Hotel Hacks to Save Money (10 Incredibly Easy Tricks)

Planning your next trip? Check out these Hotel Hacks to Save Money in order to stay on a budget!

Got a trip coming up soon? Whether you’re traveling for pleasure or business, we can all agree that it would be nice to save a little money while doing so. Luckily, these 10 simple Hotel Hacks to Save Money will show you some excellent ways to save big on your trip!

These are all tried-and-true, non gimmicky tricks I’ve personally used to travel cheaply. Now I want to share these with you, because making your dream trip come alive is a feeling like no other! 🙂

There are some tips you can use today while booking your hotel, as well as some you can use during your trip. Now, just keep reading to find out more…

Hotel Hacks to Save Money

#1: Stay in Hotels for Free

Yes, you heard that right! The easiest way to save money on hotels is to simply not spend any money. 😉

So, how do you legally do that?

When you sign up with Swagbucks, you can do simple tasks such as watching videos or searching the web to earn ‘SB Points‘. You can then cash in these ‘SB Points’ for free Hotels.com gift cards!

Here’s how it works:

• Sign up with Swagbucks
• Then start earning Swagbucks SB Points.  There are so many EASY ways to earn Swagbucks!  You can earn by Searching the Web {just like you would using Google}, Taking Surveys, Using Coupons, Shopping Online, Watching Videos, etc.  I typically earn an easy $25 each month on Swagbucks!
• Cash in your Swagbucks SB Points for free Hotels.com gift cards. 10,000 SB = a $100 Hotels.com gift card!

#2: Watch Out for Hidden Fees

So many hotels have ridiculous add-on fees. These could include a ‘peak season tourism charge’, early check in fees, late check out fees, a parking fee, fees for bringing kids or pets… and just about anything you can imagine.

Some hotels do this more than others, so when you’re shopping around keep an eye out. What may seem like an ‘affordable’ hotel might not be so affordable after a second glance.

#3: Skip the Trip to the Laundromat

One of my favorite ways to save money while traveling is to wash my own clothes! This is great whether you’re staying in hotels or camping.

Rather that using up all of your spare change on laundromats, a few basic supplies are all you need. And if you think it’s hard, don’t worry: it’s not! I was a bit apprehensive at first but I found it easy. Also, it even saves you time, too!

Go check out my full guide for How to Wash Clothes While Traveling.

#4: Search Multiple Booking Sites

Another excellent way to save money on hotels is to search multiple booking sites! While planning a trip to Oahu, two hours spent searching four different sites ended up saving us $50/night!

Your best bets are to go and check:

• Kayak
• Hotels.com
• Expedia

And for vacation rentals, you should check

• AirBnB
• VRBO

#5: Stay in Business Hotels on the Weekend

One helpful tip for traveling to larger cities is to stay in business hotels on the weekend. While this probably sounds a little strange, keep in mind most business is done from Monday through Friday. Because of that, many business hotels then have to drop their rates on the weekends to attract customers like you and I.

The best thing is, this trick also works in reverse! Many hotels in tourist destinations are cheaper during the weeknights, because of less tourism.

All around, this is a trick I’ve used in the past for saving money on hotels, and I really suggest you look into it. You won’t regret it! 🙂

#6: Travel in the Off Season

Traveling in the off season is another incredibly easy way to save money on hotels! For example, a few years ago I went to Las Vegas in August. The hotels were a fraction of the price when compared to the peak winter tourism season. Sure, the tradeoff was 105 degree temperatures outside. But what’s life without a little adventure. 🙂

Overall, being creative when you travel to certain places will not only save you money on hotels, but also food, flights, activities, and more. It’s just something to keep in mind.

#7: Look for Loyalty Point Programs

There are several hotel chains including Best Western, Marriott, Hyatt, and many more who all have excellent rewards programs. The money you spend staying at these hotels then adds up to rewards like free nights. It only takes a few minutes to get started, and will save you money in the future!

#8: Book in Advance if Traveling in the Peak Season

Booking a last minute hotel in the peak tourism season is a foolproof way to watch your hard earned money go down the drain. Luckily you can prevent this by booking ahead (at least a few months in advance)!

Like with the business hotels, it’s all about supply and demand. When many customers are wanting to visit a particular place at a particular time of year (E.g., San Diego in August) these hotels will increase the rates for last-minute room availability.

#9: Make Your Own Tasty Breakfast

There’s no need to choose a hotel based on whether they have a free breakfast. It’s nice, sure, but not necessary. An easy workaround is to find a nearby grocery store or market where you can buy bread, fruits, or whatever you want to kickstart your day.

Ironically, many hotels charge more for the ‘free’ breakfasts by rolling it in to the main booking price. Ultimately, by purchasing your own food you can save a little money.

#10: Skip the Hotels and Camp to Save Big

This final tip is a little unorthodox, but bear with me here! When you go camping in national parks and state parks, you can spend a fraction of the cost when compared to hotels and vacation rentals. Besides that, you’ll often times be much closer to the main hikes or attractions as opposed to staying in some town miles outside the park.

Using the Grand Canyon as an example, you can walk to the rim in just a few minutes from the campground. Whereas with hotels, you’ll have to spend 30+ minutes waiting for and riding the shuttle to reach the same destination.

To plan your camping adventure, check out these Best Campgrounds in the US.

So, now that you’ve seen these great ways to save money on hotels, go check out even more great tips below…

17 Cheap Flight Hacks That’ll Save You Money

13 Tips to Have an Epic Road Trip on a Budget

14 Suitcase Packing Tips That’ll Make Your Life Easier

15 Weird but Effective Tricks for Staying Healthy While Traveling

11 Long Haul Flight Tips and Tricks To Make Your Trip Easier

28 Bucket List Trips You Need to Take

Don’t miss out!  Follow along with Never Ending Journeys for more fun Travel Tips and insider Ideas!

So what are YOUR favorite ways to save money at hotels? I would love to know your favorite tricks!

Leave a comment & share!