Tips on how to find the cheapest hotels in 2023

Be flexible and travel during off-peak seasons

New York in October. Rome in January. Oslo in March. Fancy getting the best deal to see some of these exciting destinations? Off-peak is the way to go. The vast majority of people sightseeing around the world are going to be heading off during the school holiday season, or in the summer. That makes travelling during the off season the perfect way to save a bit of cash, and avoid the crowds too.

Once you’ve picked a destination, you can have a look on price comparison websites to find the cheapest time to travel. Being flexible is key though if you want to find the cheapest hotels possible. Your dream destination may be just a few clicks away – that is, if you don’t mind bundling up in your scarf during those all-important, off-peak winter months.

Take advantage of last-minute deals

Can’t get the kids out of school to travel during off-peak? The good news is that that’s not your only option for catching a good deal. You could do, as they say in the UK, and wait until ‘lastminute.com’.

You can even find deals on the website of the same name, which provides a comparison of different deals and flash sales available. Hotels will often put up last-minute deals when they have extra ‘stock’ available in the form of empty rooms. The logic being that a filled room for a cheap price is better than an unoccupied one.

Use price comparison websites to find cheap hotels

We’ve mentioned price comparison websites a few times now, so you might be getting the gist that they are a great way to find a good deal. Some of the more popular websites include:

• Google Travel - Great for mapping out your journey from a sight-seeing perspective as well as selecting neighbourhoods while you browse flights and accommodation.

• Trivago - A great site for comparing hotel prices across multiple comparison sites, all in one.

• Kayak - Searches hotels, but also car hire as well, for when you need transport on the other side.

• Skyscanner - The clue is in the name – this site compares flight costs and much more.

• Booking.com - In addition to all the usual comparisons, booking.com can also help you find airport taxi services and key attractions.

• Expedia - One of the oldest players in the game, Expedia is especially useful for finding specific holiday packages.

Check loyalty programmes and memberships

Another way to save money worth considering is joining loyalty schemes  from different travel companies. It’s a regular occurance to hear people talk about booking flights on their ‘air miles’ or ‘points’.

The same goes for hotel rooms. Sometimes points are even transferable between hotel chains and airlines. Not to mention all the benefits that come with premier credit card companies like American Express.

Here are some common loyalty schemes for large hotel chains that you might be able to take advantage of:

• Marriott Bonvoy

• Hilton Honors

• World of Hyatt

• Accor Live Limitless

• Best Western Rewards

• Radisson Rewards

• Millennium Hotels and Resorts My Points

Book directly with hotels

In addition to offering lucrative loyalty programmes, many hotels also offer discounts for booking directly with them. This often includes discounts for dining in their in-house restaurants as well.

Occasionally, you’ll find that booking through a price comparison website means that there’s an added fee on top of the booking as a commission. Booking directly cuts out the middleman and the hidden fees. Not to mention those sweet loyalty points you’ll get for booking directly. If you plan on calling up to make your booking, you also have room to negotiate. Particularly if it’s a last-minute booking. The staff will be willing to let go of their rooms for a much cheaper price than if the room was already in demand.

Find alternative accommodation options

You may also find that a cheaper way to travel is slightly off the beaten path. There are many alternatives to five-star hotels, such as camping holidays, the illustrious ‘glamping’, homestays, hostels and cottages.

To find some of these alternative options, you can check out the following resources:

• Airbnb - By far one of the most popular choices to stay in someone’s house or rented room, rather than a hotel room.

• Trusted Housesitters - Find incredible homestay offers in exchange for looking after the owner’s pets while they’re away.

• Cottages.com - Just as the URL suggests, this website connects you to the perfect hotel cottages in the UK.

• Hostelworld.com - Hostels are also a very cost-effective way to go (if you don’t mind occasionally sharing a room with someone).

Explore different neighbourhoods

Just like any property, hotel hunting is all about location, location, location. The reality is that if you want a balcony with a sea view, you’re going to have to pay a premium. But, by shopping around, you may be able to find one a few streets back, that’s only a few steps away from feeling the sand between your toes.

Here are some of our top tips for neighbourhood hunting:

• We’ve mentioned Google Travel before and for good reason. Check it before you go to compare neighbourhoods in a city.

• Don’t mind a little noise? Stay in the centre of a party street and you’ll get a discount. This works especially well if you plan to be out all evening yourself anyway.

• Don’t like noise? Look for the commuter belt countryside. Lots of towns are adjacent to big cities and only a small train or car ride away.

• Stay in non-touristy areas like the financial district for even bigger discounts.

Negotiate for better hotel rates

When it comes to travel, there’s really no harm in trying to negotiate a better rate. After all, you’re only in that place for a short amount of time. What have you got to lose? If you’re thinking of negotiating your hotel rate, try implementing these tips:

• Wait until the reception isn’t busy. The staff don’t want other customers to overhear that you’re negotiating a better rate.

• Try negotiating on the day of your booking. If you’re already there, they are less likely to turn you away. Just be prepared that your negotiation might fail and you’ll have to pay the higher rate.

• Always dial the hotel directly. Going through customer service isn’t a great way to negotiate.

• Don’t request special add-ons. Things like a ‘golf course view’ will trigger an add-on rate.

• Ask for special discounts based on your demographics. You can get discounts for being advanced in age, for example. Or a corporate rate for booking for business.

• Get a suite connector. Sometimes hotel staff can’t sell both of two  adjoined rooms, so just lock the door that connects them and enjoy your discounted room!

• Accept an out-of-order room. Sometimes staff have to take a room out of commission because of a small defect like a broken TV. If you don’t mind something being a little-less-than-perfect, you may find a diamond in the rough.

Find package deals and bundled offers

Like to travel all-inclusive? This tip is for you! Sometimes a good deal is hidden in a bundled offer. This can include things like breakfast, travel, room and a discount to a local attraction.  

Our top tip for booking a package deal is to do so on a monday. Often hotels will have discounts for when people have tried to book over the weekend, but not completed their checkout. You might also want to clear your cookies before you browse, as sometimes the hospitality industry can use this data to hike up the prices if they know you are clearly ready to book.

Some of the websites we’ve mentioned earlier in the article offer package deals, but here are some others worth taking a look at:

• Secret Escapes

• Mr and Mrs Smith

• Loveholidays.com

• Jet2holidays

Avoid hidden fees and extra charges

Our final tip is to be aware of those sneaky hidden costs that can creep up with every add-on, optional extra and ‘nice-to-have’. Some of the most common culprits include:

• Mini bar: Take snacks from this fridge at your own risk.

• View: Paying extra for a nice view from your room.

• Bed size: Paying for a king-sized bed when you could do with a twin.

• Parking: You’d think it’d be free, but it isn’t always.

• Room service: Stop yourself from paying for the convenience.

• Water: Read labels carefully to make sure you’re not being charged.

• Internet: Weigh up whether your data, or the package is cheaper.

• Resort fee: Doesn’t actually cover anything substantial.

• Late checkout: It pays to be punctual.

As with anything in life, the more organised you are, the better your experience will be. Or, at the very least, cheaper. There are so many ways to slice the cake that is your next holiday, but only you can decide what’s worth it to spend money on.

Some people love the all-inclusive lifestyle. Others just want to do it all themselves in an airbnb. There’s no right or wrong – but each decision will eventually add up. (And, if you absolutely must have a snack from the mini bar at 12am – no judgement here!)

Your best bet is to come up with a figure that is your absolute maximum to spend while on holiday and stick to that like glue. It might help to transfer some money over from your home country to the one where you’re visiting, using WorldRemit. We offer fast and convenient money transfers for people who live and work abroad.

This works especially well if you are travelling to a country that you formerly lived in and have a bank account in. We know how important it is to connect with your family and friends back home, and sending a low-cost money transfer is just one way to be able to do that more effectively.

Send money today

The contents of this blog post does not constitute legal or financial advice and is provided for general information purposes only. If you require specific legal and / or financial advice you should contact a specialist lawyer or financial advisor. Information true at time of publishing.