If you're on a really tight budget, there are sometimes cheaper lodging options than staying in a hotel. Hostels and couch surfing, for example, are two very budget-friendly options to look into. However, these options are not available everywhere. Sometimes, your best or only choice really is to stay in a hotel. But how can you do that on a really tight budget? Well, you may have to be willing to think outside the box a little, and you can also use these tips as a starting point.
Call the hotel directly, and make an offer on a room
If a hotel is not booked up already, they will often let out the remaining rooms for whatever price anyone is willing to pay. After all, the alternative is to not have those rooms booked at all and to earn zero dollars on them that night. So, one of the very best ways to get a cheap hotel room is to call on the day you need a room and negotiate. Say it's 5:00 and the posted rate is $75 a night. Say "I can afford $40, will you take that?" and see what response you get. The worst they can say is "no," and then you can call a different hotel.
Ask about single rooms
When you go to book a hotel room, the hotel or booking agency tends to assume you want or need a double room. However, most hotels do have at least a few single rooms with just a single bed. These rooms often rent cheaper, but you have to ask about them. If you're traveling alone, this is a great way to save since you have no need for a second bed anyways. This is another reason to call and book your hotel stay in person since these rooms are not always posted to online booking sites.
Stay outside of the city
The closer to the city center a hotel is, the more expensive it tends to be. On a tight budget, you will want to stay as far from the city center as you reasonably can. This may mean you have a longer drive or commute to get where you need or want to be during your stay, but that can be worth significant savings.
Look for bare-bones amenities
The fewer amenities a hotel offers, the cheaper it is going to be. So while it may be nice to stay somewhere with a pool, continental breakfast, and a host of other nice things, you should focus on looking for a hotel with as few of these options as possible. You can find hotels with perfectly clean, safe rooms but no extra frills for a very affordable price. These hotels have to keep prices low in order to compete with the higher-end places that do have more amenities.
Can you stay in a hotel on a tight budget? Yes, you can! You simply need to follow the tips above. To get started, contact hotels in your area for more information.
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