Booking hotels abroad. Early booking or last minute deals? Hotel booking apps

10 tips for those who want to book a cheap hotel room. How to find the best price and special offers? In which system to make a reservation? Book in advance or search on the spot? All answers are in this review.

Friends, we have formulated 10 basic principles for finding hotels at the lowest cost. Learn these rules and take into account when planning your vacation! They will help you save money.

In this post, I share tips on how to book hotels in the best way. on one's own- this is information for those who organize their own trips. If you prefer to rest by ticket, then study my advice, .

1. Compare prices and save!

You can book a room in the same hotel at different prices. The thing is that different booking systems offer different prices (the reason is different agreements with hotels and the size of the commission). How to find the best price? Luckily, it's very easy!

There are special services that compare prices among all the most popular booking systems (such as Booking, Agoda, Ostrovok, Ozon, etc.) and determine where you can book the cheapest hotel. The difference in cost for the same number can be significant: 20%, 30% or more. Why overpay? Let's compare prices in a minute and find Best offer! In addition, each system has its own database of hotels: some are not in one, some are not in the other.

When I'm preparing for my next trip, my usual pattern of finding a hotel always starts with looking at options on price comparison services. This is the first and most important thing to do when looking for and booking accommodation!

Example differences in the price of a room in the same hotel in different booking systems:

2. Take advantage of promotions and great deals

"Profitable proposition" is one of the filters that can be used on Roomguru. By checking the box next to it, we will see all the current promotions that allow you to book a hotel with a significant discount.

For example, a good hotel in the center of Prague can be booked for 4,000 rubles instead of 5,800 rubles. And renting a villa in a luxurious five-star resort in Phuket is only 5,200 rubles instead of 8,000 rubles!

3. Pick the best dates

The cost of booking a room in the same hotel on Monday and Saturday can vary greatly. As a rule, prices in hotels are higher on weekends and holidays. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to shift the dates of your trip and hotel stay and this allows you to save money, use it.

You can also book a hotel at a lower cost during the low tourist season (it has its own for each direction). For example, prices for rooms in April and May are almost half as much as in March - we took advantage of this and did a great job.

4. Book a hotel online

Is it cheaper to look for a hotel on the spot, without pre-booking online? Most often, no.

You will be surprised (I am also surprised by this fact), but in 90% of cases, booking the same room in the same hotel on the online service will be cheaper than at the reception desk! The difference is not too great, but still noticeable - usually 10-20%.

There are other downsides to finding housing locally. You have to waste time and effort (with a suitcase, in the heat or rain, looking for a hotel or guest house is a dubious pleasure). There is also a risk of getting a pig in a poke: they came and looked, it seems that the number is suitable, and then it turns out that in the evening it is very noisy there or the Internet does not work. If you book a room in advance, online, after looking at the reviews of other tourists, such threats are minimized.

I only look for local hotels when I go to a real wilderness, where hotels are simply not presented on the Internet, in online booking systems. So I did, traveling along and. There was no other way out.

5. Book your hotel in advance

The earlier you book a hotel, the better your chances of finding the best hotel, the best room, and the best price. Do not neglect this rule, do not be lazy and do not pull! This is especially true for popular destinations and peak dates. For example, at the height of the season it is quite difficult to book a good hotel at an adequate price in Turkey, Sochi, Crimea, Prague, Paris, Cuba, Cyprus, etc. overpay, and settle in mediocre hotels.

6. Find a place where hotels are cheaper

The cost of hotel rooms depends not only on the star rating, brand, but also on the location.

As a rule, hotels in the very center of the city are the most expensive (although there are exceptions). If there is a need to save money, why not check into a hotel a few kilometers from the center, and get to the sights and places of interest by public transport or on foot? For me, it's even more interesting - you can see the residential areas of the city, and not just the combed and glossy center.

Also, to save money, you can book a hotel even (attention!) in another city. Example from my personal experience: preparing for a trip to , we reserved a hotel room Ibis!} in the suburbs of the capital - Zaandam. The room cost half as much as in hotels in the center. The hotel itself is modern, clean, beautiful and comfortable. We spent only 10 minutes on foot and 7 minutes on the train to get to the center of Amsterdam. So we got more comfort at a lower price - beauty!

Moreover, it is possible to shift the location in this way when choosing a hotel not only for the sake of economy, but also for pleasure and comfort. If the financial issue is not acute, then, in my opinion, it is better to spend the same amount on staying in a good hotel of a higher standard and with excellent reviews a couple of kilometers from the center than to check into a mediocre hotel in the very center with overpriced prices.

7. Choose the best option for the company

Whether you are traveling as a family, with friends or in a different group of people, look at different types of accommodation to find the best option for comfort and price.

For example, if two couples are going on vacation, then don't rush to follow the obvious path and book two separate hotel rooms. Check alternative options - maybe you can rent a house, villa, apartment with several separate rooms for the same or less money.

Is it difficult to choose the best hotel? Check out ours for popular cities and resorts: , , .

8. Use an All Airlines card

(Photo © Hotel Internazionale Ischia / Flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

9. Is it cheaper to live in a hostel?

If you are traveling alone, then yes, you will save - it is always cheaper than booking a whole room.

If you are traveling as a couple, family or group of friends, staying in a hostel is rarely financially justified. Often, booking a single room costs no more (sometimes even a little cheaper) than two places in a hostel. At the same time, you will get much more comfort.

10. Should I book a hotel directly?

If the hotel has contacts, then you can book the hotel directly. But it doesn't make much sense.

Firstly, when booking a hotel on Booking and other systems, you get a defender of your interests in the person of this service. You will have a document (booking) confirming your booking and all its conditions, including the final amount. And if the hotel administration suddenly offers you a different, worse room, you just call (even just threatening it) to the service where you made the reservation, and the hotel will be required to fulfill its obligations.
Secondly, booking systems and services for finding cheap hotels allow you to compare many hotels, find out reviews about them and, due to this, choose the best one.
Thirdly, very often the hotel offers tourists who contacted it directly to book rooms at an inflated price. When a hotel places its ad in booking systems, it tries to keep the cost down as much as possible due to a lot of competition. After all, booking services offer dozens, hundreds and sometimes thousands of hotels in one city - you need to stand out and make the best offer to the client.

Intro Image Source: © PortoBay Trade / Flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.

Many asked me here how I choose hotels in other cities and countries. The secret is simple: I just book the most expensive hotel. Not really)

Each traveler has his own requirements for comfort and the required level of the hotel. On average, I stay in maybe fifty different hotels a year, so there is something to compare with. Here are a few rules that I use myself.

1. It is better to book hotels not directly, but through an intermediary.

Choose any aggregator, for example, "Booking", or "Agoda", or ... Yes, whichever you like more. Preferably large. Firstly, it will be guaranteed cheaper than booking directly. Secondly, if there are any problems, they will help you solve them. For example, I once booked a hotel in Baku through Booking.com. I arrive - but there were no numbers. I immediately called Booking and. They apologized and suggested that I find a replacement. After 20 minutes, they found a hotel that was more expensive, and they promised to compensate the difference. After some time, I received a letter asking me to give my card details so that they would return the difference. And they did return!

2. Location

When renting a hotel, immediately think about where you will be going. Sometimes it's better to pay for a bigger room, but then save a lot of time and money on the road. After all, time is the most precious thing in travel;)

3. Airport hotel

It often happens that hotels near the airport are much cheaper than hotels in the city. Around airports, brands of all international chains are usually represented. If you come for a couple of days, it is sometimes easier to rent a hotel near the airport, and go to the city a couple of times by taxi or public transport. And the main plus of the hotel at the airport is that before departure you don’t have to go anywhere in advance, being afraid to get stuck in a traffic jam.

4. It is always better to book an international chain hotel.

Large chains monitor the quality of service, so a chain hotel, even in the very asshole of the world, will meet your expectations. It's like McDonald's, which is about the same everywhere. So it's better to rent a simple "Holiday Inn" and be sure that there will be a normal bed and a clean room than to risk with local hotels. But most importantly, a large network has something to complain about. If the owner of a small hotel has been rude to you, then the maximum you can write a bad review on the Internet. If the hotel is managed by a large chain, then you can arrange problems for them through the main office.

When you live in chain hotels, after check-out you receive a questionnaire-survey on the topic "Was everything cool?". Reviews are usually monitored in the central office and draw conclusions about the quality of management and the level of service in a particular hotel.

If there is some kind of jamb, it is better to first write to the manager of your specific hotel (by asking for a business card at the counter) and explain the situation, offering to somehow resolve this issue. Some hotels can give you some bonuses, enroll in a loyalty program, and so on. For example, several hotels that screwed up gave me 10,000 bonus points each - this is practically one free night. The hotel manager is always interested in resolving the issue with you on the spot so that you do not write a complaint to the central office, as this directly threatens his career.

At some hotels in America, such as the Marriott, you can opt out of room cleaning and receive an additional 1000 bonus points for this. If you are only here for two nights, then this option may come in handy.

5. Don't be shy!

Feel free to demand the impossible, it often works. Feel free to complain if you don't like something. For example, you can bargain and bring down the price of a room if you do not have a preliminary reservation. You can make plaintive eyes and ask for a room with good view. If your language is good, you can even get an improved room for the price of a regular one;) And yet, if something is wrong in the room, for example, it is poorly cleaned or something does not work, complain right away. If the hotel is good, then you can change the room and give, for example, a bottle of wine as compensation.

6. Loyalty programs

Always get loyalty cards that chain hotels have. Even if you do not plan to permanently live in the hotels of this chain. Often, even a basic level card entitles you to free internet or early check-in.

7. The price of the room is not as important as the price of additional services.

This is especially true for resort hotels. Many people choose hotels based only on the price of the room. And then they are surprised to find out that the main money the hotel makes is not on accommodation, but on additional services. Laundry, room service, mini bar, SPA, etc. can cost quite inadequate money. I had hotels where they asked for $ 15 for a bottle of water) And if in a city hotel you can go to the same dinner at a restaurant across the street, then in a resort hotel you will most likely have to overpay)

This is especially true for the Internet. Pay attention to how much the Internet costs in the hotel - sometimes they ask for $ 30 (!!!) per day. In this case, it is easier to buy a local SIM card and carry a mobile router with you. By the way, almost all hotels have very low internet speed, so Mobile Internet(especially if the country you're visiting has 4G) will be both better and cheaper.

8. Breakfast at the hotel is better not to take.

I try to take a room without breakfast so as not to overeat. There is nothing worse than a buffet in the morning, where there is a lot of delicious food, and you cannot deny yourself anything. Then you walk for half a day and suffer that you overate) Well, it all depends on the person. If you have willpower, then you can take breakfast at the hotel;). And one more thing: breakfast at the hotel will be guaranteed to be more expensive than breakfast at the same Starbucks across the street.

The same goes for dinners. Dinner menu even in the hotel restaurant will be better and cheaper than the buffet. No hotel has a normal buffet! The buffet is evil!

9. Tipping

I always tip the porters, but I never tip the maid. I don’t know how correct this is, but it’s hard for me to tip a person whom I don’t see personally.

10 Legendary Hotels

If possible, it is better to spend at least one night in a legendary hotel. Every major city has one. For example, or. A night in such a hotel can cost 500 dollars, but it will be an experience for a lifetime). I especially love old legendary hotels with history. It’s better to overpay, but then tell your grandchildren that you lived in Marilyn Monroe’s room.

11. Little trick

One of my acquaintances, when he goes to a hotel with a girl, writes a letter beforehand stating that they have a very important date, a wedding / dating anniversary, and they are going to celebrate it in this hotel. Usually after that, a free bottle of champagne and other surprises appear in the room. I've never done this myself, so I don't know how well the theme works.

Also, sometimes before a trip, you can write a touching letter to the hotel on a different topic: they say, you know, I’m generally a traveler, but I’m going to your city for the first time, I’ve never been here, and if you manage to book a room with a good view for me, I will I am very grateful to you, because I want to have a good impression of your city and your hotel, blah blah blah. Often hotels listen to such appeals and give a better room.

12. Hotel photo

Remember, the hotel will ALWAYS be worse than in the photo on the Internet. Photos are taken by a professional photographer who successfully selects angles, adjusts the light and processes the photos. In life, the hotel will ALWAYS be worse, and the rooms will ALWAYS be smaller than they look in the photo. There are no exceptions to this rule.

Tourism is a favorite activity for a huge number of people around the world. Travel through different countries, see interesting sights, try unfamiliar dishes and drinks - it's so interesting and exciting! Alas, travel is also associated with costs, sometimes considerable, so for many tourists the issue of reasonable savings is very relevant. One of the biggest expense items is accommodation. It is clear that not everyone has the opportunity (or desire) to stay in luxurious fashionable hotels, but sometimes a modest hotel can cost a fair amount. Especially in the "high season" in a very popular resort.

Where and when is it better to book a hotel so that it is affordable?

The site is very popular. Its main advantage: a large database of suggestions and reviews, as well as the presence of its own customer support service. There is also an important circumstance: if you independently find a booking option for the hotel that you are interested in on another site, and it turns out to be cheaper, booking.com can make a price discount.

Of course, you should explore different hotel options, focusing on many factors: the number of "stars", location, the level of security in the surrounding area, the quality of service, etc. Reviews of tourists who have stayed in hotels can be of great help here, so take the time to study them carefully. Yes, these reviews are subjective, since the tastes and preferences of all people are different, and there are times when the review is frankly unfair, but still you can make a general impression. And then from the list of several more or less suitable hotels, select the cheapest ones and try to book them.

How should you carry out the booking procedure if you apply for a visa on your own, without the help of travel agencies? It depends on which country you are going to travel to. As a rule, embassies (consulates) are satisfied with providing a printout from some popular site (including the same one). But this is not always the case. At times, you may be required to provide confirmation from the hotel owner that the booking has been made. The most unpleasant option is if they also require confirmation of payment for hotel accommodation for the entire period of your trip. Such questions should be clarified in advance, so that later you do not do everything “in a fire order”, very nervous.

When is the best time to book a hotel? There is no definite answer here, but statistics show that in most cases the cheapest price is when booking 3-4 months in advance. Although exceptions are always possible.

If you like to travel around Asia, we advise you to pay attention to the website www.agoda.com. Well, if you prefer Russia and some CIS countries, the website www.ostrovok.ru is at your service.

A good option for saving money is to book a simple hotel or hostel with a minimum set of “amenities”. You can find the best option both on the same "booking" and on www.hotellook.com. In a word, "who seeks - he will always find!"

Gathered in one place links to all sites for booking travel accommodation that I know. Here you will find out how easy it is to spend the night in almost any city in the world at an adequate price or even for free! Or find a really unusual place where you will remember your stay for a long time.

The post includes the largest database of hostels in the world, the largest hosted rental service, websites for booking unusual designer hotels, accommodation in exchange for help around the house or pet care - in general, options for every taste. Choose!

Classic: hotel aggregator sites

Personally, I open these sites first of all when I am going somewhere on a trip. As the name implies, they combine information from various booking systems, such as: booking, hotels, ostrovok (one of the best prices in Russia), agoda (good for traveling in Asia), trivago, expedia and many others.

Aggregators compare prices, look for discounts and special offers, where you can also find not only hotels, but also hostels, guest houses – it’s very convenient when everything is in one place.

Free accommodation

The best way to understand a country and its people is to get to know the locals, and even better, live with them for a while. Such opportunities are given by international hospitality sites, when people invite guests to their homes. Just don’t see them as just a free overnight stay, rather it is a cultural exchange, interesting communication, an opportunity to improve languages and find new friends around the world.

Source: instagram: @myinterior

Accommodation in exchange for housework

These sites should not be considered only as a way to stay overnight for free, but as a new unusual experience and an opportunity to help people and the ecology of the planet for a week, a month, or maybe more. The bottom line is that you work several hours a day, and in return you get room and board.

Source: GettyImages

Cool and unusual hotel rental services

If you want to live in a lighthouse, in a treehouse, visit eco-friendly or vegetarian-only hotels, try out glamping (glamorous camping) or just show off, then there are special sites for this.

✔ and - here you can buy someone else's reservation at a discount. Someone could not go and sells their reservation on the site. You get a good discount, and the person gets money for a non-refundable number.

Self-Guided Hotel Booking Tips

Currently, there are a huge number of online hotel booking services around the world and it is not difficult to find them. To do this, just enter in any search engine the appropriate phrase like "where to book a hotel." The abundance of necessary information is certainly good, however, there is also a difficulty here: how not to get confused in the multitude of proposals? Actually, this will be discussed further. So, where is the best place to book a hotel?

In general, this issue is discussed in more detail in the article “Online hotel booking: how and where to book hotels on the Internet? ". Here we will focus more on our own preferences.

However, the fact that we often use this site does not mean at all that all the others are somehow worse. Not at all. In the end, everyone chooses the system that is more convenient, profitable, familiar, etc. to use, in general, guided by a variety of motives. At the same time, however, in any case, reservation systems always work in approximately the same way.

First of all, you need to choose a hotel. As a rule, hotel booking sites provide detailed information about the location of hotels, their distance from the main attractions, services available to guests, as well as other useful information. It also makes sense to visit the own websites of the hotels you are interested in (if any) and learn Additional information there.

Once the hotel is selected, you can proceed to booking. In this case, however, it is worth paying attention to the following nuance. The fact is that you may need confirmation of a hotel room reservation in order to obtain a visa at the embassy of the country you are traveling to. Often, for embassies, it is enough to print out a confirmation from the website of a well-known hotel booking system (for example, from the same booking.com). But sometimes confirmation is required directly from the hotel, and even on an official letterhead with a signature and seal, and in some cases you will also be asked for confirmation of hotel payment for the entire period of stay or for the first day of stay in the country. These questions should be clarified in advance.

As for the difference in cost, we advise you to compare the offers of different booking systems, since often the discrepancies in prices can be 30-40%, and sometimes more.

www.booking.com (best for booking hotels in Europe)
www.agoda.com (best for booking hotels in Asia)
ostrovok.ru (best for booking hotels in Russia and CIS/FSU countries)

To compare the prices of all these and many other sites, you can use, as mentioned above, special search services, that is, metasearch sites like