Many will be heading off on their summer holidays in a matter of weeks, with flights, hotels and even excursions booked, ready to make the most of their time away. But could holidaymakers have saved some money on their hotels?
From the time of year you’re going to the number of nights you’re staying, people often find what they need and book before thinking about maybe trying to get things cheaper.
Conor O’Neill, a travel expert with the money-saving website LatestDeals.com, has shared that Brits heading abroad could actually save £1,000s with some hacks to avoid 10 hotel rip-offs.
1. Booking.com website is more expensive than the App
Conor shared that while booking.com has a great website, it’s actually the app you want to be booking on, as rates are much cheaper. He found that on the website one room in a hotel in Granada would cost £163, but the same room on the app was £16 cheaper at £147 per night. So it’s worth checking the app.
2. Loyalty does not pay: Compare, compare, compare
Conor recommends that shoppers should always compare hotel prices across different platforms rather than just going for the first deal they see. A room that is available on Booking.com could actually be cheaper on another booking site, like Priceline, for example. It always pays to check you have the cheapest deal.
3. Airbnb can be over 60% more expensive: Book direct
Instead of booking through Airbnb, Conor shared a hack to get the hotel or room you want but for a better deal. He said: “Here’s a fun hack: search for an Airbnb listing, save the image, and use Google Images to find it cheaper on other sites.”
By doing this he found a beautiful hotel in Italy that would cost £3,555 on Airbnb for just £2,182 on another site holiday homes – bargain.
4. Only 3 Rooms Left?! Not in January…
Conor has said that ‘January is often the best month to book hotels on the cheap’ even in popular places like New York. A five night stay at the Manhattan would cost £1,228 if you book in January which is much cheaper than other months. You’re able to get good deals and not get the low room warning.
5. Last-minute bookings
If you’re planning on a last minute holiday or haven’t booked your hotel yet then you can get some brilliant deals by booking last minute. Conor found that a hotel in Tenerife was cheaper when you booked just a week in advance rather than months prior.
6. Don’t overlook special occasion upgrade
You may not think to do it but mentioning a special occasion could lead to complimentary upgrades. Whether it be a birthday or special occasion like a wedding or anniversary, hotels want to make your stay special so mentioning this when booking could get you an upgraded room for free. As Conor says ‘don’t be shy about letting them know you are celebrating’.
7. Avoid high prices by starting your stay on Sunday
Conor shared that Sunday is in fact the cheapest night to book to stay somewhere and claimed he spent just £17 on a hotel room in Italy, which was a lot cheaper than other nights. If you’re able to be flexible with your travel arrangements, why not start on the Sunday and save a little bit of money.
8. Use apps like Hopper to avoid price surges
Apps like the Hopper app and Google Flight alerts are brilliant at finding the best flight times and offering the best deals. It’s ‘predictive technology helps you book flights when prices are at their cheapest’.
9. Verify hotel AI filtered photos on TripAdvisor
Conor explained that hotels are increasingly using AI filters for their photos, so what you may be seeing isn’t necessarily what you’ll get during your stay. By using TripAdvisor filters you can get a real insight into what the hotel actually looks like.
10. Use Google Travel Filters to avoid overpriced hotels
By using Google Travel you can find high-rated hotels at lower prices. Conor explained that ‘Google Travel’s user-friendly interface simplifies the process of finding the best deals and you can filter by what’s important to you’.
Speaking of the hacks Conor said: ““By using these hacks, you can enjoy luxurious stays without falling for ripoff tricks. From leveraging technology to strategic booking times, there are numerous ways to make your holiday budget stretch further.”