The Best Time To Book A Hotel Room
Worst case scenario -- all the good hotel rooms are way outside your price range, and the ones that are affordable are all booked up. Now you’re scrambling to find a nice room that you can afford.
Trip planning takes a lot of searching and a lot of focus to find the best locations, best places to stay, and of course, the best deals. If you’re booking a hotel, get to know some of the secrets to booking, when to do it and how to get the best deals for your perfect hotel room
Book Ahead of Time
You don’t want to be scrambling at the last minute. Plan ahead and book your room ahead of time to be sure you have the spot you really want. If you’re going to book at the last minute, however, just be sure to be flexible with the outcome. You could score a great deal, however, the room may not be ideal.
A recent study found that travelers save the most by booking within two to four months of the trip, depending on the location. For travelers going to Paris, for example, the best time to book a hotel is roughly four months in advance. But if you’re going to New York City, you’ll get the best deal by booking a hotel anywhere from two to four months before your trip.
Check the Dates for Events or Holidays
Dates have a huge impact on room rates. To get the best deal, make sure your dates aren’t over a major holiday or event in the place you’re visiting. If you’re traveling to a foreign country, check out a local calendar to see when the local holidays are. Whatever city you’re going to, do a quick search to be sure there are no big events happening in the city that week.
Book on a Sunday
When you go to book, make sure you book on a Sunday. Studies have shown that you’re more likely to get the best deal on your hotel room on a Sunday. Adding a Sunday night to your stay is also shown to bring costs down.
Check in at the End of the Day
Even if you’ve already booked a room, check back in towards the end of the day to get a better deal or an affordable upgrade. By this point in the day, they’ll have had more business and are more likely to know how many rooms are still available. At this point, they are looking to fill empty rooms and you might be able to sneak a deal.
Book Over the Phone
Another way to score a good deal is to book over the phone, rather than online. By talking to the hotel staff, you may find more information and discover better deals than what you might find online. Sometimes, hotels have special rates that aren’t well advertised online. Talking directly to the hotel staff lets you find these special rates and deals. You also get the chance to ask any questions and get more details. Booking directly with the hotel also cuts out the potential for a third party site to add extra booking fees.
Find all the deals on rooms by starting at Alltherooms.
About the author: Rebecca is a recent DC college grad who left the city of eternal brunch for the city of eternal spring to become a content writer at AllTheRooms in Medellin, Colombia. Likes include puppies, hiking, books, and fighting injustice. Dislikes include spiders.
