How to Decide If a Hotel Promotion Is a Good Deal

"FOR ONLY $1,000, YOU CAN GET A ROOM IN OUR CASINO AND DINNER FOR TWO! BOOK NOW!" Does that offer seem right to you? When booking a hotel room, many companies will present you with a myriad of packages that you can also book instead of solely a hotel room. It's very important to not let these packages and promotions mislead you. I will admit that some packages are worth the money; however, you should always be careful and do your research before reserving a hotel package.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. First, always find out the price of your hotel room without any packages included. I would recommend asking for the lowest possible hotel rate--especially if you have AAA, AARP, or a Government discount.

2. Next, look at all the possible packages and promotions. To find out whether or not the hotel deal is worth it, I recommend dissecting the package and pricing each element on its own. I know this may sound annoying, but it can sometimes save you a ton of money!

3. If you break down a hotel package and see that the sum of the parts is still less than the package the hotel is promoting, do NOT book it. For example, I was just on "Hotel A's" website and found that the hotel room I wanted to book was $169. I clicked to see what packages were available, and one of the packages promoted "letting loose" and included the room I wanted and two "included" cocktails upon arrival for $229. Now, unless you are planning on drinking two cocktails at $30 each, this plan is certainly not worth it!

4. If you break down a hotel package and see that the sum of the parts is greater than the package the hotel is promoting, by all means, book it if you wish to enjoy those services! For example, I was on "Hotel B's" website and found that the hotel room I wanted was $200. I clicked to see what packages were available, and one of the packages promoted a hotel room and "relaxation" and included a one hour massage for $275. When I dug deeper, the one hour massage was valued at $120. In this case, if you were planning on getting a massage anyway or decided you wanted one, this would be a good buy!

5. It is also important to always keep in mind that many packages and promotions can be unaffected by popular booking dates or blackout dates. For example, in the first scenario, if the hotel promotion rules stated that the promotion was good from February-May without any blackouts or restrictions, the promotion may be favorable because the hotel room will not always be as low as $169. It is possible that during one popular weekend the room may cost $239--in which you would actually be saving $10! The main point...keep your eyes peeled and do your research.

[Smireles]

on 3/10/2009 This is a great breakdown of hotel packages. Good job. 5*