Ways to Save Money on Hotels

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Ways to Save Money on Hotels

Most of the time when we travel, it involves our camper. Normally, it’s the most cost efficient way for our family to travel. Every now and then we make an impromptu overnight trip to pick up friends from the airport or visit friends and family a few hours away and need to book a hotel room. Dragging a camper and all the camping stuff into a major city is too much of a drain on the vacation budget and not practical at all. Finding ways to save money on hotels always makes the trip less painful for me. Not that travelling pains me, but spending too much money on a one night stay can definitely hurt.  I have a few ways that I always use save on money on hotels and thought maybe you would like to hear them, too.

Find hotels that have the amenities that will save your family the most money.

• Hotels that offer complimentary breakfast is a must have. When you are feeding 3 or 4 adults breakfast at a restaurant or fast food stop, the bill can escalate quickly. Complimentary breakfast at the hotel, usually includes coffee, eggs, bacon/sausage, oatmeal, waffles, fruit, cereal, yogurt milk and juice. There are enough choices to eat up a hearty breakfast to get the day started. This free breakfast will save us anywhere from $20 to $30. 
• Search out hotels that offer airport shuttles and FREE parking. When you stay within a 10 mile radius of a major airport, shuttle service is most likely complimentary. You can get off the plane and call the hotel and the shuttle will be there within 15 minutes. That gives you plenty of time to grab your luggage and meet the shuttle. FREE parking at the airport while you travel will be a huge savings. Not having to pay a daily or hourly parking rates will save you a bundle. 

• Book hotel rooms that have refrigerators and microwaves.  We don’t normally spend much time in the hotel room, but do need to wind down with movies and snacks before we go to sleep. Trips to the vending machine can really hurt the wallet. Being able to bring your own snacks and beverages will lighten your spending and also allow you to make healthier choices. Microwave popcorn is always a favorite for us. We use the Smart Pop App for perfect popcorn every time. We don’t want everyone in the hotel to smell burned popcorn, that would be so embarrassing. Oh and the hotel cups are perfect for portion control.

• Always call directly to the hotel you plan to stay in to book rooms. There are lots of discount sites that tout savings on booking hotel rooms. Seriously, call the main number of the hotel you would like to stay at and ask them for their bottom line rate. There is a good chance they will match or beat any price you saw online. Plus, you can ask about construction, conferences, etc. That way there are no surprises when you arrive to check in. 

Being able to save money on hotels, helps our family to have extras for eating out, tourist spots and special attractions. What ways does your family save money while traveling?