Haven’t you gone on vacation yet because you think the prices are sky-high? It is true that going on vacation costs more and more, but it is also true that you can save a lot of money on accommodation if you make good decisions.
So that you know what we mean and you can escape for a few days spending as little as possible, we recommend paying attention to what we tell you in this article, which, as you will see, includes a very useful infographic that you should read carefully.
Bet on low season dates
The central weeks of August are usually the most expensive of the year. It is when more people take vacations and that means that hotel rooms are always occupied (law of supply and demand). Therefore, if what you want is to spend less and gain peace of mind, decide for weeks of low season such as June or September , months in which you can also enjoy the good summer weather. Prices change more than you can imagine, being able to save you up to 41 euros in Spain, 62 euros in France, 32 euros in Italy and 40 euros in the United Kingdom. Sounds good right?
Choose a cheap destination
Traveling to another continent is fantastic because you usually get to know new cultures, and you may even be pleasantly surprised to see that in countries like Thailand you can stay in a five-star hotel for less than 50 euros.
In Europe we find that staying in Spain, Russia, Ukraine or Romania is relatively cheap, while staying in France or Switzerland is rather prohibitive. There are also intermediate destinations such as Italy, where it is possible to find bargains, or the United Kingdom, where there are big differences between staying in a big city or in a town.
Book the hotel in advance
As is often the case with flights, booking a hotel in advance is often synonymous with lower prices. We always recommend doing it in January at the latest , although it is true that many people do not know what days they will have on vacation until they sit down to talk with their bosses and co-workers.
In such cases, it is a good idea to book a hotel that allows you to cancel your stay without losing money, since you can modify the arrival and departure dates if any inconvenience arises.
Although hotels tend to be cheaper when booked in advance, it is sometimes possible to benefit from last minute bargains as well . If the goal is to achieve 100% occupancy, some owners are willing to offer very attractive prices for rooms that will be left empty due to last minute cancellations.
Compare prices
By now you have surely seen a lot of times the typical ad that recommends you to compare prices of different hotel websites in a metasearch engine like Trivago . It is the fastest and cheapest way to find the best price, although we have to say that you do not always get the best rate. More than once it has happened to us that by accessing the hotel’s website we have managed to book at a more attractive price. It is logical that this is the case because the search engines take their commission, so they have little to lose from the discount.
Get away from the center
We all like to be in the center, close to the most important buildings and monuments of a city. It is the most comfortable and cheapest at the level of travel, since you can walk to almost all places. However, that convenience comes at a price, and unfortunately it is not usually the lowest. Booking in the center or near the center increases the final price of the reservation.
If you do not mind leaving the center because you find a hotel that is well connected , a good advice is to bet on a remote neighborhood or a nearby town to save money. This is what is happening more and more in Barcelona, ​​where some tourists prefer to stay in towns such as Badalona, ​​which is very well connected to Barcelona by Metro, bus and train, and which has cleaner beaches than those in Barcelona.
Value the all-inclusive option
At first we tend to think that an all-inclusive is very expensive, but at the moment of truth it is usually the cheapest option . Why? Because eating and dining out is not cheap at all. You spend a lot of money, especially if you go with children. Hence, many families opt for an apartment or look favorably on accommodation with half board. If the all-inclusive is not so successful it is because it ties you to always be close to the hotel so as not to skip a meal or dinner. If you do, it gives you the feeling that you have thrown your money away.
Check the cancellation policy
Reading the cancellation policy of a hotel is the most important thing. It is almost always cheaper to book the same hotel when the cancellation policy is restrictive. By this I mean that by canceling for any reason and at any time they charge you for the entire reservation. At the other extreme is the free cancellation, which is usually up to 24 or 48 hours before entering the hotel.
Ask for a quick loan
Thanks to companies like Viaconto, traveling to any destination is easier. Why? Because it grants you immediate loans so you can travel without worries. The application process is very agile and they give you an answer via SMS. If they approve it, they send you a verification code, but it can also happen that they reject it for not meeting a minimum of requirements.
When the loan is granted and you accept the terms and conditions of the Viaconto service, you just have to choose the amount you want to receive (between 50 and 300 euros) and in how many days you will return it (between 7 and 30 days). The calculator that you will find on its website automatically calculates the amount that you will have to repay including interest, in addition to the due date of the loan.
