20 Tips & Hacks For Getting The Best Deal On Hotel Rooms

20 tips on how to book the cheapest hotel room possible. Looking to score a deal on a great hotel? These tips & hacks will ensure you get the best price on your next hotel stay. First: Be flexible
Go when other people aren't. The rule of opposites. Business destination? Go during the weekend. Resort like Vegas? Going during the week. Even consider this within a single city.. San Diego by the beach in the summer will be expensive. Cheap in the winter.

2 - New Hotels
Hotels that just opened typically have really low occupancy levels and often offer prices well below the competition to get people to know them.

3 - Not the major chains
Particularly internationally
Especially if there is only one of that particular chain in a destination
Find the local chains. In Japan: Toyoko Inn, or JR Hotels. In Taiwan: K Hotel

4 - Coupon Codes and Affiliations
AAA, Senior, through your work
Find coupon codes on FF blogs and flyertalk
Use the flexible dates search to find a day with your rate

5 - Promotions
Find promotions on places like travelzoo, groupon, and the hotels website
Check promotions like stay 3 nights get 1 free. Might not always be cheaper
Free breakfast, resort credit
Get more points promotions

6 - Stay for a long time and book in advance
Long stay rates, advance booking rates
I always book hotels if there is a remote possibility I'm going

7 - Be creative with your searches
Going for a week? Try searching for a day at a time, just the weekend, just the weekdays.

8 - Check a few aggregators
Kayak, Expedia, agoda, TripAdvisor
Maybe a country specific one like Rakuten
Make sure you are signed in when you search

9 - Also check the hotels website directly
Make sure you are a member of their loyalty program

10 - Get the hotels credit card
Free perks like breakfast, late checkout, just for having the card.
And you'll earn more points for the booking

11 - Other Credit Card perks
Amex FHR
Citi Prestige Card
Buy 3 nights get 1 free

12 - Price Match
Found a lower price on somewhere else? Many hotels have a low price guarantee and will beat the low price somewhere else.

13 - Keep checking the rate
Rate might become lower as the date gets closer.. rebook the lower rate

14 - Book a nonrefundable or prepaid rate
Usually 10 to 20% less

15 - Book last minute
Hotels tonight

16 - Bid on a room
Dont care where you stay? Use Priceline to bid on a hotel.

17 - Be creative
B&B, AirBNB, Hostels, Capsule Hotels, Overnight trains, day room

18 - Buy gift cards
Often can find gift cards at 10% off face value

19 - Use points
For free. Or cash and points. Dont get suckered in to “Premium” rooms

20 - Experienced an issue? Let the hotel know
Might get a discount.. or even a complete refund

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[JaneDoe]

Funny, charming, and he actually knows what he's talking about. I'm hooked!

[Jetlife]

I 100% agree with the flexibility. That alone has saved me a lot of money

[coraljk]

Thanks Chris! I saved twelve dollars by rechecking my room rate. Wow! I feel empowered.

[intsccents]

Chris these are really some great suggestions on things we can do to lower the cost of hotel rooms.. I am a world traveler but you really hit the ball out of the park with tricks to getting the best pricing... L.A Rob

[Fingermunch]

Another excellent video Chris! I can confirm from experience that re-checking the rate is very important. I’ve literally saved thousands of dollars over the years by doing this. Keep up the good work 😎

[MsRaindropps]

TY for the tips! I have been booking refundable hotel stays and checking back and finding cheaper prices. I then cancel and rebook. It is time consuming but I simply can not justify paying $400 a night for a low rated hotel in NY (plus taxes and fees).

[tonyrivera]

Great tips! Don’t really like #20 to complain for a discount. Obviously if you have issues you need to bring those to a managers attention but some people without integrity will use this to their advantage

[polachelliot]

I've found it valuable to call the hotel directly and negotiate the rate or even upgraded rooms. Also corporate lodging and free lodging through casinos.

[pdxaviation]

You will forever be my favorite channel on Youtube, now...

[TimmySCUTEU]

Moved my date a few days and saved $1000! Thanks!

[NothingMaster]

Great tips, as usual. Many of us are already suffering from quarantine cabin fever and can’t wait to hit the road again. I suppose we just have to wait and see how the new—post pandemic—norm might influence business and leisure travel; beyond the obvious safety measures that are being implemented.

[chrissypaiz]

My husband and I always go to Vegas Monday through Thursday. Best rates, and if we’re lucky, comped rooms because of our Caesar’s Rewards! We’re going back in November and are getting 4 nights comped at Bally’s!! Love your videos and tips! Thank you!

[-dannylo]

Love your videos! Very helpful, easy to understand & informative! Thank you for your awesomeness!!!

[dommytsunami]

YP4L! Great video ! Hustle those rates y’all !

[RedSoxfan]

I always get excited when I get a notification from your channel

[TishRigo]

When we go somewhere and need a hotel for the night or a few days, I do what you have just said in your tips, I love the hilton chain, we do have the american express and are silver members, but sometimes rooms can get expensive depending on the area and if its a weekend or weekday, when its too expensive or the hotel is not close to our destination, we opt for another hotel, but I always check reviews because one thing I hate is a dirty roach infested rooms with bed bugs, I really don't care for the brand I just want a clean comfortable room. Overall great tips and great video!

[julesjules]

Thank you . I always find your tips useful.

[Insane]

im a new sub, i plan on traveling this year. going to binge your videos this weekend. :)

[scottman]

Those are some great tips! As a AAA member, I have gotten so many great deals on hotel rooms which have been even cheaper than the prepaid rates. One tip I have is that hotels which are undergoing renovations or construction may sometimes be cheaper. I stayed at a Marriott in downtown San Francisco last year which had some renovations going on, and I thought I saw somewhere that the rooms were at a discounted rate due to the construction inside the hotel. The only downside is that they may shut off the water during the day on certain days, but that wasn't a problem as I was always away during the day. Other than that, the stay at the hotel was great!

[ejshmeejay]

Love your videos! This couldn’t have come at a better time 👍