How to Get Discount Hotels for Less
By Chris Joseph
Maybe you are itching to take a golf vacation but you are on a shoestring budget. You need to find the cheapest hotel room possible to make your trip a reality. The best way to accomplish this is to make sure you are taking advantage of every discount and price break possible. Even if you are told you are getting a "discount" rate, there are still some ways to reduce it even more.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Check for sources of possible additional discounts. If you subscribe to golf publications, they may have coupons for your hotel chain of choice or advertisements for special rates. You can also contact some travel agents in your area for assistance. They may have access to cheaper rates than you could get on your own.
Join a travel club or organization. By joining an organization such as AAA, you may be entitled to receive a special promotional code that you can enter when booking your hotel room online. You also can get access to additional discounts or coupons that you could use when making reservations over the phone.
Find a Web site that can help you locate the cheapest discount or budget hotel such as Motels.com (see Resources below). Enter your destination of choice under the category and the requested search criteria. This search should offer you the cheapest hotel available that fits your needs.
Contact the hotel once you have made your decision. Ask to speak to the manager on duty. Explain to the manager that you are looking to find the cheapest hotel available in the area and ask if he or she can offer a lower rate than your quoted Internet rate. In some cases, you will be able to get an additional discount, especially if business is slow and the manager knows that you are rate shopping.
Ask for an additional discount when checking in. In some cases, the hotel may accommodate your request, especially if there are many vacancies. You can also ask for a discount on or the waiving of charges for certain amenities like Wi-Fi. Another option is to ask for a room upgrade such as moving to a room with a larger bed.
Tips & Warnings
To ensure you are getting the cheapest rate, try to plan your trip during your destination's off-peak season.
About The Author
Chris Joseph is a freelance writer residing in Pennsylvania. He has written hundreds of articles for newspapers and the Internet on a variety of topics, including several on golf for GolfLink.com. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from York College of Pennsylvania.
