1. Quiet Days

Are you travelling at the weekend? You might think this is a busy time for hotels and there is no chance of a bargain. Not so! Look for hotels that cater mainly for business travellers; these hotels are generally quiet at weekends when nobody has meetings. So they often do reduced rates over the weekends.

2. Negotiate

Negotiation can work very well if you have a lot of nerve and are prepared to keep trying until you succeed. Hotels may be willing to offer you a discount on their normal rates if it´s late in the day and they have empty rooms (it´s better to let it at a cheaper rate than not at all), or if you want to stay several nights. Speak to the manager if the receptionist doesn´t have the authority to reduce rates.

3. Special Offers

Do you have a particular hotel in mind? Check their website for special offers. These may include an extra night free, a room upgrade, or breakfast included. It helps if you are flexible about when you can travel, as such offers usually apply to less popular times.

4. Websites

One way to save on hotel costs is to check the vast number of websites that offer discounts on room rates. There are too many to list here, so do a search like ´bargain hotel rooms Paris´. Once you´ve found something you like, do compare the special rate to the prices on the hotel´s own website, to be sure that you are getting a genuine bargain.

5. Check Your Needs

Keep your hotel bills down by making sure that you´re not paying for facilities you don´t want. Breakfast in a café can be a lot cheaper (and better) than the hotel´s own. If you just want a simple, basic room without plasma TV, trouser press, jacuzzi etc then that´s what you should look for.

6. Outer Limits

A simple way to reduce hotel bills that is often overlooked is to stay further out from the city centre. The rates will be a lot cheaper than in central hotels in tourist areas. Most cities have excellent transport systems, and just 15 or 20 minutes on the metro can take you to the centre.

7. Spare Rooms

Some people rent out their spare room to travellers who are looking for short-term lodgings. This can be a great way to save on hotel costs; for example, here in Barcelona you can pay less than $20 per night per person. It´s a good option if you want to stay somewhere more homely than a hotel or hostel.

8. Couchsurfing

The best way to reduce hotel bills is to not pay anything at all! If you don´t have a friend you can stay with, then try couchsurfing.com. It´s a site where people offer their spare room or couch to people visiting their city. Of course, it would be polite to bring your host a gift or offer to cook them a meal as a way of thanking them!

Staying in hotel costs can be lovely, but the bill soon adds up! So it´s smart to look at ways to save on hotel costs. It will mean doing some research, or being prepared to try several places once you arrive (not recommended at peak times or late at night). Have you found any ingenious ways to reduce hotel bills?

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