Businesses today have gone global and with the businesses going global, businessmen now travel from one place to another regularly as they expand their business, merge them or diversify. This has opened a whole new world of business travel for the travel and tourism industry while the expenses incurred by businessmen are whopping to say the least. Yes, today we find a lot of conglomerates tying up with air carriers and hotels and travel agents, but what can a small businessman do? According to an agency report, business travel is expected to grow by about 2.5% in Europe in 2017 as businesses consider travel as a force for growth. And yet, according to the same report, cost control remains a major factor for business travels.
10 hotel hacks that will help you score a hotel room at cheaper rates.
1. Use coupons
Hotels don’t generally offer coupons but third party sites and booking websites have tie-ups with them, so you can find good coupons for hotels if you explore the internet a bit.
For example, HotUKSavings offers up to 91% Booking.com Discounts on selected hotels.
2. Sign up for loyalty programs
A lot of hotels offer loyalty programs to regular customers. So if your business is in 2 or 3 fixed cities, then you can select a hotel in each city that offers good services at reasonable rates and enroll in their loyalty programs. This way, you will get better discounts and booking preferences as well.
3. Travel during weekdays
Business is anyway conducted on weekdays only, so it is better to travel on weekdays itself. You can take an early morning flight, check-in, refresh, go and complete your meeting and then come back and rest in the hotel on a Monday instead of checking in and staying on a Sunday night for a Monday morning meeting. This way, you will also save on travel costs as early morning flights are generally cheaper.
4. Negotiate the pricing
No matter which part of the world you are in, there is no such thing as fixed pricing. It is always better to ask for a better deal or to negotiate the prices, even if they say a no. Because how do you know unless you have asked. You can also research a little bit about the pricing so as to have a upper hand in the bargaining. And if you don’t get the discount, it is alright, but you will definitely get some service complimentary which would otherwise be chargeable.
5. Bed and Breakfast
A lot of hotels provide bed and breakfast, and you can find a great deal as you get breakfast complimentary along with your stay. The concept of bed and breakfast is especially beneficial if you have to travel only for a day or two as you don’t have to spend much on food. Eating breakfast at hotel will keep you full and energised for the day as you may not know what are the food options around.
6. Check prices online
Hotels these days work on the principle of dynamic pricing. While this may not be a very good news during the peak season, you can use it to your benefit in other seasons as it means that different websites will show different prices for the same room. All you have to do is choose the one with the lowest price. And if you have some travel credit with the site you usually book with, you can show them lower prices on another site and ask for reduced prices or you can simply use the travel credit another time.
7. Looked for rented apartments
A lot of furnished apartments in Europe can be hired on rent for small visits. This is beneficial for business travellers as these are way cheaper than the hotels and once you find them, you can use them for all your visits since (booking them will be much simpler since they are not very famous.
8. Go for functional hotels
While on a business tour, you don’t need all the luxurious amenities. It is okay to go for a twin sharing room rather than a single bedroom with a king size bed. All you need is a place to spend a couple of nights. You can splurge on a king size bed while on your vacation when you travel with your family.
9. Go for a package
Travel agents usually have tie-ups with various hotels, airlines and other transport modes. So if you can find a travel agent who can offer you an entire package at a discounted price, then there is nothing like it. This, however, works better in the long term for frequent travellers.
10. Use your credit card
A lot of credit cards come with various offers, and when you use your credit card for a particular transaction, you are generally rewarded. Use these credit card points to get discounts on hotels and earn more points. Hence, the cycle of purchasing on credit and enjoying the benefits continues.
With these hacks, you can save a lot on your hotel prices. Even if it is a small saving, you must not forget that money saved is money earned.
