How to Search for Discount Hotels

Discount hotel rooms can save you money.

The Internet can be your most powerful tool for searching for discount hotel rooms, but a telephone can be helpful, too. You can search for discount hotels far in advance of your trip or at the last minute. A discount hotel room could be a basic, low-frills establishment available at an attractive price, or it could be a luxury hotel room whose price has been discounted sharply because of low occupancy rates or some other reason. Either way, discount hotel rooms are often a good value for the traveler.

Things You'll Need

• Computer with Internet access
• Telephone
• Paper
• Pen

Instructions

1. Decide if you want a no-frills, budget hotel at the current market price or you would prefer a nicer hotel offering rooms at a discount. You can look for both and decide later.

2. Enlist the services of a travel agent. You can find travel agencies listed in the telephone book or on line. If possible, try to find an agent in the city you plan to visit. Her local knowledge of the hotel market may lead to special discounts that are not widely advertised.

3. Tell the agent what kind of accomodations you're looking for and how much you'd like to pay. Begin your own search after speaking with the agent. Use the telephone to call the reservations departments of discount hotel chains you respect, or visit their Internet sites. Learn about availability and pricing. Save the notes to compare with information you'll receive later from the travel agent.

4. Review the information from the travel agent and compare with your own notes. Make a decision and book a room reservation, or move on to other options.

5. Use your research and information from the travel agent to establish the going market rate for the type of room you're looking for. Consider any discounts discovered by your or the agent. Take the search a step further by visiting travel sites on the Internet offering discounted hotel rooms. Some examples include Hotwire.com and Priceline.com. Use Google, Bing or another search engine to look for other sites offering discounted rooms.

6. Learn how the discount hotel room sites operate and decide if that's for you.

7. Book your discount hotel room. You can book through a travel agent, a travel site, or directly with the hotel.

References

• Hotwire: Hotwire Hot Rate Locator
• Priceline: Shop For Discount Travel