You can keep up to date on great hotel deals all year round if you know how and where to find them; and we can help you locate them by using these easy to follow tips. For example, many of the large hotel chains have frequent traveler rewards programs where you can earn free lodging and by signing up to their online services, you can easily subscribe to their client emails and newsletters.

Another of the easy tips for finding great hotel deals is by forming a co-op with friends and family, especially those that like to travel. Sometimes, you can gift points to each other to match up free trips for those that have an immediate need. Plus you may not be aware that you can do this with airlines as well.

Furthermore, you can get great hotel deals from many credit card providers, as long as you book using their credit card. Some of the credit card companies like American Express and Discover offer discounts at certain hotel chains when you pay with them and even MasterCard and Visa will run promotions with some larger hotel chains. For example, a usual credit card promotion might include a third night’s free accommodation if you stay two nights or more.

Another quick and easy tip is, if you have a particular hotel chain that you’d like to stay with, simply visit their website because they may offer additional discounts, sometimes 20% or more by booking 14 days in advance.  Although these reservations might be non-cancellable, they are still worth a look if you’re trying to drive your dollar further. As always though, be sure to read the fine print on these types of hotel deals before you finalize your booking.

Many times, you will hear that the best hotel deals are when you book in the off-season, and of course, the rates are lower because the hotels will have a lot more rooms that will sit empty. But did you know that in tropical climates, off-season can still mean great weather, smaller crowds and great hotel deals. You also have to consider that in the northern hemisphere, they have the opposite weather pattern to the southern hemisphere, so you can use these easy to follow tips to get great hotel deals any time of year - no matter what type of holiday escape you’re looking for.

Using the internet to find travel clubs is another way to find great hotel deals all year round.  Many of the vacation clubs charge an upfront membership fee and then you pay a minimum amount for a weekly rental. You can get some great hotel deals in some of the top destinations and pay a cheaper night’s rate than you would in a regular hotel.

Think about friends you might have in the hotel industry or those that have family members that work for hotel chains. Many of these hotel chains will offer friends and family rates that are less than half the regular fare or nightly rate. If you are looking for the best hotel deals, this is one of the easiest tips to find the best rates.

If you belong to an airline frequent flyer club, check and see what hotel partnerships they currently have.  Often, you can get a discount on hotel rooms and rental cars while you earn airline miles. Another thing to look for is the airlines that allow you to cash in your frequent flyer points or miles for great hotel deals or a free night’s stay.

There are some services and companies you might already be a client of that offer great hotel deals. Easy tips to think about are automobile clubs, dining club discounts, the entertainment clubs, bank travel clubs and books that can be bought for many of the major metropolitan areas. Across the United States, the entertainment books can be bought for these major cities and they offer discounts on meals, attractions and great hotel deals that can be up to 50% off in some cases.

In addition, many of the hotels will offer senior citizen rates, corporate discounts and some of the big companies will have national accounts set up with major hotel chains. Government employees can get government discounts by showing their identification and the same is true of military personnel and family.

When it comes time to find a cheap hotel room, it’s easy to find great hotel deals any time of year if you follow these easy tips and start thinking about sources that might be right at your fingertips. If you get creative with the sources and where you look, it might be easier than you think to get great hotel deals by using just a few of these easy tips. In fact, you might find several options to choose from - no matter where and when you plan to holiday!

There are different kinds of hotel accommodations like hostels, resorts, hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, inns, serviced apartments and condominiums, just to name a few. There are characteristics that are common to a variety of this range of accommodation; regardless if they are cheap hotels or expensive luxury boutique resorts. Understanding the basic differences can be helpful when you are planning your trip so that you can drive your dollar further. Here we’ve summarized the main features of the more common types of accommodation.

Hostels:

Hostels are cheap hotels that might include (or exclude) a variety of additional services. You might need to help with chores, clean your own room, or share a bunk bed barrack-style room with other people. Hostels come in a variety of configurations, depending on what part of the world you are traveling to. It might mean you have to make your bed for the next person, share a room with a room-mate or get a daily chore assigned as part of your stay. However, these kinds of accommodation are still some of the best deals, when it comes to cheap hotels.

Resorts:

Typically, resorts are located in highly desirable destination locations. Some cheap hotels will call themselves resorts just because of where they are located. So it goes without saying that there are a wide variety of classes in resorts but a real resort will offer much more than just a room.

Real resorts will have extra amenities like, restaurants, bars, game rooms, a swimming pool, possibly waterslides and other recreational activities; all adding to a more interesting and possibly more expensive holiday than your usual hostel.

Hotels or Motels:

Some people don’t know the difference between a hotel and a motel. You can find cheap hotels, but many times the proper use is cheap motels. If it is a building where you can drive up and unload your car straight into your room, it is a motel. A good way to remember the difference is that you can “motor” up to the accommodation, so it is a “motel”, that is how the term originated. A hotel will generally involve a concierge service and you’ll usually walk down a “hallway” to get to your room.

Bed and Breakfasts:

Most people think it’s easy to understand this one, but bed and breakfasts can be upscale like a boutique hotel or be as simple as a backroom in a home. Basically, you are getting a bed to sleep in and you can eat breakfast that is prepared by the host, whatever and whenever they decide to get up and prepare. You might have to share a bath down the hall with several other guests or you might even have a large elaborate bedroom. This variety makes them popular for those that are looking for cheap alternatives to hotels.

Inns:

Accommodations like an Inn can be a small, family-owned motel or hotel. As an Inn is defined by the family ownership structure, this kind of accommodation can be found in virtually all parts of the world. Some resorts will put an Inn as part of their name to indicate they are family owned and that offer a more family-oriented atmosphere.  Historically, an Innkeeper was the person who lived at and took care of an Inn.

Serviced Apartments:

In most Asian countries, it is quite common to come across serviced apartments. By definition, they usually have a fully equipped kitchen and a separate living room, but some of them can be studios too. In other parts of the world, including the United States, they might be referred to as kitchenettes, villas or condos. They might have a minimum stay required like two nights or a week, but they still get housekeeping services and offer the same kind of amenities found in hotels like a swimming pool, a restaurant, a bar, and fitness rooms.  You might even find that some cheaper hotels will offer serviced apartments or kitchenettes.

Condominiums:

This is a popular term in the United States for apartment-like rentals that are individually owned and therefore, decorated in a variety of different ways; even though the basic floor-plans are identical. Typically, these can be rented through vacation rental places and normally require a one week rental at a time. The good part is that they might be luxurious, yet priced the same as cheap hotels, when you break it down by the night. Like serviced apartments, housekeeping is done at certain times, but you should wash your own dishes and clothes while staying there because this isn’t included.

As you can see, there are a variety of cheap hotels and options to consider as alternative accommodation. So be sure you understand what you are getting before you finalize that booking.