7 Ways to Negotiate a Better Hotel Room Rate ...

Heather

7 Ways to Negotiate a Better Hotel Room Rate ...
7 Ways to Negotiate a Better Hotel Room Rate ...

While I would absolutely love to write full time, I have been in the hospitality world for a while now (okay, 7 years is more than a while) and I work for a major hotel chain. This can actually be a benefit for you guys because I have the inside scoop on ways to negotiate a better hotel room rate without sounding stupid or silly! Trust me, the calls that I get on a daily basis are pretty wacky but with the following list of ways to negotiate a better hotel room rate, I'm absolutely sure you'll be able to get a better deal on that chic hotel!

Snapshot Survey

What's your favorite movie genre?

1. Keep Calm

For those of you who have worked in customer service, you know all about the reasoning behind this one: a person is more than willing to bend over backwards for someone who is nice, calm and collected. Personally, when I get the brides who want every single thing for free and are extremely rude, I would much rather see them book somewhere else, but for those people who are super nice to me, I'll typically give them a better deal. So keep your temper in check and be polite, sometimes all it takes is a little kindness for you to get a better deal on a hotel room!

2. Do Your Research

Believe me, I talk to a ton of people a day who have come prepared to get a lower rate and most of the time, if they have the research to back it up, it works! One question that we are actually scored on at work (which I probably shouldn't be telling you but hey, that's the benefit of having me on the inside right?) revolves around asking about the competition. So if you are looking for one surefire way to negotiate a better hotel room rate, why not bring up the rate you are getting at a competing hotel?

3. Compare Hotels

Believe it or not, a lot of the time, people will take the first hotel that they call because the rate sounds good. How do you know the rate sounds good if you haven't compared it to the other hotels in the area? This will definitely give you leverage over the other hotels and maybe you can even negotiate your way into a better rate simply because the competition has a better rate. This works at least 8 out of 10 times because hotels are competitive and if the hotel really needs your business, they will typically lower their rate or match the competition.

4. Don't Settle

While I hate the people who call and won't believe me when I say that this is the very best rate that I can give them, remember, the more that you push, the better your chances of getting a great discount. There are some limits around this one though. You want to make sure that you are not completely turning off the person who is helping you by being extremely difficult. Just ask the question: “Is this the very best rate that you can give me?“ and you'll be surprised by the answer!

5. Speak with Management

While there are tons of ways to negotiate a better hotel room rate, a simple call to a manager can actually do wonders. Let's say that you have a funeral to go to and you are looking to save your family some money. Just a call to the front office manager can typically get you a special funeral rate. How would you ever know about that without asking though? It all boils down to asking the question and seeing what happens. Don't be scared!

6. Use Your Discounts

While my ways are not surefire ways to get a better room rate on your hotel, how about you try some of the discounts that you have laying around? Did you know that AAA actually has hotel discounts at every single hotel chain? Or what about AARP? Or maybe even some of the credit card companies that you use? These are all discounts that are right at your fingertips and you won't even have to use some of these ways to negotiate a better hotel room rate because you're already eligible for the discounts!

7. Try Priceline

Finally, if all of this fails and you are still not getting anywhere with your room rate, why not book online via one of the travel websites? Just like the Hotwire commercial says, when the hotel is low on occupancy, they will give up some of their rooms for up to 50% off! Seriously guys, I use these websites when my discount isn't available and I have gotten some great deals, so don't worry if you are not comfortable with some of these ways to negotiate a better rate, just log online and see what happens!

So while it might be a little uncomfortable in the beginning when you are learning ways to negotiate a better hotel room rate, try it. Trust me on this, I talk to people all day who are just looking to save a little cash and as long as you are nice, have a sense of humor and a good personality, I'll give you a good deal! So what other tips and tricks do you guys have for me? Come on, I want to see if you can maybe teach someone on the inside a few tricks or maybe some tricks that I should watch out for when I am talking to all those people booking hotel rooms!

Top Photo Credit: ideen-scout.de

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

My aunt's friend works at a Hilton Hotel at Carlsbad, so whenever I travel, I usually stay at a beautiful Hilton Hotel and get a discount.

travel
10 Easy Ways to Be Environmentally Conscious At Home
travel ⚡️
The Ultimate 3-Day Kyoto Itinerary
travel
Staying at Mandarin Oriental Paris
travel
The Ultimate Guide to Oktoberfest in Munich
travel
Staying at Tintswalo Atlantic in Cape Town
travel
How to Plan a Romantic Italian Getaway on a Budget
travel
The Best Time to Travel to Greece
travel
Where to Find the Best Food in Madrid
travel
Exploring Rome’s Ancient Architecture: Tips for First-Time Visitors
travel ⚡️
11 Place Names You Won’t Want to Say Out Loud
travel
Staying at Constance Belle Mare Plage in Mauritius
travel
The Ultimate Guide to Venice Beach in a Weekend
travel ⚡️
The Ultimate 3-Day South Dakota Road Trip Itinerary
travel
Tips for Traveling Belgium on a Budget
travel
10 Things to Do in Stockholm (That Aren’t the Vasa Museum)
travel
What to Pack for an African Safari
travel
Mastering the Art of Vacation Relaxation: A Guide for Women
travel
The Ultimate Up The Creek Festival Survival Guide
travel
Tips for Proposing on Vacation
travel
How to Experience Rome’s Architecture on a Budget
travel
12 Months of Summer Around the World
travel
The Ultimate Namibia Road Trip Itinerary
travel ⚡️
The 10 Most Awkward Place Names in Europe
travel ⚡️
9 Stunning Riverfront Parks Along the Mississippi River
travel
The Coolest Airbnbs in Napa
travel ⚡️
Top 5 Witchy Attractions to Visit in Salem
travel
The Coolest Airbnbs in the Pacific Northwest
travel
A Local's Guide to Cape Cod
travel
A Quick Guide to Edinburgh's Fringe Festival
travel
Microlight Flight Over Victoria Falls
travel
The Ultimate Oregon Adventure Road Trip Itinerary
travel
Why You Should Visit South Africa in the Winter
travel
The Best Hotels to Stay at in Lisbon
travel
Top Things to See and Do Grand Junction, Colorado
travel
The Best Time to Travel to Mozambique
travel
Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas for Travelers
travel
Top 10 Garlic Dishes to Repel Vampires
travel
Parisian Eateries: Culinary Romance for the Foodie Couple
travel ⚡️
7 Hidden Gems Along the Mississippi River You Probably Didn’t Know About
travel
Tech-Free Car Games for Long Family Road Trips
travel
Top Romantic Getaways in Greece for Couples
travel
The Benefits of Public Transport Over Driving
travel
The Best Restaurants in San Diego
travel
The Ultimate 2-Day Berkeley Itinerary
travel
10 Places to Visit in Austria (That Aren’t Vienna) 
travel
Waterless Dry Shampoo and Conditioner for Your Next Trip
travel
The Best Time to Travel to Morocco
travel
Top Things to Do in St. George, Utah
travel
Navigating Public Transport in a New City
travel
The Best Time to Travel to France

Powered by iniret