There are a few tricks to bear in mind, and I have listed the ones I use. Please add your own tips!
If you are staying for more than one night, check availability for each night individually.
That's because hotels will adjust their reduced rates to reflect demand.
To explain this, lets pretend we have a hotel. On 12 December, we are quiet. 13th and 14th we are almost full, on the 15th we could be doing better. So we load some special offers.
12 December: 100 (full price is 300)
13 December: 300
14 December: 300
15 December: 200 (full price is 300)
So you come along and enter 12 December for four nights. The computer is a bit stupid, so it knows the 100 rate isn't available on 13, 14, 15th. It knows the 200 rate isn't available on 13, 14th. So what does it do? It looks for the one rate that it can offer you every night, so offers 300 a night. It's always looking for the easiest solution to display.
This is especially important if your stay includes a Sunday night...
There are some exceptions to this, and some systems can display rate changes.
If you do make multiple bookings this way, then remember to email the hotel so you don't have to change rooms.
Know the hotel special offers
Some hotel websites will not automatically show the lowest rates, so take time to read the hotels website and see what offers can apply. Why don't they show the lowest rates automatically? Mainly because they don't want to sell all the rooms at a low price, but also, some offers may include items that you don't want (for example, transfers from the airport but you may be arriving by train) - so do look at the offers and see which ones apply to you.
Cutting out the middleman doesn't always save money
Lastminute.com and Expedia spring to mind. They will contract with hotels to sell a certain number of rooms at a certain rate. Imagine the contract is signed in January. You want to stay in June, and the hotel has quoted you rack rate or worse, is now fully booked. You try Expedia, and for some reason they are selling rooms. At half the price the hotel was offering! How is this possible (this is a question I get asked a lot!)
Well, in January, the hotel offered Expedia a set price, and an allocation of rooms (sometimes just 1 room, sometimes 20 or more) in exchange for a guaranteed amount of business, and of course worldwide marketing. The hotel so far has been successful in filling its rooms for a certain date, but Expedia still has their rooms to sell. At the rate agreed back in January. Hey Presto! A room on the date you want, at a decent price.
The room should be as good as any you would book direct with the hotel.
Tell the hotels everything!
Is it an anniversary? Are you a light sleeper? Do you hate the colour purple? Let the hotel know! Contrary to tabloid opinion, hotels want an easy life. Making guests stays uncomfortable is not in anyone's interests, but hotels can make your stay so much more pleasureable if they know certain things. Some hotels have uniform colour schemes and identical rooms, and if they happen to be purple, there's not a lot you can do. But if you are a light sleeper, hate noise, then let them know that a quiet room is essential.
If it's a special occasion, let them know... you never know...!
Join the hotels points scheme
The hotel company I work for doesn't have a points scheme. We record guests stays and reward them in our own way. We feel that having cards and points makes it a more corporate experience which is less personal and not our style. But many do, and it's signing up, even just to get the newsletter.
Join the hotels mailing list
That way you are kept up to date on special offers, often released before they go on sale to the 'general public'.
Ask for a better rate
Just call the hotel and ask them for a better rate. It may be that the hotel is already offering the lowest rate, but what's the worst they can do? Say No? But they might include breakfast, offer an upgrade etc. There's no harm in asking, but do it in a nice way. There's no bigger turn off for hotel staff than guests who expect something as their right. And I am sure this applies to Virgin too!
Remember too that if the hotel has only one room in a particular category left, it may not appear on the website, whereas a reservation agent can see the live availability.
'Top Secret Hotels'... not so secret!
Lastminute.com and others have a scheme where they offer fantastic rates in exchange for hiding the hotel name, you just get a description until you make the reservation. But deciphering the description can be easy, thanks to Google. (lastminute are making their descriptions vaguer - but some do give clues).
DO check your rates
If you have booked a certain rate then challenge the hotel if the rate comes down at a later date. Some hotels offers will 100% cancellation policies, but it's rare for these rates to be bettered closed to the time. But some hotels have the standard 24/48 hour cancellation policy. Unlike airlines, hotels can be much more flexible and if they are selling your room at a lower price don't stand for it!
If you have booked with a wholesaler, then there's little you can do (unless they have very generous cancellation policies), but you can still ask for an upgrade!
Don't spend too long searching for rates!
The best rates are subject to availability. The golden rule is - Am I happy with this price? If you are then grab it and have a great stay! If not then you've nothing to loose by checking around (presuming you would never pay the first rate quoted) - however by checking other hotels you can get a rough idea of availability, and the first rate may not be as bad as it seemed.
If you are staying for more than one night, check availability for each night individually.
That's because hotels will adjust their reduced rates to reflect demand.
To explain this, lets pretend we have a hotel. On 12 December, we are quiet. 13th and 14th we are almost full, on the 15th we could be doing better. So we load some special offers.
12 December: 100 (full price is 300)
13 December: 300
14 December: 300
15 December: 200 (full price is 300)
So you come along and enter 12 December for four nights. The computer is a bit stupid, so it knows the 100 rate isn't available on 13, 14, 15th. It knows the 200 rate isn't available on 13, 14th. So what does it do? It looks for the one rate that it can offer you every night, so offers 300 a night. It's always looking for the easiest solution to display.
This is especially important if your stay includes a Sunday night...
There are some exceptions to this, and some systems can display rate changes.
If you do make multiple bookings this way, then remember to email the hotel so you don't have to change rooms.
Know the hotel special offers
Some hotel websites will not automatically show the lowest rates, so take time to read the hotels website and see what offers can apply. Why don't they show the lowest rates automatically? Mainly because they don't want to sell all the rooms at a low price, but also, some offers may include items that you don't want (for example, transfers from the airport but you may be arriving by train) - so do look at the offers and see which ones apply to you.
Cutting out the middleman doesn't always save money
Lastminute.com and Expedia spring to mind. They will contract with hotels to sell a certain number of rooms at a certain rate. Imagine the contract is signed in January. You want to stay in June, and the hotel has quoted you rack rate or worse, is now fully booked. You try Expedia, and for some reason they are selling rooms. At half the price the hotel was offering! How is this possible (this is a question I get asked a lot!)
Well, in January, the hotel offered Expedia a set price, and an allocation of rooms (sometimes just 1 room, sometimes 20 or more) in exchange for a guaranteed amount of business, and of course worldwide marketing. The hotel so far has been successful in filling its rooms for a certain date, but Expedia still has their rooms to sell. At the rate agreed back in January. Hey Presto! A room on the date you want, at a decent price.
The room should be as good as any you would book direct with the hotel.
Tell the hotels everything!
Is it an anniversary? Are you a light sleeper? Do you hate the colour purple? Let the hotel know! Contrary to tabloid opinion, hotels want an easy life. Making guests stays uncomfortable is not in anyone's interests, but hotels can make your stay so much more pleasureable if they know certain things. Some hotels have uniform colour schemes and identical rooms, and if they happen to be purple, there's not a lot you can do. But if you are a light sleeper, hate noise, then let them know that a quiet room is essential.
If it's a special occasion, let them know... you never know...!
Join the hotels points scheme
The hotel company I work for doesn't have a points scheme. We record guests stays and reward them in our own way. We feel that having cards and points makes it a more corporate experience which is less personal and not our style. But many do, and it's signing up, even just to get the newsletter.
Join the hotels mailing list
That way you are kept up to date on special offers, often released before they go on sale to the 'general public'.
Ask for a better rate
Just call the hotel and ask them for a better rate. It may be that the hotel is already offering the lowest rate, but what's the worst they can do? Say No? But they might include breakfast, offer an upgrade etc. There's no harm in asking, but do it in a nice way. There's no bigger turn off for hotel staff than guests who expect something as their right. And I am sure this applies to Virgin too!
Remember too that if the hotel has only one room in a particular category left, it may not appear on the website, whereas a reservation agent can see the live availability.
'Top Secret Hotels'... not so secret!
Lastminute.com and others have a scheme where they offer fantastic rates in exchange for hiding the hotel name, you just get a description until you make the reservation. But deciphering the description can be easy, thanks to Google. (lastminute are making their descriptions vaguer - but some do give clues).
DO check your rates
If you have booked a certain rate then challenge the hotel if the rate comes down at a later date. Some hotels offers will 100% cancellation policies, but it's rare for these rates to be bettered closed to the time. But some hotels have the standard 24/48 hour cancellation policy. Unlike airlines, hotels can be much more flexible and if they are selling your room at a lower price don't stand for it!
If you have booked with a wholesaler, then there's little you can do (unless they have very generous cancellation policies), but you can still ask for an upgrade!
Don't spend too long searching for rates!
The best rates are subject to availability. The golden rule is - Am I happy with this price? If you are then grab it and have a great stay! If not then you've nothing to loose by checking around (presuming you would never pay the first rate quoted) - however by checking other hotels you can get a rough idea of availability, and the first rate may not be as bad as it seemed.
