How to Book a Cheap Hotel in the US

If you want extra savings while you travel, booking a cheap hotel in the U.S. is the best step you can do. Finding affordable accommodations should not be very difficult because hotels usually bargain with their room rates.

If you are a little adventurous and would welcome some surprise, you could visit opaque sites like Priceline or Hotwire where you could only know the hotel after you’ve paid. Here, the sites match your desired price.

On the other hand, if you don’t prefer opaque sites, you can go visit the hotel’s websites directly or several booking sites. Keep in mind that you’re more likely to get the best deals if you’re a little flexible.

Here are some bonuses that you can apply to get the most savings on your hotel stays:

Buy other’s

One way to get a huge discount on your room rate is to buy other guest’s reservations. Some guests are unable to use their paid reservations and are willing to sell it to others at a lower cost.

One site called RoomerTravel allows travelers who booked hotel reservations to transfer it to interested guests at a discounted rate. If you use the site, you can get as much as 74 percent discount In your room.

Participate in loyalty programs.

Loyal guests can join a hotel’s loyalty program to get a free night stay or discounts. These hotels reward loyal guests with privileges that don’t come with regular or walk-in guests.

The loyalty program is not limited to the site. Guests can also use it on third-party sites. For example, if you stay 5 nights under the program, you can get one night free as your perk.

Sign up for a hotel’s credit card.

Although a hotel’s credit card may not offer the best interest rate, you can take advantage of some rewards. If you have the card, you can receive an automatic upgrade to a mid-tier loyalty status that enables you to enjoy some bonuses.

You can earn more points when you use a hotel credit card. Some hotels offer free stays after paying your dues or after paying your annual fees.

Some hotel credit cards include Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card, Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card, and more.

Use your credit card.

Use your credit card wisely because you can use it to get better hotel deals. Some credit cards come with attractive perks including welcome bonuses, free nights, complimentary upgrades, and many more benefits.

Capital One Venture Rewards is one of the best credit cards because it is not locked to one hotel chain only. For example, using the card gives you 10 miles per USD on a booking in any listed hotel under Hotels.com.

Check-in late.

You can take advantage of the perks when you check-in late. Wait for all the guests to check-in because it can give you a better room without the need to pay more.

Some hotels are more generous to give their better rooms at the same price after they have checked-in their guests. You can try to tactic to upgrade a room without breaking your budget.

Go a la Carte.

You can save huge money on room rates when you check out hotels that offer a la carte. If you’re a little flexible, you can get a room with a shared bathroom or shared room that allows you more savings.

You can also find cheap hotels that offer low-base room rates and jut get add-ons such as towels, daily housekeeping, or an in-room TV.

Check out your Warehouse Club.

Some Warehouse Clubs such as Costco and Sam’s Club provide hotel discounts to its members. Don’t forget to monitor the hotel deals on their travel site every now and then.

Take advantage of your mileage.

Don’t forget that using your credit card comes with great perks unlike when you use your debit card. You can use the mileage or your credit card airline miles to enjoy savings on hotels.

You can also use credit card rewards for gift cards to get hotel discounts. Don’t forget that your credit card is one of your best weapons when you travel.