Don’t skimp on the fun stuff! Simple ways to save big on your next hotel stay

While it’s a favourite past time for many people, travelling is certainly expensive. When you take into account accommodation and transport costs, not to mention eating out and paying for activities, it can add up quickly. Instead of skimping on the fun stuff, like eating out and visiting tourist attractions, there are several ways you can save money on accommodation, including travelling during off-peak season and keeping an eye out for coupons.

If you’re a keen traveller who loves a good deal, we’ve rounded up five easy ways to save big on accommodation and get the most bang out of your travel buck.

Stay somewhere on the outskirts

Finding the balance between location and affordability is tricky when it comes to booking accommodation in foreign countries. While staying in central locations might be more convenient, if you venture out a little further, accommodation costs become much more reasonable.

If you’re a confident or experienced traveller, it might be worth finding a less popular place that’s still a reasonable distance from the city. The further away you get from the city centre, the more significant price drop you’ll see. Staying in the outskirts of town can also be good for stumbling across undiscovered gems such as authentic cuisine, quaint hotels and unusual activities that are cheaper and far less busy than typical tourist attractions.

Travel in off season

If you really want to save money, think about booking in off-season periods. For instance, avoid travelling to places like Europe in the summer, which is its busiest period. In winter, hotels can be discounted by up to 40 per cent. However, it’s important to keep in mind that destinations have slow periods for a reason: aside from unfavourable weather conditions, some attractions or activities may be closed for the season.

Know when to book

According to Expedia’s recent travel pricing report, to score the cheapest deals, hotels should be booked on Fridays and Saturdays. While hotel prices are at their peak Monday through Wednesday. And unlike flights, sometimes waiting until the last minute to book can help you snag a better deal on a hotel room.

Mention when it’s a special occasion

If it’s your birthday, anniversary, honeymoon or first time at a hotel, let them know. Hotels are known to spoil guests with free champagne, chocolates, and if you’re lucky, a room upgrade. Don’t feel guilty for dropping a hint, as hotels love to celebrate occasions for customers as they are more likely to leave a positive review if they feel they’ve been treated well.

Keep an eye out for coupons

One of the easiest ways to cut accommodation costs is to take advantage of coupons. If you haven’t jumped on the Groupon bandwagon yet, now’s the time. Groupon is essentially a virtual coupon book that you can use to get deals up to 70 per cent off a range of products and services, and has an entire section dedicated to travel.

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your financial or legal situation, objectives or needs. That means it’s not financial product or legal advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a financial or legal decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get independent, licensed financial services or legal advice.