Cheap Hotel Deals ? Simple Tips for Saving on Hotel Costs

Travelling overseas for work or pleasure should be a worry-free experience. However, many travelers often face the difficulty of finding cheap hotel deals, which is especially important when on a tight budget. Saving travel costs on a stay at a reasonably-priced accommodation goes a long way in making your trip more pleasant as you can then focus your budget planning on the trip proper instead.

Looking for the best deals can be a frustrating process if you do not know how and where to look, as there is a large amount of information about hotel deals online and offline to sort and process. I shall thus help to make your search for the best hotel deals a more systematic one by offering the following tips and advice.

1.      The Internet is home to great hotel deals.

The Internet can provide comprehensive information about the hotel deals which best suits your budget.  The numerous online aggregate travel sites contain a wealth of information about hotels, thanks to their partner suppliers’ links to many hotels worldwide.

To sort and narrow down your search effectively, you can take advantage of these sites’ search and compare functions, which can compare the rates among different hotels in their database which have similar characteristics that suit your search criteria. This way, you can easily compare the rates of hotels within the same area, with similar names or with the same star rating, among other selectable sorting criteria.

The most important benefit of booking your hotels through the aggregate travel sites is the presence of best rate guarantees, special deals and discounts which may not be available if you book directly through the hotels’ websites. However, you should take note of the accompanying fine print before making your booking, as there may be additional charges or non-refundable clauses involved, among others.

2.      Search for online portals that offer cheaper options during peak travel periods.

You may discover that hotel prices are generally higher during the peak seasons which could include long vacation periods during the summer, during major local festivals and events or during the weekends, among others. This is because hotels generally raise their rates due to the influx of tourists.

However, there are some online portals that do specialize in offering cheaper deals during such periods. Hence it is a good idea to book your hotels through these websites, such as one that I will mention below, to ensure that your hotel costs remain affordable.

3.      Select a hotel further from the city centre.

If staying in a centrally-located hotel is not a must for you, you may consider accommodation that is located further away from the city centre as these hotels usually cost less. Here, you may even find smaller local independent hotel chains which provide a comfortable stay and charge lower room rates than more well-known ones.

4.      Look out for offers and deals whenever you book your hotel.

Many websites offer limited time offers and deals for selected hotels in your chosen destination when you book with them. Hence, be alert and do a search on which hotels offer such promotional deals as booking a discounted hotel can save you more money than you can imagine. However, do pay attention to the stipulations, commonly in the form of a minimum number of nights’ stay, that have to be met before you can enjoy these deals.

In order to get the best deals on airline tickets you should plan to buy your ticket several months before your departure. Many airlines will offer discounted rates if tickets are purchased this far in advance. At a minimum, tickets should be purchased three weeks before your departure as this will also ensure superior seating. Another advantage of buying tickets early is that seasonal price increases will not affect you.

Flying on weekends is best avoided. It is far superior to leave during the week and ideally you should leave early in the week from Monday through Wednesday. Saturdays also often have cheap rates, so traveling on a weekend can work for you providing you do it differently than most people who are traveling just for the weekend. Typically, travelers can expect to pay an additional $40 on weekends if they are doing the standard Friday to Sunday trip. It is also essential to avoid travel during peak seasons. Peak travel seasons such as Christmas, or other holidays will not only delay your flight times and force you to confront crowds but also will cost you more.

Don’t be afraid of the red eyes. You can save a lot if you’re willing to travel the late-night route. Many of these flights are under bucked, and flights can be purchased at a significant discount. Another trick is to check standby fares. In many cases airlines will offer tickets and a great discount for flights that are under booked.

Another consideration is how long you plan to stay at your destination. Many airlines will give discounted prices assuming you stay at your destination for longer than a week, and return within a few months.

While many people believe the direct flights are the cheapest it is often cheaper to go to your final destination via connection hubs. You can save as much as $1000 when you are willing to take connecting flights. Using connecting flights is ideal for people who travel light and do not carry a lot of luggage.

There is a window of opportunity every Wednesday morning when airlines release information on their new fares and seating plans. If you are quick you can find the best prices at this time. Call for rates at 12:01.

The Internet is a huge boon for travelers as it gives us the luxury of seeing flight data from multiple vendors in a way that even travel agents and airline ticketing agents could not a decade ago. But understand that posted Internet prices are not always the cheapest. In many cases you can contact a travel agent to find better deals. You can also sometimes find discounts at the airlines by calling them directly rather than purchasing a ticket from and online aggregator. It also doesn’t hurt to check newspapers as a sometimes you can find consolidators who by many tickets and can provide cheaper flights.

The most important thing is purchasing your tickets early. If you are buying last minute and in a rush you’ll find that you often paid double to triple what you pay if you buy your tickets well in advance. Many sites like Expedia and Travelocity will list the best rates from all the airlines that offer flights from your current location to your final destination. It is important to use the services and compare them against each other. However, these services will often not have airfares well in advance when you can get the best deals. In these cases it is best to contact a travel agent directly and see what kind of deals they can get for you

The world-wide-web has proven to be not only a source for a myriad of information on almost anything and everything there is to know but it also gives one the access and the facility to make online transactions with business sites. And not to be left behind is the air ticketing offices which boast of more convenience and efficiency for their traveling clients. Appreciation of travelers and tourists for these online airline booking sites have been increasing by the day. This is not surprising as they have surely been convinced by the advantages and benefits that they have reaped as compared to the traditional way of reserving and booking airline tickets and boarding passes. Here are a few more tips to get the most out of your money in getting those airplane tickets via the internet.

Booking in advance has always seemed to be an advantage for most travelers. The earlier you have your ticket, the earlier you will have peace of mind about your traveling plans. Then all you can do is sit tight and wait for the day where you can go directly to the terminal, board up your plane and get ready to see the world outside of your country. There are a number of airlines which offer discounts for tickets that are booked 21 days ahead of time, so you may want to consider these. Try not to book too early though because flight fares have a tendency to fluctuate from time to time. It would surely put a damper on things when you learn that you paid for $15 more for your trip to Sydney, Australia which you have booked last month as when you can get a better rate when you have purchased your tickets today. Be on your guard for airfare sales and promotional deals. Read travel news and updates regularly which are available on the internet on a daily basis. You may learn a tip or two that can save you a lot on your airplane fees and other charges. You may also want to sign up to receive fare alerts, announcements and special deals through email. A lot of websites offer this feature as an add-on benefit to their loyal traveling customers and clients.

As much as possible, it is best to compare and keep a record of airfare prices and fees the whole year round. And do not content yourself with just one airline. The world-wide-web is offering you the chance to get the best deal with the numerous and multiple online air company websites that it offers so make the best out of it. Search in, match up side by side and weigh carefully all facets before booking in that flight. Where some websites may offer lower rates, the amenities may not be that good so it is best to consider all options. Getting a low fare does not necessarily mean that you have to sacrifice the quality. If you are diligent and wary enough, you will definitely get the most out of your airfare shopping.

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Have you been planning a Bangkok sightseeing vacation but always holds it back because of budget constraints? Don’t worry because there are many ways to enjoy Bangkok even with limited vacation funds.

Bangkok is really one of the best places to visit if you want quality but inexpensive vacation. It has numerous tourist attractions that are usually accessible by public transportation. So before you cave in to the luring sales pitch of the tour guides that charge hefty fees, it is worth to read the following frugal tips for your future Bangkok sightseeing vacation plan.

Use the Map. You can ask a free copy of Bangkok map at the hotel concierge. If you cannot find any, though rarely, you can always refer to the maps located in the public transportation stations of the metro train or express boats.

Also, majority of the tourist attractions have tourist information booth nearby that you can approach.

Research Earlier. Guided tours are always expensive because you pay for their service and knowledge. Tour guides will provide you with the history, its significance and other related information of the sights you wish to go.

But why spend a dime for information that is widely available with no cost at all. Before you pack your things, do some little homework. Research and read about those famous tourist attractions that you plan to visit. This will save you a substantial amount of money while you will enjoy the thrill of exploring unguided Bangkok sightseeing tours.

Take Express Boat. This is the great way to get around in Bangkok because it is cheap and fast, away from the congested roads. Express boat is also known as the public boat. With regular trips and several routes, you can visit major tourist attractions using express boat.

Here are few local tourist attractions that you can reach through Express boat.

• Emerald Buddha & Grand Palace
• The Golden Buddha
• The Reclining Buddha
• The National Museum of Royal Barges
• Wat Arun

Tour guides will approach you in every sightseeing site. Don’t succumb to their overcharged fees as most of the local attractions are just walking distance from the pier (where the express (public) boats dock).

For instance, Wat Arun is located just across the pier Tha Tien where you get off for the Reclining Buddha. There is available ferry that will take you for five minutes or less to the Wat Arun from the Tha Tien pier for only 3 bhat per way.

Bangkok Mass Transit System. It is also known as BTS Sky train, a quick and convenient way to reach shopping malls and other tourists destinations. Aside that it gives you a top view of the city, BTS Sky train is also clean. It will cost you between 30-40 baht per trip per way.
Here are few places you can go using the BTS Sky train.

• Siam Square (Bangkok’s shopping heartland)
• Victory Monument
• MBK Shopping Mall
• Chatuchak or Weekend Market

Pack Extra Traveling Bags. Bangkok is always associated with shopping because there are so many things to buy at reasonable prices from clothes, shoes, silk, tailor-made suits, jewelries to souvenir items. You will definitely end up with an extra travelling bag on your return.

To pack all these new shopping goodies, you will need an additional suitcase on your return but why you have to buy an extra suitcase when you can pack some old folding traveling bags you keep in your closet back home.

Now that you know few Bangkok sightseeing vacation frugal tips, it’s about time to let go your travel qualms and enjoy the thrill of exploring frugally the various local attractions in Bangkok.

Stereotypical tourist
What it means to backpack
Homework
Local currencies
Surroundings
Language
Clothing & accessories
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Off season travel

Being a backpacker is not about having a holiday and succumbing to the lures of the in your face tourist traps that are ever present in most destinations in which you may wish to visit.

No, no, no backpacking is generally considered more about experiencing the real culture of a destination, the real people and the real way in which a visiting destination operate from day to day. Backpacking is for independent traveler, adventurer and explorer who wants to experience all of the ‘off the beaten track’ types of travel and destinations all on the smell of an oil rag.

On the other hand your stereotypical image of an annoying tourist is that of a group of snapshot taking outsiders who often seem to appear at every major landmark or tour stop off. You can easily pick out the tourist since they are the ones who are loud, sun burnt and are dragging along a bunch of screaming kids.

Well these are the images that pop into my mind when I think about tourists and I literally cringe at the thought of traveling in that manner. I think it would by now have become evident that I am pro-backpacker and anti-tourist. Not that tourists are bad people, everyone has their place in this world and on their travel route – however it is just not my cup of tea and I imagine not for many of the frequent readers of Backpacking Addictz.

So I have decided to write the blog article solely for the purpose of informing the newbie backpacker of how to avoid the traps of becoming just another annoying tourist.

Homework:

It is advisable and usually a given procedure for the diligent backpacker to do their homework and research on the destinations in which they intend to visit. A basic understanding of the local culture, customs and history of the particular destination will put you in good stead for not sticking out like a sore thumb or even worse offending some of the locals.

Local currencies:

Familiarize yourself with the local money and the exchange rate. It is highly advisable to be well aware of the exchange rate to avoid having to do lengthy and mind boggling calculations every time you want to make a simple transaction. This will hopefully prevent you from constantly asking some local trader “how much is that is pounds” or US dollars, or euros or whatever your home currency might be.

The local trader will probably not have any more of an idea than you do and if they do by some chance then you possibly open yourself up to being ripped off. The best thing to do is prior to leaving – work out the exchange rate and apply it to $10 or 10 of what ever your home currency is and then use this scale to gain a better understanding of how the cost of a transaction relates to your home currency.

For example if you are aware that $10 is 400BHT in Thailand then you would know that $25 is worth approximately 1000 BHT.

Surroundings:

Research and get familiar with your surroundings and orientation of the destination you are visiting. This will prevent you from looking lost and wandering aimlessly. It will also reduce the risk from you being targeted by local con artists and scammers.

My suggestion, and I have always made this a priority before I leave for a backpacking adventure, is to purchase a travel guide and map for the particular destination/s you plan to visit. Travel guides are an essential and valuable asset for every serious traveler or backpacker.

We consider travel guides so important that we are currently in the process of launching the highly anticipated Backpacking Addictz Travel eGuides. These perfect travel companions will be cheap, informative and easy to take with you anywhere you decide to go. They will be available for purchase very shortly once finishing touches have been finalized.

We are so excited about the launch of the Backpacking Addictz Travel eGuides have been written by the backpacker for the backpacker and will be the perfect tool for preparing your journey, familiarizing yourself with the culture, customs, eating and drinking venue and quality advice on how to enjoy the backpacking journey to its fullest extent.

By studying a guide and doing your homework prior to arriving to your intended countries you are less likely to be caught out looking like a silly tourist or worse being scammed by a local con artist.

If you need to ask for directions then try and do so discreetly. You can always pick the tourist who is the one standing in the middle of a large open area looking completely bewilded by the large map opened up before them whilst asking random locals for directions. Its not a good look and generally puts a tourist target smack bang on your forehead.

If you need to ask for directions you can discreetly do so by asking a local shop or business owner this is the preferred way to seek some directions or local advice as opposed to asking random passers by.

Language

It is definately worth becoming slightly au fait will some of the local languages. We you dont have to become a language professor in a particular language however it would be advisable to at learn learn a few of the basics. Even some common slang will help to show the locals that you know a thing or two about the area.

Pocket dictionaries are the most obvious choices for the hesitant language learner and you can either purchase a hard copy from your local book store or better yet there is a vast array of websites on the internet where you should be able to find enough information for free to get you by. Also, if you are up to date with the latest mobile phone trends such as the iPhone there are many applications in which you can download foreign dictionaries straight to your mobile phone.

Clothing and accessories

Try to blend in with the locals to some degree. I remember when I was travelling through Cambodia and took the time to head to Siem Reap to see the Angkor Wat there were plenty of big loud hawaiian t-shirt wearing tourists visiting and they seriously looked right out of place. At least try to fit in with the local trends or looks rather than trying to make a statement.

Souvenir clothing clearly says to any local that they are tourists, its like holding a picket sign up saying come rip me off i’m a tourist. By all means purchase the odd tourist clothing but save it for wear when you get back home.

Carrying huge big bags and bulky accessories around with you everywhere you go is certainly not advisable since you simply have more to lose, get stolen or damaged. Just take what you need and nothing unneccessary, you are best of leaving this stuff at the guesthouse or secured in the hostel with your big backpack. Especially in poorer countries you are best to keep expensive camera, mobile phones or iPods kept in your pocket or hidden from the publics view, these are expensive products and will quickly gain a thieves eye.

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Always be polite and considerate and treat people the way you would like to be treated. Tried to avoid confrontations at all costs, remember you are in unchartered waters so to speak and always remember the saying “when in Rome”. Losing your cool and having an argument with someone is generally not only rude but it will get you nowhere especially if you speak a different language to the locals.

The Backpacker never travels in large groups rather they tend to either run solo or in pairs of sometimes 3′s or 4′s. The bigger the group you are in the more you are going to look like a tourist.

I prefer to run solo when backpacking as it allows you the complete freedom to not have to take other peoples issues into consideration. Perhaps a selfish attitude some might say but if you want to do something the way YOU want to do it then travelling on a solo mission I think is the best way. However, if you have a partner who is in the same mind set as you – this can also be a fantastic way to share all your experiences and travels with someone special.

Off season travel

Travelling during the off season certainly seems to have many more perks for the backpacker than travelling during the high season. First, you do not have to worry about as many painstaking tourists bumping into you left right and centre and secondly, you can generally get cheaper airfares and accommodation during these periods.

At the end of the day you need to travel the way you want to travel, everone is different and wants different things. However, if you are aiming to set youself aside from all the usual tourist traps and scams, and if you really want to enjoy your independent travels as a backpacker we strongly suggest that you take on board a number of the abovementioned issues.

Get out there and get amongst it!

Backpacking Addictz is a website set up by backpackers for the use of backpackers. On this site you will find a lot of very valuable information surrounding different destinations around the world and tips and advice on budget travel and backpacking. You will also find an enthusiastic and insightful backpacking blog which is regularly updated with new posts and article.

Backpacking Addictz Travel eGuides are a fantastic, cheap and easy way to get hold of a vast amount of backpacking information prior to setting off on your backpacking adventure.

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