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We've run the numbers comparing major booking sites and found that most often Trip.com finds the cheapest hotel prices. Agoda wasn't far behind, coming in at second.
You can compare cheap accommodation across multiple booking sites at once for yourself right here.
Which sites let me use a coupon code to book accommodation?
Using one of our coupon codes at these sites will save you money on your stay. Some may ask you to pay for your stay upfront rather than on arrival in order to apply the code to your booking, but the same cancellation policy does apply so if you are able to cancel, you'll be able to get refunded.
In busy city centres, the weekends are often cheapest as the prices are high during the week when people are travelling for business. It's often the opposite in holiday destinations where weekdays are cheaper because most people are holidaying at the weekend.
Hotel rates can change quickly depending on supply and demand. If there's an event in town, then the prices are likely to go up to meet the demand. You might get a feel for which night is cheapest if you compare hotel prices ahead of time. It's also advisable to stay flexible with your travel dates and avoid busy school holiday periods if you can.
Is it better to book directly with the hotel?
Sometimes. Research is always important when you're looking to save money. If you've done your due diligence, looked at hotel deals and found something you like, stop before you book. Stop, and take a look at what the hotel is offering directly on its website, go the extra mile and compare what its competitors are offering.
They may offer a lower price or extra inclusion or have a guarantee to match a lower price. It's simply a matter of checking.
We know of 13 sites that have price match guarantees including Expedia and Wotif.
Can you negotiate hotel room prices?
Yes. If you've done your research there's every chance you can get a better hotel deal armed with that knowledge. It's a matter of picking up the phone (rather than emailing) and asking. It never hurts to ask, the worst thing they can do is say no.
You might leverage finding a competitor's lower prices or brand loyalty if you're a member. Often hotels are more than happy to match prices, some even have a best price guarantee as mentioned earlier.
Do hotel prices go down last minute?
Yes. There's nothing worse for a hotel than empty rooms at the end of the night, so often they'll discount their rooms in hopes of filling them up. Sites like Lastminute.com.au and hoteltonight.com have sprung up to help you take advantage of these kinds of hotel deals.
If you're travelling spontaneously you can even try visiting a hotel on the day you arrive and ask them if they've got spaces available. You just might score a great room for a bargain.
Is it better to book a hotel in advance or last minute?
In a comparison of 10 hotels, we found 6 had their cheapest dates in the next week while 4 had their cheapest prices up to 2 months away.
This suggests you can find the best deal either by booking a week out or a couple of months in advance. Remember that when booking last minute you risk missing out on your preferred location.
Extra time and research are an advantage. Some hotels might even offer early-bird discounts. They might not be as cheap as a last-minute deal, but it's a good compromise for peace of mind.
Having trouble choosing between two hotels? We've analysed popular hotel chains for perks like free breakfasts, complimentary Wi-Fi and loyalty programs where you can earn points toward free stays.
Can't decide where to stay? Compare popular hotel chains:
We've pinned some of the world's largest hotel chains against one another. We compare everything from the breadth of locations to Wi-Fi access to loyalty programs.
Some of the brands we work with to bring you the best offers
How to find cheap hotel deals online?
If you're seeing a cheap rate on a travel booking site, check and see what the hotel is offering direct on its website. The cheapest rates are often available direct as many properties, including Accor Hotels and Hilton have best price guarantees. So, even if you are seeing a cheaper price elsewhere, they'll match it to get you to book direct so they won't be losing out on any commission that would be paid to a booking site
To sweeten the deal, the property may be willing to offer you an even lower rate than what you're seeing online since or swing free breakfast or Internet access during your stay.
Hotels aren't the only ones that offer best price guarantees in order to get your business. Many booking websites, for example hotels.com and lastminute.com.au offer price guarantees. Some even let you price match up until the day before you check-in, so if you see your hotel room drop, it's worth hitting them up for some extra money in your pocket.
If you're not too fussy about which hotel you stay in, try booking a "mystery hotel". Sites such as Hotwire offer unnamed-until-paid-for hotels in Australia, New Zealand and around the world at a discount of up to 60%.
You'll get just enough of a description to have an idea of where you're staying and the quality of the hotel, but you won't be able to confirm the name of the hotel until you've made your booking and paid for your stay.
Here's an example of the information you'll see on a hotel listing on Hotwire:
Working with a range of different hotel chains, booking engines and independent accommodations will show you the rate of a hotel that appears for your preferred dates across multiple sites.
It's as simple as finding the best offer available for you on your dates and clicking through to that site to make the booking.
Here's an example of how it works:
We searched for a 4-star hotel on the Gold Coast on a random date 13 May 2017 and selected the Mercure Gold Coast Resort from the results. The tool then searched multiple hotel booking sites, and displays a few examples of rates, highlighting the lowest price available, which in this case was Wotif.com. To go ahead and book that rate, just click "View Deal" and you'll be redirected to a page where you can follow through with your booking.
Hotels absolutely hate empty rooms and if they have some spare for the night, they'll often sell them for a hefty discount. Sites such as lastminute.com.au and LateRooms were made for these kinds of deals.
If you're travelling on the fly, you can always chance popping into a hotel on the day and asking if they have room for you. If they do, you could get lucky and score a premium room for a budget price.
It might not have the reviews or recommendations yet, but popping the cherry on that new hotel has its benefits. Often hotels that are opening soon or have just opened will sport discounted launch fares as they teethe. This is a great way to get a hotel on a deal as well as try out a swanky new hotel that hasn't been broken into yet.
New hotels also appreciate feedback on how they can improve their services, so don't forget to leave them a tip.
Being in the hospitality feedback, hotels are always appreciative of your feedback - both good and bad. Something wrong with your room? Don't be shy! Tell them! Hotels are often happy to oblige and may compensate by offering you another room, a room upgrade, free items or a discount on your stay.
For various reasons, people have to cancel hotel reservations, even ones that have already been paid for in full and aren't refundable. That's something you can take advantage of now. Sites such as Roomer work as a middleman to resell prepaid rooms at a discounted rate.
According to Roomer, the resold rooms are available for as much as 75% off the original price, which means you can save big if a room is available on your desired travel dates. While the site does take a cut of the sale, the majority goes back to the person who originally made the booking.
Booking a central aparthotel with full cooking facilities and multiple bedrooms can often cost an arm and a leg. Luckily, you can use hosting sites like Airbnb to find homely accommodation around the world. You'll come across a mix of options, including entire apartments, spare bedrooms, granny flats and even backyard camping spaces.
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No matter how you book, booking fees and payment preferences differ widely and its good to verse yourself in your options before forking over the dollars.
Some hotels charge you to pay by credit card, so it might be worth hitting the ATM or money exchange for the right amount of bills to pay them in cash.
Sites like hotels.com often have coupon codes and deals but the only way you can redeem them is by paying upfront. If you're not quite 100% on the room but don't want to miss the bargain, choose a refundable booking. Even though you have to shell out some money to secure it, you'll get a full refund if you cancel within the free cancellation period.
If you're flexible about when you can travel, consider where you're going when you're trying to decide which days to travel.
Generally, city stays are cheaper from Friday to Sunday, as hotels cash in on business travellers during the week, while country and coastal stays are cheaper from Monday to Thursday, when accommodation is plentiful after the weekenders leave. During the less-busy days, rates drop to help fill empty rooms - and you may just get the hotel pool to yourself.
Not quite peak season and not quite low season, the "shoulder" season fits in between the two. If you're not going to a destination that's really weather-dependant, consider travelling during this period.
If you travel just on the outskirts of peak season, which we think is the best time to travel, you're more likely to get the perks of peak season - like nice weather and - but with fewer crowds and less of a demand for accommodation, which often means lower prices.
Hotels like to know that rooms are going to be filled. So much so that often rooms booked and paid for in advance (usually somewhere between 15 and 45 days) are discounted by up to 30%. If your travel plans are set in stone, take advantage.
Join the rewards program offered by the hotel or booking site. While it may not always save you money at first, you can earn free nights, points that can be used towards free nights or upgrades, and perks such as complimentary upgrades and free Internet access.
Here's a few examples of what rewards programs are offering:
Earn points towards travelPrice guaranteeExclusive member dealsFree amenities at your hotel
Free. Spend more on your stays to upgrade your membership status.
Most frequent flyer programs let you earn points when you stay with their partner hotels. Stay loyal to these brands and flash your frequent flyer card when you book or check-in to nab points that you can later redeem for hotel stays, flights and more.
Showing your frequent flyer card is also a great way to drop some "loyalty clout" which could give you that extra edge to better service or even a possible upgrade.
If nothing else, you'll earn points.
Don't waste your time checking sites day after day hoping prices will change. Instead, sign up for price alerts so that you'll get notifications direct to your inbox when prices fall.
Online booking sites such as booking.com and hotels.com have this functionality. Simply nominate the destination and dates you're looking at and they'll send you an email when the dollars start to shift. After that, it's simply a matter of jumping on the room when the price is right for your budget.
If you see a refundable rate you're happy to pay, book it, even if you have a hunch the price may drop. Since it's refundable, there's no obligation for you to stick with the booking. You'll have the security of knowing you have somewhere to stay as well as the freedom to look for a better deal elsewhere.
It costs a lot of money to change the sheets, towels and restock the minibar, so it's no surprise hotels would rather you stay a bit longer. There's often a huge benefit to staying three nights rather than two, five nights rather than four and so on. Hotels will sometimes offer discounts or free nights to guests who are willing to stay a bit longer.
Here are some examples of what discounts are offered:
This is a question. You'll find when booking your room you'll often be given a slew of extras you can opt in for such as buffet breakfast or romantic wine package for an added fee. This might sound luxurious and tempting, but before you commit do a quick search to see what the price of a local breakfast or bottle of wine costs and what exactly is on offer from them.
You may find the hotel is ripping you off for your eggs and toast in the morning. Or, you may find that their buffet breakfast is an amazing bargain.
Referral programs are a dime a dozen these days and the hotel industry is also playing the game. Before you book, check to see if the hotel or booking site you're on has a referral program that can score you bucks when friends book through them.
For example, hotels.com offers a massive $50 off your friends' first booking with it and pays you back in kind by giving you $50 off your next stay. Airbnb has a similar program that gives you $22 travel credit when your friends take their first stay of $97 or more.
Current hotel offers
Deal
Australia hotels from $169
Verified 5 days agoExpires 28 Oct 2021
Available on select stay dates until 31 March 2022. Destinations include Perth, Sydney, Adelaide, Hunter Valley, Blue Mountains, Rottnest Island and more. Sample rate is for a 3-night getaway at Trinity Beach.
Available on select travel dates until 2022 to destinations including Kingscliff, Port Stephens, Coffs Harbour, Blue Mountains and more. Sample rate is for a 2-night escape in Sydney.
Up to 30% off Australia hotels + an extra 10% off with code
Expires 31 Dec 2021
Available on stays until 31 December 2022 when you use the code. Destinations include Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Gold Coast, Perth, Sydney and more. T&Cs apply.
Available on stays until 31 December 2022 when you use the code. Destinations include New Zealand, Fiji, London, Maldives, Japan, USA and more. T&Cs apply.
Available on stays until November 2021. Destinations include Gold Coast, Brisbane, Melbourne, Cairns, Adelaide, Townsville, Tasmania, Sydney, Broome and more.
Available on select travel dates when you spend a minimum of $300. Destinations include Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Blue Mountains, Cairns, Canberra and more. T&Cs apply.
Available on stays within the next 14 days. Destinations include Sydney, Gold Coast, Byron Bay, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Canberra and more. T&Cs apply.
Available on select dates when you spend a minimum of $300. Activities include winery tours, getaways, high teas, spas, sightseeing cruises, helicopter flights and more. T&Cs apply.
Available on select dates in 2021, plus get free cancellation with select hotels. Destinations include Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Cairns, Brisbane, Townsville, Adelaide, Canberra and more. T&Cs apply.
Available on stays until 30 June 2022 when you spend a minimum of $150. Destinations include Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and more. T&Cs apply.
Available on select stay dates in Adelaide, Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Melbourne and more. Sample stay is in Millicent, South Australia. T&Cs apply.
Available on stays until 30 November 2021 for Gold members. Plus get a free bottle of wine when you book a minimum of 3 nights. Destinations include Maldives, Egypt, Dubai, Philippines and more. T&Cs apply.
Available for travel from 1 October - 24 December 2021 and 4 January - 30 June 2022. Includes stay at Movenpick Hotel, breakfast, chocolate hour tastings and Bruny Island Traveller tour. T&Cs apply.
Port Douglas family escape with Low Isles cruise from $1,979
Verified 4 days agoExpires 31 Dec 2021
Available for travel from 1 November - 19 December 2021 and 10 January - 31 March 2022. Includes a stay at Oaks Port Douglas, Wildlife Habitat entry and more. Valid for 2 adults and 2 children sharing. T&Cs apply.
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