Using a Metasearch Engine
The popularity of hotel metasearch engines is on the
rise and for good reason: it’s one of the most efficient
ways to find affordable accommodations. If you’re
unfamiliar with this concept, a hotel metasearch engine
is a website that searches multiple hotel booking sites
at once. For example, instead of running a search on
Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline, and the hotel’s website, you
can use a metasearch engine to search multiple sites at
once to see which provider offers the lowest rates and
best value.
Book Cancelable Rates
Room rates can fluctuate as quickly as minute to minute
because a hotel’s inventory is always changing. It’s
simple supply and demand: the more people booking rooms
at a hotel, the more the hotel can charge. One thing I
like to do if I’m flexible with my hotel choice is to
book a cancelable rate. It should be fairly obvious
which rates are actually cancelable; there’s usually a
call-out that states something like “FREE cancellation –
PAY LATER,” as seen on Booking.com. I’ll book this rate
(I plead though – double and triple check that it’s
actually cancelable) and then monitor the price, as well
as prices of nearby, comparable hotels. It may take a
little bit of extra legwork, but this tactic has saved
me as much as $100 per night.
Note: Not all hotels or providers offer cancelable
rates. Look at a few different sites and properties to
find a suitable hotel that provides a cancelable rate.
Planning your budget
Think about your required accommodations during your
stay. Do you require enough room for a family of four,
or do you just need enough room for yourself? Consider
how big you would like the hotel room to be, including
how many beds you require and how many bathrooms. If you
are traveling with your family, you may need two queen
beds and one large bathroom. If you are traveling solo,
you may just need one queen bed and one decently sized
bathroom.
If you are disabled or require disability facilities,
you may also want to factor this in when considering
hotels. Many hotels will note if they are wheelchair
accessible and offer disability amenities. You can also
call the hotel to confirm if they offer facilities for
people with disabilities.
You may also want to consider if you would like to stay
at a hotel that has a spa and a fitness center that you
can use, or if you do not require any extra amenities.
If you need a solid internet connection, look at hotels
that offer free Wi-Fi as part of the nightly rate.
If you are traveling as a family or in a big group, you
might want to consider booking a suite with separate
living area and bedroom so that the whole group can be
accommodated without space and privacy constraints. |
