Booking the right hotel for your next vacation can really set the tone for it. That’s why we think that taking a little extra time to research and double-check your room and location can definitely save you hundreds of dollars.
If you are in the incipient planning stages of a vacation, then what you want to consider is the following mistakes that travelers generally make when booking a hotel. These expensive missteps can simply be avoided if you are willing to put in a bit of time and make sure you get the best rate at the best locations. Now, shall we start?
Booking the wrong neighborhood
You can find a beautiful hotel just outside the city center. It might be the kind of hotel that’s well below the average cost in the respective city, and you might be super enthusiastic over the idea that you get to have extra money for spending.
However, don’t forget the take into consideration the time and cost associated with commuting from that neighborhood, especially if you plan to do some good old sightseeing. Let’s say you have to pay for a taxi once or twice a day to get to and from your hotel, simply because it’s quite far away from the attractions on your itinerary.
In this instance, you might end up spending more on transportation than you would have if you went with a hotel closer to the sights you hope to visit.
Not taking advantage of loyalty memberships
If you’re a traveling aficionado, and in fact, even if you only plan a vacation once a year, you might want to make sure you sign up for the loyalty program of every single hotel you stay at. Some hotel memberships, like Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, will offer you these member perks as soon as you sign up. This also means that you will instantly have access to things like member pricing, better rooms, and other small perks like free bottled water in your room.
Not earning credit card points
On the same note, you also want to make sure you take full advantage of credit card points, especially when you are booking your next hotel. Travel-specific and lifestyle-focused credit cards (such as Chase Freedom Unlimited) can sometimes offer double (or more) points when booking a hotel room. This can often include cash-back offers that can save you a percentage of the original cost of the hotel booking.
Not comparing prices
Booking a hotel room online will help you price shop across different booking websites. You would be amiss to skip this particular step. Some booking platforms might offer better discounts than others, which can easily save you hundreds on the total cost of your stay.
With that being said, you might want to keep in mind that booking through a third-party website can sometimes cause various issues, especially when collecting loyalty points. Other times, it can result in losing the opportunity to upgrade your room.
Opting for the non-refundable rate
Booking a hotel room online implies having access to two rates: refundable and non-refundable. This generally looks like less than a hundred dollars difference, which is admittedly still quite tempting. However, it also means that you might lose the chance to cancel your hotel reservation if you find a better deal elsewhere or need to change your dates.
Not reading reviews
It’s quite easy to create a beautiful hotel listing on another platform with plenty of Photoshop and the magic of good lighting. If you want to make sure you don’t fall for the travel version of a catfish situation, try reading the reviews on all the hotels you are considering booking.
This can provide you some peace of mind, while also ensuring the room you are booking truly is the room you can get once you arrive. The last thing you want is to wind up abroad at a sketchy hotel and have to find a last-minute same-day alternative.
Not questioning cheap rates
If you found a hotel rate that seems way too good to be true, then it probably is. Also, if you consider booking a hotel that is only a fraction of the cost of other hotels in the area, what you want is to take a couple of minutes to figure out why the rate is so low.
Make sure you do that before booking in. It can be as simple as low occupancy rates, which by all means doesn’t make or break a holiday. However, it can also be much more disruptive throughout your stay, such as major construction or amenities that are currently under maintenance.
Overlooking resort fees
If you book a resort or even an all-inclusive property, what you want is to look very carefully at the full breakdown of fees before you book anything. Resort fees, especially those at all-inclusive hotels, can rapidly add up and render what looked like a proper deal way more expensive than the original sticker price.
Also, bear in mind that resort fees can cost upwards of $50 per person per night on top of the base fare and taxes you already ought to pay. More often than than, it’s not worth it.
Choosing to pay later
Choosing to book now and pay as soon as you arrive at the hotel can be quite tempting. However, in some circumstances, it can also be more expensive than just paying online or over the phone.
More often than not, there is no benefit whatsoever to paying what you owe at the property and getting it over with when booking is even more relevant if you book a hotel room in another country. Paying online might ensure you will pay in your own credit card currency, rather than simply having to deal with potential currency conversion fees at the property.
Waiting until the last minute
There are travelers that will swear anything that booking your hotel room at the last minute will save you a lot of money. Sure, but waiting until the last minute also means you could run the risk of hotels being at capacity and having fewer options to choose from when booking.
According to a study by NerdWallet, if you really want to be the right person at the right time, the best time to book a hotel room is fifteen days before the first night of your trip compared to four months out.
But here’s the thing: the study also says that the actual savings aren’t that much, which means that if you wait until the last minute to book your room, you risk losing out on the best rooms and the best neighborhoods, which in the end, could end up costing you more.
What’s your experience with booking hotels? We would love to know your stories. Have you ever had any trouble with finding the right place in your favorite city? Did you discover upon arrival that the pictures fooled you? Did you encounter any issues, or do you recommend any hotels? All in all, there’s nothing like a good story when it comes to finding proper recommendations.
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