Last minute hotel deals are the stuff of legend, aren't they? You watch television, listen to the radio, and even deal with those insufferable friends who can't help but keep reminding you about how they got the greatest deal on a hotel room when they really shouldn't have. There are testimonials all over the internet about singles, couples, and entire families (multiple generations) that were able to score these ridiculous hotel bookings, and all you can think is, "How?"
As it turns out, finding hotel deals when you're up against the clock isn't as hard as it used to be. At one time, you really had to get yourself ready to book a hotel room far in advance if only to avoid the chance that you'd have a 'no vacancies' sign staring back at you. Once people started getting word that there were more empty hotel rooms than could be imagined, they figured they had the upper hand on booking. After all, travel experts often note that if a hotel has empty rooms, then it means the hotel is missing out on revenue. Even if they book a room at a lower price, it still means they fill a room. This is where the last minute hotel deal kicks.
So, how exactly do you find these deals? Here are a few tips:
Use the Internet To Your Advantage - Perhaps the greatest tool at your disposal when finding great deals on hotel rooms is the internet. When the travel website boom kicked into high-gear about a decade or so ago, people were given a tremendous advantage at finding a great price for a hotel. There are even websites that pull prices from multiple sites into one convenient location, so no more hours of searching.
Email Notifications - Since you check it so often, why not make your email work for you? Websites will now contact you when a deal of your liking is available, so there is less of a need to lose time & energy pouring over multiple websites at one time.
"There's An App for That" - Travel apps are the new things today. Apps are better able to get input from you about what you're looking for in a hotel and (in real time) get you results that match. You've always heard that your phone is like a computer in your pocket; this is why this is so true.
Off-Peak Traveling - Traveling during slower times of the year mean that more hotel rooms are empty. This, in turn, usually means that hotels are much more open to give discounted prices on rooms.
Weekday vs Weekend Travel - In the same vein of off-peak travel, weekends tend to be the busiest time for hotels. Moreover, if a hotel caters to more leisure travel, weekends are packed. You might find that deals can be had during the week.
Last minute hotel deals aren't hard to find, but they aren't just going to come to you. Even if you're using the best technology to get the best deals, you have to actively engage in said technology so that it can work for you. You may not be a regular traveler, but knowing how best to find sweet deals on hotel accommodations might just be the best reason to start getting away every once in a while.
Author: Morris Raymond
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