish their reputation and accumulate guest reviews. This is a great opportunity to stay at upscale hotels that normally command higher prices. Many websites list newly opened hotels specifically, making it easy to find these deals without extensive searching.
Are last-minute hotel deals worth it for luxury stays?
Yes, last-minute hotel deals can offer excellent savings on luxury stays. Hotels aim to avoid vacant rooms and will often reduce prices significantly as the check-in date approaches. However, this approach requires flexibility regarding specific locations and dates. Apps and websites dedicated to last-minute bookings can help you find these deals quickly and easily.
- About the Author
- More info
Tim Kroeger is a luxury wellness travel specialist, endurance athlete, and the creator of The Restorative Index. He is the official brand ambassador for Healthi Life in Bangkok and the inventor of Luxury Bikepacking. He reviews luxury wellness hotels at tim-kroeger.com and publishes adventure travel content at Universal Traveller. Follow him on Instagram.
