The Price Makers presents: great tips to find affordable vacation accommodations!
Do you have a vacation planned out soon, and you’re looking for different tips to save money without sacrificing the quality of your trip? We all dream of that perfect getaway, but the rising costs can sometimes feel daunting. One of the major fixed travel expenses, and often the largest single component of a trip’s budget, is the place you sleep at night. Therefore, knowing where and how to get a good deal on lodging isn’t just a minor saving; it can completely transform your vacation budget. This knowledge can help you have more money for all the exciting things you’re going to do, like savoring local cuisine, visiting museums, embarking on adventurous tours, or simply buying memorable souvenirs.
Luckily, there are several clever and effective ways to travel with less money spent on lodging, freeing up your funds for what truly matters: the experience. Seeing the world is one of the best things ever because it helps you discover new cultures, great landscapes, fantastic food, and create lovely memories that will last a lifetime. A budget-friendly accommodation strategy doesn’t mean you have to compromise on comfort or safety; it just means you’re traveling smarter. With a little planning and flexibility, you can find incredible places to stay that won’t break the bank.
A friend of mine is a seasoned travel enthusiast, a true globetrotter who has mastered the art of frugal yet fantastic travel, and she gave me plenty of her time-tested tips on how to find affordable vacation accommodations. She believes that financial constraints should never be a barrier to exploring our beautiful planet. After all, money doesn’t grow on trees, but you still want to have fun and create enriching experiences during your getaway. So, without further ado, let’s dive deep into some of the most amazing and practical tips on how to find affordable vacation accommodations. Let’s start!
1. Location
Finding affordable vacation accommodations isn’t that hard if you know what you want and are willing to do a bit of homework. The first and arguably most critical thing you should consider when planning your getaway is the location you want to visit, and more specifically, the neighborhood you want to stay in. This decision will ripple through your entire travel budget.
Whether it’s a domestic vacation in the country or an international adventure, knowing the area you’d like to stay in is going to have a major impact on your total spending. It’s not just about the nightly rate of the hotel; it’s about the total cost of your stay. A cheap room in a remote location can quickly become expensive when you factor in other costs.
Generally speaking, the most budget-friendly option you can find is in suburban areas outside of major city centers, or in less tourist-heavy neighborhoods. However, you won’t always save money this way, and this is a crucial point. It’s a classic trade-off between cost and convenience that requires careful consideration.
Depending on how you arrive at the destination and how you plan to get around, you need to take different things into consideration. Will you have a car? Then you must research parking availability and cost, which can be exorbitant in cities. Relying on public transport? You need to check the proximity of your lodging to a bus stop or train station, the frequency of the service (especially at night), and the cost of daily or weekly passes. If you pay less for a hotel room that’s in the suburbs but you spend a lot of dollars and, just as importantly, a lot of time trying to get into the center, do you really save anything? The answer is often no.
So before you book the most affordable vacation accommodations you can find, take a few moments to investigate your alternatives for transportation and their associated costs. Use tools like Google Maps to calculate commute times from your potential hotel to the main attractions on your itinerary. Check the city’s official transit website for fare information. Sometimes, the money you save on the room is completely wiped out by what you spend on Ubers, taxis, or train tickets.
Sometimes, staying in the suburbs is indeed the best option, especially for longer stays or if you have a car and plan to take day trips outside the city. However, you must accept that it will take you longer to get to the main attractions, and the transportation might not be cheap. This lost time could be time spent enjoying your vacation, so it has a cost as well.
Other than that, while staying in a central area that’s close to local attractions, parks, beaches, airports, and food outlets might have a higher upfront cost, it could be worth it in the long run. The ability to walk from one place to another not only saves money but also allows for spontaneous discoveries and a more immersive experience. You can easily pop back to your room for a midday rest or to drop off shopping bags. Think about what you want to get out of your vacation—is it maximizing sightseeing time or minimizing lodging costs?—and then book your accommodations accordingly.
Trust me, carefully analyzing the true cost of your location is one of the best tips on how to find affordable vacation accommodations that genuinely work for your budget and travel style!
2. Stay a night extra
If you want to find affordable vacation accommodations and have the time of your life at the same time, you shouldn’t just book a single-night stay. This is a powerful but often overlooked strategy. When you spend more than one night, and particularly when you extend your stay to three, four, or even seven nights, several hotels or even Airbnb facilities will shower you with their greatest discounts. This is particularly true for apartment rentals on platforms like Airbnb or VRBO, which frequently provide significant weekly packages lasting 7 days or more, and even larger monthly discounts.
Why do they do this? For the property owner, longer stays mean less administrative work, guaranteed occupancy, and reduced turnover costs associated with cleaning and preparing the room for the next guest. They are often happy to pass some of these savings on to you as an incentive. However, there are plenty of other discounts available for longer stays at traditional hotels as well. A common deal at many hotels, for instance, especially within large chains, is “stay 4 nights, pay for 3,” or “stay 3 nights and get the 4th free.” Another popular offer is a straightforward percentage discount, such as 20% off for stays of five nights or more.
Even though these deals exist, you usually have to look for them. They may not be advertised on the main booking page. Check the hotel’s dedicated “Offers” or “Deals” section on their direct website. Travel agencies and booking sites also confirm that you’re more likely to benefit from an offer like this when you travel off-season. During these quieter periods, hotels are more desperate to fill their rooms and will be much more aggressive with their promotions to attract guests.
So, if your schedule allows for it, consider turning that long weekend into a full week. Not only will you likely get a better per-night rate on your accommodation, but you’ll also have more time to relax, explore at a leisurely pace, and truly soak in your destination. These tips on how to find affordable vacation accommodations are amazing, so don’t miss them!
3. Stay mid-week
While weekends are often considered the funniest and most convenient days of the week for a quick trip, this convenience comes at a premium. A vast number of tourists, especially those on shorter breaks or from nearby areas, book their getaways from Friday through Monday. If you want to get the best affordable vacation accommodations, you can leverage this trend by shifting your travel dates. Consider checking in on the weekdays, such as a Tuesday or Wednesday.
Avoiding the busy Friday and Saturday nighttime hours is a smart and highly effective strategy to save money on your hotel rooms, particularly in gorgeous, high-demand places like Las Vegas, Miami, or any major European capital. The price difference between a Saturday night and a Tuesday night at the very same hotel can be staggering. If you prefer to stay a few days, consider booking your getaway from Tuesday through Thursday to get a significantly lower average price per night. You can use hotel search engines to view prices on a calendar view, which makes these price discrepancies immediately obvious.
Big cities tend to be packed with weekend tourists, and hotels won’t miss this chance to capitalize on the surge in demand; they’re increasing their rates like crazy. Business-focused hotels can sometimes be an exception, as they may offer lower rates on weekends when their corporate clients have gone home. However, for most leisure destinations, mid-week is your best bet for savings. Beyond the financial benefit, you’ll also enjoy a better travel experience with fewer crowds at popular attractions, easier dinner reservations, and a more relaxed atmosphere. If you’re looking for the best tips on how to find affordable vacation accommodations, keep this one firmly in mind.
4. Shoulder-season
Did you know that the prices for hotel rooms change dramatically from one season to another? Yes, that’s right, and if you want to find some truly affordable vacation accommodations, the shoulder season is your best friend. This is one of the most powerful money-saving secrets of experienced travelers.
This period is the one between the peak season (high season) and the off-peak season (low season). The reason I absolutely love it is that it offers the best of both worlds. The weather is still wonderful, often more pleasant than the extreme heat or cold of the peak season. The popular destinations aren’t deserted, but they also aren’t uncomfortably crowded. There are still people on the streets creating a vibrant atmosphere, bars and restaurants are open and welcoming, and you don’t have to wait in hours-long queues to get your food or enter an attraction.
The shoulder season is fantastic because its benefits extend beyond lodging; it can also help you cut down on car rental costs as well as on flight tickets, as demand across the board is lower. If you think about visiting Europe, for instance, you should avoid the scorching and crowded July–August summer peak season. Instead, consider going in May, June, or September. The weather is just perfect for exploring, and sightseeing will be way easier and more enjoyable without the massive crowds and sweltering heat. Similarly, for ski destinations, the shoulder seasons of early December or late March can offer great snow with a fraction of the crowds and cost of the Christmas or February holidays.
This isn’t a tip on how to find affordable vacation accommodations, but it is going to help you save money on flight costs! When traveling during any season, maximizing your luggage space is key to avoiding extra fees. This carry-on luggage is exactly what you need to take everything you need on your trip without paying extra for checked luggage! This is especially important when flying budget airlines that charge for everything.
5. Apartments or suites
Another easy and highly effective way to save money and find the most affordable vacation accommodations is to travel in groups and think beyond traditional hotel rooms. If you book your getaway with your family or with a small group of friends, you can unlock significant savings and still have an amazing time together.
Rental homes, apartments, and large suites are generally more budget-friendly and practical than booking multiple hotel rooms, especially for large families or groups of friends. The math is simple: the cost per person drops significantly when you share a larger space. For instance, if you want to go to the mountains or a beach destination with your friends, you can book an entire chalet or a multi-bedroom condo. In this scenario, each couple can have a private room, sometimes even with their own bathroom, while sharing common spaces like a living room and kitchen.
You’ll have to pay for the entire property upfront, but the total cost for that will be equally split between all guests, resulting in a much lower price per person than individual hotel rooms. Moreover, what’s great about a rental home is the access to a full kitchen. This allows you to cook your own food, which can save an enormous amount of money compared to eating out for every meal. Simply having breakfast and coffee at your rental before heading out for the day can save a group hundreds of dollars over a week. Isn’t that great?
6. Nearby towns
Another fantastic way to find affordable vacation accommodations is to broaden your search radius and look at hotels and suites in nearby towns or adjacent neighborhoods. If the transportation costs aren’t over the top and the time it takes to go from your lodging to your main points of interest is manageable, you can book something that’s slightly outside of the main tourist hub and save a fortune.
For instance, if you want to visit the fabulous and notoriously expensive New York City, a classic budget-friendly place to stay is across the river in Jersey City or Hoboken, New Jersey. Getting to Manhattan is going to take approximately 20 minutes by the PATH train, and you’ll save a ton of money on your hotel room, often finding larger and more modern rooms for the price of a tiny one in the city. Similarly, when visiting Venice, staying in the nearby mainland town of Mestre offers drastically lower prices with just a short and cheap bus or train ride into the island city.
However, you must not forget what we’ve previously discussed in point 1. This strategy requires careful research. Staying too far away from the main attractions you plan to visit isn’t a smart idea either, especially if you have to contend with high transportation costs, expensive parking fees, or just the general hassle and lost time of a long commute. Do your research thoroughly. Use route planners to check real commute times during the hours you’d actually be traveling. Choose the best option for your specific itinerary and budget! That’s what’s going to make your getaway brilliant!
Do you know any other tips on how to find affordable vacation accommodations? We’d love to hear your success stories in the comments!
7. Contact hotels directly
Here is a pro tip that many travelers overlook in the age of big booking websites. Another powerful way to find affordable vacation accommodations is to select the hotels or suites you’d love to stay in and then contact them directly. Regardless of how easy and convenient it is to use booking sites like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia, you might be lucky and get a fantastic deal if you bypass the middleman and message or call the hotel directly.
First, do your research on the booking platforms to find a property you like and to see their advertised price. Then, you can send them a polite email or give them a call and talk about that price. Mention that you saw their rate on a specific website and ask if they can offer a better deal for booking directly. Use your best friendly persuasion tactics; you could mention you’re celebrating a special occasion or that you’re planning to be a repeat customer. They might be willing to offer you a better deal, a room upgrade, or include a perk like free breakfast.
You surely know that hostels, hotels, and apartments pay a hefty commission, often between 15% and 25%, to use these major booking platforms. Therefore, they are highly motivated to have you book your room directly from their own platform or over the phone. That’s because it’s going to help them keep 100% of your booking fee. By offering you a 10% discount, for example, they still come out ahead financially. It’s a classic win-win situation, so it never hurts to ask.
8. Family deals
This tip goes hand-in-hand with the one previously mentioned, and it’s essential for anyone traveling with children. If you’ve decided to find affordable vacation accommodations for your family trip, don’t forget to specifically ask about family discounts and policies when talking to the hotel staff or searching online. Many hotels are eager to attract the family market and have special promotions to do so.
Some hotels are nice enough to offer “kids stay free” policies for children under a certain age when sharing a room with parents. Others might offer “kids eat free” deals at their on-site restaurants, which can lead to substantial savings over the course of a trip. When you contact a hotel directly, be sure to mention the age of your children and ask if they have any family packages or special offers available. Sometimes they can also provide a complimentary upgrade at check-in to a larger room if one is available. It doesn’t hurt to try your luck with this one. The worst thing that can happen is for them to say no, so keep it in mind and always ask!
I’m pretty sure you’ll like this next tip on how to find affordable vacation accommodations! It’s all about being strategic. Check it out!
9. Free cancellation
This is a fantastic strategy for proactive planners. When you’re sure that you’ll be going on vacation pretty soon, don’t forget to make reservations in advance at the best price you can find online, but with one crucial condition: make sure the booking comes with a free cancellation policy. After that, your work isn’t done. You should continue to keep an eye on the prices to see if you can get a better offer at a different property or, quite often, even at the same hotel as your travel dates get closer.
For instance, most accommodations on Booking.com can be canceled for free up to 48 hours—and perhaps even 24 hours—before your visit. This is a game-changer. It offers incredible flexibility in case something comes up and you can’t make it, or, more importantly for our purposes, if you find something that is more budget-friendly. This strategy allows you to lock in a good rate early on without any risk, protecting you from price increases while allowing you to take advantage of future price drops.
Moreover, you have some freedom to lock in that cost with their book now, pay later check-in system, so don’t neglect it. With this approach, you might notice that sometimes new “last-minute deals” come up just a few days or a week before your check-in date as hotels scramble to sell their last remaining rooms. If you find a better deal, you can simply cancel your original booking for free and re-book at the lower price.
Before you do anything, make sure you meticulously check and understand the booking conditions per room type. Read the fine print! Some non-refundable rates might be displayed alongside the flexible ones, so ensure you’re selecting the correct option. This will guarantee you won’t be required to pay any additional fees if your plans change.
10. Don’t forget about facilities
Finding affordable vacation accommodations can be an energy-consuming task, and it’s easy to get fixated only on the nightly room rate. However, to truly save money, you need to look at the bigger picture. Choose a room, an apartment, or a suite that comes with valuable amenities like a free airport shuttle, complimentary high-speed WiFi, breakfast included, free cable TV, and on-site laundry facilities. The value of these “freebies” can add up very quickly.
There are fancier options that might include a communal BBQ area, a swimming pool, a tour booking desk, and a fitness center. Choose the one that fits your needs and travel style. When you’re lucky enough to find accommodation that includes all of these services, or at least a couple of them, it means that you won’t be paying extra for these services outside. For example, a free airport shuttle could save you $50-$100 on round-trip taxi fares. Free breakfast can easily save $15-$25 per person, per day. Free Wi-Fi prevents you from racking up expensive mobile data charges.
If you want to rent an apartment for your getaway, the most valuable facility is a kitchenette. Make sure that there’s at least a microwave oven, a fridge, and a coffee machine at your disposal, because that’s going to save you lots of money. Even better is a small stove and some basic pots and pans.
These appliances will help you store food items and snacks so that you won’t be tempted to eat out for every single meal. You can prepare your own breakfasts, pack lunches for your day trips, and even cook simple dinners. Sometimes, finding truly affordable vacation accommodations isn’t only about the initial cost of the room but also about the hidden costs and the facilities that you might need during your stay. Having them included in the price can be a real game-changer for your overall travel budget.
If you want to discover other great tips on how to find affordable vacation accommodations, keep reading! We have some powerful financial tricks coming up.
11. Credit card reward points
Another amazing and often underutilized way to find affordable vacation accommodations is by leveraging the power of reward points on your credit card. We’ve talked about these points several times on our website because they are a fantastic tool for savvy spenders (if you need a more in-depth explanation, check out this article: Save Money Every Day With These 16 Easy Tips). Essentially, using your credit card for everyday purchases can give you a steady stream of bonus points that you could later exchange for valuable flight deals and completely free accommodation offers.
Since you already spend money buying the things you need like groceries, gas, and monthly bills, why not get some valuable points in return? Not doing so is like saying no to free money, and you won’t catch me saying that. The key is to pay off your balance in full each month to avoid interest charges, which would negate the benefits.
However, there are plenty of specialized travel credit cards that offer a wealth of benefits that can be used when going on vacation. These cards often come with huge sign-up bonuses after you meet a minimum spending requirement, which can be enough for several free hotel nights right off the bat. Make sure you look up credit card companies and compare their travel cards. You might get free nights, statement credits for travel purchases, automatic room upgrades, airport lounge access, and amazing exclusive experiences thanks to that card, so don’t waste this opportunity!
Keep reading, because you’ll love this next tip on how to find affordable vacation accommodations! It’s closely related to this one.
12. Reward programs
Our 12th tip on how to find affordable vacation accommodations is to harness the power of brand loyalty by using hotel loyalty programs or booking site reward programs, such as Genius by Booking.com, Hotels.com Rewards, or the programs from major chains like Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and World of Hyatt.
If you frequently visit the same hotel chains or use the same online booking services, it’s a smart idea to join their free rewards or membership programs. I can’t tell you which program is best because it depends entirely on your personal priorities, how and where you travel, your budget, and how frequently you travel. Some programs are better for luxury stays, while others offer more value at budget-friendly properties.
Besides that, as mentioned before, there are plenty of travel credit cards that offer exceptional discounts and benefits at hotels to their members. In fact, many co-branded hotel credit cards grant you automatic elite status in that hotel’s loyalty program, fast-tracking you to better perks. However, keep in mind that all these deals are different and depend on your preferences and travel needs.
When researching reward programs, you should consider what matters more to you: earning free nights as quickly as possible, or getting more on-site perks like room upgrades, free breakfast, and late checkout? Or would you rather enjoy luxury at a reasonable cost through points redemptions? The best programs offer a good balance of both.
Charging your hotel expenses to a credit card that’s linked to the rewards program is the best thing you could do if you want to get the most out of any rewards program. It’s called “double-dipping.” You earn points from the hotel for your stay, and you earn points on your credit card for the purchase. Yay!
You can earn extra points for spending on any card, basically, but the best co-branded hotel card will also instantly elevate you to elite status in the hotel program. This earns you even more bonus points on your stays and unlocks immediate benefits. Can you believe it?
Before you get your hopes up and sign up for a dozen cards, don’t forget to take into consideration what the annual fee for your credit card will be. Is it really worth it if you don’t plan on traveling that much in a year? You need to ensure the value of the perks outweighs the annual fee.
Other perks that might come with travel credit cards are airport lounge access and comprehensive travel insurance, and they can certainly sweeten the deal. My advice for you is to not rush with this one. Take your time and think it through; it’s the smartest thing to do if you want to save money in the long run.
13. Dining options
We’re not done with these tips on how to find affordable vacation accommodations, so keep reading! This tip is about being strategic with your food budget, which is directly linked to your choice of lodging. As we’ve previously discussed, location is key when choosing the right place to stay. When you’re evaluating a hotel or rental, don’t just look at its proximity to tourist sites, but also ensure there’s a plethora of local cafes, grocery stores, and restaurants nearby. To save money, make sure they’re budget-friendly. You can easily check that by using Google Maps to scan the area and looking at their menus and reviews online before you even book.
If you chose an accommodation that also serves a complimentary breakfast, that’s wonderful, as it saves you the cost and hassle of one meal per day. But keep in mind that larger cities have plenty of options for restaurants and cafes, and grabbing a pastry and coffee at a local bakery can often be cheaper and a more authentic experience compared to a pricey dinner at the hotel. Hotel restaurants are notorious for being overpriced due to their convenience. If you have the option to cook for yourself in a rental with a kitchen, that’s going to be way better for your wallet and can be a fun part of the cultural experience.
14. Newsletter deals
Here’s a simple yet highly effective tip I have for you on how to find affordable vacation accommodation: subscribe via email to your favorite travel agencies, hotel chains, and booking websites, such as Hotels.com, Booking.com, Expedia, and Airbnb. It may seem like you’re just signing up for more spam, but it can be a goldmine for deals.
These companies often share their latest deals, flash sales, and special subscriber-only coupons, and the first people to receive them are those who subscribe to their email newsletters. Sometimes these deals are time-sensitive or have limited availability, so being on that list gives you a crucial head start. To avoid cluttering your main inbox, consider creating a separate email address just for travel-related subscriptions. Who knows what amazing offers you can find there? Subscribe now and find out!
15. Follow on social media
We’re almost done with these tips on how to find affordable vacation accommodations, but we have one more crucial thing to talk about in our digital age: get online and get social, because that’s where the deals are! In addition to newsletters, social media is a key channel for travel companies to release timely promotions.
Grab your phone and hit the “LIKE” or “Follow” button on your favorite booking platforms, hotel chains, and hostels on all their social media pages: Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are the main ones. Don’t just follow the major corporations; also follow specific hotels you are interested in for a future trip.
Nowadays, more and more sites and properties post about their limited-time deals and special offers that are available for a limited number of people. It can be a great offer for you, especially if your travel plans are flexible. You might see a flash 24-hour sale or a contest for a free stay. To ensure you don’t miss these fleeting opportunities, turn on post notifications for your most-watched accounts. You snooze, you lose!
Which one of these tips on how to find affordable vacation accommodations is your favorite? Have you used any of these strategies to save money on your travels? Did you find this article useful and inspiring for your next trip? Leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts and your own best tips!
If you’d like to read something else from The Price Makers and continue your journey to becoming a savvy consumer, I highly recommend this article on another crucial money-saving skill: 10 Negotiation Techniques for Successful Bargaining: Get the Price YOU WANT!
