Each year, an average of 148.3 million hotel bookings are made in the United States, with over $162 billion USD in revenue due to travel bookings being reported in the year of 2012. Hotel bookings used to be a hassle, and sometimes trying to find hotel rooms in a desired location could be a time-consuming process. Today, some the the best hotel rates can be found quickly and easily using the Internet. In fact, according to Statistic Brain, about 57% of hotel bookings are made online.
Everyone loves to save money, and finding great hotel deals online is one sure way to save money whether your traveling for business, or pleasure. You can always save money by staying in a budget hotel, but let’s be honest, no one wants to deal with the undesirable features and qualities that come along with these sort of places. Thankfully, the glory of the Internet allows you to stretch your traveling budget, without having to sacrifice quality and accommodations.
One of the best ways to find a great hotel booking is to time the reservation perfectly. Contrary to popular belief, booking your stay ahead of time is actually a horrible idea — instead, try to book your hotel reservation within 24 hours of stay. Hotels typically have far too many rooms to fill each night. In fact, the average number of rooms in a U.S. hotel is 290. With average hotel in the United States booking only 66% of their vacancies each night, hotels will slash the prices last-minute to avoid vacant rooms. It used to be a tough task to try time these hotel reservations with only 24 hours notice, but thankfully the use of hotel booking websites allow you to time your bookings, and ensure a reservation while you get the best price.
You can also get great hotel room deals by checking for affiliation discounts. If you belong to certain associations or organizations you may qualify for additional hotel room discounts simply by being affiliated. Organizations such as AARP, AAA, American Bar Association, and even the United States Billiard association provide discounts on various hotel chains. Check with these organizations before booking a hotel to see if you can get any extra discounts. Your credit card provider might provide discounts too, so check to see if you can receive any added savings or perks on hotels with your credit card as well. Read more here.
