Hidden Discounts on Hotel Rooms

Calling all savvy travelers! Here are some little known secrets to ask about when you are booking a hotel room. Work with your travel agent or reservation staff, and you may just end up scoring a great deal on your trip. Don’t forget to go directly to the staff rather than an online party for better luck, and be knowledgeable of more common discount options such as AAA, student rates, or AARP so you can compare the rates quickly. Happy travels!

Resident Discount

Some hotels will offer locals living within a certain radius a discount, especially during nonpeak travel seasons. Make sure you have your driver’s license as proof of your residence!

Day-of-the-Week Discount

It is common knowledge that booking a room Monday-Wednesday will save you some money compared to weekend bookings, but ask your reservation agent or the concierge if there are other discounts available on the property for those days as well. Some hotels offer savings on spa services, green fees, shopping and dining.

Corporate Discount

Many hotels as a policy will honor your corporate affiliation even when you are not on company business. If you do not travel often and are unsure of the company’s preferred hotel chains, you can get this information from the person responsible for making travel arrangements in the company. Be sure to have a company card or ID for proof- you can also obtain certain discounts through government employment such as universities, military, police and fire departments.

Out-of-Order Discounts

Hotel rooms can be marked as out-of-order for a variety of reasons- some big, some small. Ask whether any of these rooms are available at a discount, and you might save big by foregoing a broken TV or other minor issues.

Good Samaritan Discounts

If you find yourself stuck unexpectedly due to a broken-down car, storm, or other hardship, explain the situation to the front desk and see if they can discount your room. Many are able to offer this last-minute.