How To Book Hotels At The Cheapest Rate Worldwide
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You’ve probably heard me say this before, but one of my all-time favorite things is scoring the best travel deals.
I literally sit in my bed every night and search through Airbnb, Booking.com, and points-related travel websites to plan our next trips.
And of course, my goal is always to find the most incredible accommodation options, score the lowest priced (and highest quality flights, and uncover the best hidden gems in every destination.
… I mean.. isn’t that everyone’s goal?
Over the years, I’ve gathered some go-to tricks for enjoying luxury travel without the hefty price tag.
Today, I’ll let you in on my favorite ways to score amazing hotel deals, so you can book the perfect stay without blowing your budget.
To get started, you’ll want to head over to one of my favorite hotel sites Booking.com.
>> Click here to open Booking.com and follow along with my tips below:
TIP #1: Check for Last-Minute and Early Bird Discounts
On the Booking.com homepage, scroll down to find a section called “Offers”. There will be a few options to choose from, but for this tip, you’ll click on “Find Late Escape Deals”.
Hotels would rather fill a room at a discount than let it go empty. So the closer you get to your travel dates, the more motivated they are to cut prices.
These deals are Booking.com’s way of showcasing those discounts in one place. If you’re anything like me, you want to go straight to the deals, and that’s exactly what this feature does.
Mike and I have used these deals in French Polynesia (yes, even French Polynesia has discounts if you know where to look) and saved over $80 per night on a place that was already mid-range. That will add up quickly on a week-long stay.
Pro Tip: Early bird discounts work the same way, just in the opposite way.. Some properties offer 15-25% off if you book 60-90+ days in advance. If you already know your dates, book early and you’ll likely lock in a much lower price.
TIP #2: Sign Up for “Genius Level” Discounts on Booking.com
Booking.com has a loyalty program called Genius, and it’s completely free.
All you have to do is create an account (just put in your email address, no credit card is required) and you’re in.
The more you book through their platform, the more perks you’ll unlock.
Here’s what Mike and I get at our current level:
- 10-20% discount on select stays
- 10% off rental cars
- Free breakfasts at participating properties
- Free room upgrades
- Priority support
The discounts show up as a little “Genius” badge next to certain properties when you’re searching. You’ll be surprised how many places participate.
We’ve seen Genius discounts on everything from budget hostels in Greece to overwater bungalows in the Maldives.
You can sign up by clicking “Sign in or register” on their pop-up or by choosing “Register” in the top right corner of the page. Easy, easy, peasy.
Note: You don’t have to book exclusively through Booking.com to keep your Genius status. But the more you use it, the faster you’ll level up. We’re at Genius Level 3 now and the free breakfast perk alone has saved us a ton of money over the years.
TIP #3: Use the “I’m flexible” Tab
We’ve talked about being flexible with your travel plans before and how it can save you a lot of money, and the same is true for accommodations.
On Booking.com, you’ll see how to click over from Calendar view to “I’m flexible.” Choose how long you’d like your trip to be and when you want to go.
From there, Booking.com will show you all the best deals for your destination during the timeframe and filters you selected.
This is huge because hotel prices can change drastically depending on the dates. Shifting your trip by even a few days can save you 20-30% without changing anything else.
I’ve played around with this feature a bunch, and the price differences are sometimes insane. A week in Bali during one set of dates might be $150 per night but if you shift it by five days, it might be $95 per night. That’s crazy for the exact same hotel, room, etc.
If your schedule allows any wiggle room at all, use this tab before you commit.
TIP #4: “Book Now, Pay Later” Options + Price Matching Yourself
Here’s one of my favorite tips, and it’s one that many people haven’t heard of.
Search for your destination and timeframe on Booking.com. Once you’re on the results page, scroll down until you find “Free Cancellation” as a filter in the left side menu.
Choose this option.
Book a place that offers free cancellation.
Then, as your vacation approaches, start checking the price of that same accommodation on Booking.com to see if prices have dropped.
If you notice that the price of your hotel, resort, or vacation rental has decreased, cancel your first booking and rebook at the new lower price.
BOOM, you’ve saved yourself some money.
This works because hotel prices fluctuate constantly. They go up when demand is high and drop when rooms aren’t filling. By booking a free cancellation stay, you’re essentially locking in a price ceiling.
We do this on almost every trip now. I usually check prices once a week or so in the weeks leading up to our departure.
It takes about two minutes each time, and we’ve saved hundreds of dollars doing this over the past few years.
🚨 Just make sure you double-check the cancellation deadline. Free cancellation usually has a cutoff (like 24-48 hours before check-in), and if you miss it, you’re stuck with the original price.
Quick Tip: If you have a Capital One credit card, they oftentimes award 10x points on any travel booked through their portal. They also price match, which means you can lock in the lowest price with Booking.com before hopping over to Capital One Travel and asking for a price match.
Sure, you won’t be getting the loyalty rewards with Booking.com, but you’ll be earning 10x travel points, and for me that’s a big enough reason to go with Capital One.
TIP #5: Book Directly with the Hotel (Sometimes It’s Cheaper)
Hotels pay Booking.com, Expedia, and similar platforms a commission of 15-30% on every reservation, which is a huge cut.
So a lot of hotels, especially chains like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt, now offer a “best rate guarantee” on their own websites to encourage you to book direct.
Sometimes the hotel’s own website has the same or lower price as the booking sites, and even when the price is identical, booking direct often comes with perks you won’t get through a third party like
- Loyalty points that add up to free nights
- Free breakfast at many properties
- Room upgrades when available
- Late checkout
- Free Wi-Fi (some chains charge for it through OTA bookings)
The smart move is to find your hotel on Booking.com or Google Hotels, and then check the hotel’s own website before you book. It takes an extra 30 seconds and it can save you money and/or get you free stuff.
This is especially true for longer stays. A free breakfast every morning for a week adds up. Spend that money elsewhere during your trip.
TIP #6: Browse in Incognito Mode (and Consider a VPN)
This one sounds a little conspiracy-theory, but it happens.
Hotel booking sites and airlines use cookies to track your searches. If you’ve searched for the same hotel multiple times, some sites will gradually show you higher prices because they know you’re interested.
Instead, open an incognito or private browsing window before you search for hotels. This prevents the site from seeing your previous search history and cookies.
It’s not going to save you a fortune every time, but I’ve seen prices come in $5-50 lower per night just by searching in incognito mode. On a week-long trip, that adds up.
If you want to take it a step further, a VPN can change your virtual location and show you prices meant for travelers in other countries.
Hotel prices vary by region because booking sites display different rates depending on where they think you’re located.
Tests have shown that connecting through servers in countries like Poland, Japan, or India can sometimes show significantly lower rates for the exact same room.
Note: Using a VPN for hotel booking is completely legal. You’re just seeing a different version of the same website.
TIP #7: Get Cashback on Your Hotel Booking
Sites like Rakuten and Ibotta offer cashback (usually 1-10%) when you book hotels through their links.
The booking process is exactly the same, you just click through Rakuten first, book your hotel on Booking.com or Expedia or wherever like normal, and the cashback shows up in your account.
On a $1,000 hotel booking, even 5% cashback is $50 back.
We’ve gotten cashback on hotels, rental cars, flights, and even travel insurance.
Here are the exact steps I recommend:
- Sign up for Rakuten (it’s free)
- Search for Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, or whatever site you like to use
- Click through their link to the booking site
- Book your hotel like normal
- Get cash back deposited to your PayPal or mailed as a check
TIP #8: Consider Airbnb or Vacation Rentals for Longer Stays and Groups
Hotels aren’t always the cheapest option, and I think a lot of travelers default to hotels without checking what else is out there.
For stays of a week or longer, Airbnb and vacation rentals are often significantly cheaper per night than hotels.
According to recent data, the nightly rate for a 7-night Airbnb stay is roughly 32% cheaper than a 1-night stay at the same property.
So the longer you stay, the more you save.
This is also true if you’re traveling with a group or a family. Splitting a three-bedroom apartment between six people almost always works out cheaper than booking three hotel rooms.
But as many of you know, Airbnb has gotten more expensive over the past few years, and the fees can be sneaky.
Cleaning fees average around $75 per stay, and taxes and service fees can add 40% or more to the listed nightly rate. Always check the TOTAL price before you compare it to a hotel.
For solo travelers or couples on a short trip (1-3 nights) in a city, a hotel is often the better deal once you factor in Airbnb’s fees. For families, groups, or longer stays, vacation rentals still usually win.
Back in 2022, my family and friends took a trip to Rhodes, Greece. There were 8 of us total, and we were able to stay in one of the coolest Airbnbs I’ve ever experienced. Each of us paid about $50 per night and we felt like royalty. Check out the image of it below:
TIP #9: Call the Hotel Directly and Ask for a Better Rate
This can feel weird, but it works way more often than you’d think. Hotels have flexibility on pricing, especially during off-peak seasons when rooms aren’t selling.
And a lot of the time, all you have to do is ask.
Call the hotel directly, and ask to speak with the front desk manager. Then say something like, “I found your room online for $200 per night. Is that the best rate you can offer for my dates?”
Hotels pay 15-30% commission on bookings through third-party sites. If you book directly, they keep all of that money, so they’re often willing to match or beat an online price because they still come out ahead.
If they can’t budge on the rate, ask about perks instead.
Things like free breakfast, a room upgrade, late checkout, parking, etc. I’ve gotten free breakfast added to our stay just by asking nicely. It doesn’t always work, but it costs you nothing extra to try.
Pro tip: This works best for independent hotels, boutique properties, and smaller chains. The big corporate chains have less flexibility at the front desk level, but it’s still worth a shot.
TIP #10: Try “Mystery” Hotel Sites for Deep Discounts
If you’re flexible about which specific hotel you stay at (and you’re okay with a little surprise), sites like Hotwire Hot Rates and Priceline Express Deals can save you up to 60% off normal rates.
So here’s how it works..
You’ll see the star rating, general neighborhood, and amenities of a hotel, but you won’t see the actual name until after you book. The catch is that these bookings are usually non-refundable. So you’re trading certainty for savings.
Honestly, I still find this a bit odd, but I wouldn’t not try it!
People who have used this claim they’ve gotten 4-star hotels for 3-star prices more than once. It’s not for every trip or traveler, but for the right situation, the savings are awesome.
One thing to be careful about is to make sure you read the cancellation policy before you book. “Mystery” deals are almost always final. If your plans change, you’re out the money.
TIP #11: Get a Travel Credit Card with Free Night Certificates
Several hotel credit cards give you a free night certificate every single year just for having the card. This is not considered a sign-up bonus (though you get those too).
For example, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card gives you one free night award annually at properties worth up to 35,000 points per night. The annual fee is $95. A single free night at a decent Marriott property can easily be worth $150-300+. So you’re paying $95 to get a $200+ hotel night. Not bad, eh?
And the sign-up bonuses are even better.
Some cards offer 3 free night awards after you hit a spending threshold in the first few months. That’s potentially $500-900 in free hotel stays just for signing up and using the card for groceries and gas.
Mike and I each have a Marriott card, so we get two free night certificates per year. We stack them back to back for a free weekend somewhere, and it’s become one of our favorite travel hacks.
If you travel even a few times a year, a hotel credit card will pay for itself many times over.
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless: Free night worth up to 35,000 points annually ($95 fee)
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex: Free night worth up to 85,000 points annually ($650 fee, but comes loaded with other perks)
- Hilton Honors Aspire Amex: Free weekend night annually plus Diamond status
Note: I’m not a financial advisor and I’m not telling you to go open a bunch of credit cards. But if you already use a credit card for everyday spending and you travel regularly, you might as well get rewarded for it. Just make sure you pay your balance in full every month. The rewards aren’t worth it if you’re paying interest.
TIP #12: Try House Sitting for Free Accommodation
Okay, this one is a bit outside the box, but hear me out because it’s one of my favorite.
Sites like TrustedHousesitters connect travelers with homeowners who need someone to watch their house (and usually their pets) while they’re away. In exchange, you stay in their home for free.
The only cost is the annual Trusted Housesitters membership, which starts around $119 per year. That’s less than one night at most hotels.
There are over 220,000 members in 130+ countries, so the listings are pretty prevalent. People have house-sat in villas in Tuscany, apartments in Paris, beach houses in Australia, etc. It’s really cool.
And all sitters go through an ID check (plus a background check in the U.S.), so it’s not as sketchy as it might sound.
This obviously isn’t for every trip. It works best if you’re flexible with your dates, you like animals, and you’re comfortable staying in someone else’s home.
But if that’s you, it’s basically free travel accommodation anywhere in the world.
Mike and I have done this several times in Park City, Breckenridge, and Boulder.
TIP #13: Always Ask About Hidden Discounts (AAA, AARP, Military, Government)
A lot of hotels offer discounts for AAA members, AARP members, active and retired military, government employees, and sometimes even students.
But they almost never tell you these rates exist; you have to ask.
AAA discounts typically save you 5-10% at chains like Hyatt, Hilton, IHG, and Marriott. AARP members can get up to 25% off at brands like Hilton, Wyndham, and Best Western. Military discounts range from 10-30% depending on the hotel.
When you’re searching for a hotel on their website, look for a “Special Rates” dropdown during the booking process.
You’ll usually see options for AAA, AARP, government, military, and corporate rates. Click the one that applies to you, enter your membership number, and see if the discounted rate is lower than the standard rate, which it usually is.
And if you’re booking by phone, just mention your membership. I’ve had front desk staff offer me a lower AAA rate without me even asking, but I’ve also had to bring it up myself. Never hurts to mention it.
TIP #14: Use the HotelTonight App for Same-Day Deals
If you’re a spontaneous traveler (or if your plans change last minute), HotelTonight is an app you should consider using.
It specializes in same-day and last-minute hotel bookings, and the discounts can be huge.
Hotels use HotelTonight to fill rooms that would otherwise go empty that night.
Because an empty room is lost revenue they can never get back, they’re willing to slash prices. We’re talking 20-40% off standard rates, sometimes even more.
The app is simple to use. You just open it, pick the city, and see what’s available tonight (or in the next few days).
The selection is curated for you, so you’re not scrolling through hundreds of options. And the prices get lower as the night goes on, because the hotel gets more desperate to fill those last empty rooms.
Pro tip: Sunday nights and midweek nights tend to have the best HotelTonight deals, especially in business-heavy cities where weekend travelers have already checked out.
TIP #15: Book During the Hotel’s Off-Season (Not Just Your Destination’s Off-Season)
Most people know that traveling in the off-season saves money, but even within a destination’s “regular” season there are specific days and weeks when hotel demand drops and prices drop, too.
Sunday through Thursday nights are almost always cheaper than Friday and Saturday, sometimes by 20-30%. And this is true basically everywhere.
Business hotels in cities are cheaper on weekends, beach resorts are cheaper midweek, so if you can structure your trip to check in on the quieter days, you’ll often get a considerably lower rate.
Also, the shoulder weeks matter. The week right before a destination’s peak season starts, or the week right after it ends, can have amazing prices because hotels are transitioning between rate tiers.
You’ll still (likely) get great weather and fewer crowds, but you’re paying off-season prices.
You don’t have to use these tips on every trip, but even stacking two or three of these strategies together can easily save you $100-300+ per trip. And over a year of travel, that will add up.
Mike and I use some version of these tips on every trip we take, and it’s a big reason why we’ve been able to travel as much as we have without going broke.
