Taking off Travel blog

Guest post by Tony Patterson

Hotel rates can be quite varied. The exact room type on the same date can go for wildly different prices depending on the time of booking and many other factors. To be able to get the best deal possible, the savvy traveler can utilize a number of tips and industry secrets that are generally not known by the public.

Book Directly

Whenever someone is searching for a good deal, the first inclination would be to look online. This is helpful when it comes to comparing rates, but it is always best to call the hotel directly.

With a hotel that is part of a larger chain, calling the reservation number will not always reach the hotel. In most cases, the phone call goes to a Central Reservation System. The reservation agents at this call center generally operate under very specific guidelines and will not be able to work with the customer when it comes to negotiation of rates. If unsure, it is perfectly acceptable to ask if you have actually reached the hotel. If not, find the local phone number for the hotel online and call direct.

The reservation department or front desk staff at the actual hotel should be able to work directly with a customer on the room rate. In many cases, the front desk staff is allowed or empowered to negotiate rates within a certain set limit. If the staff member is not savvy or does not offer a discount that is agreeable, there is no harm in speaking with a supervisor. This person should have the appropriate authority and knowledge to be able to offer a great rate.

Variable Rates

Hotel rates are incredibly liquid. These can vary depending on the season and can sometimes change on an hourly basis. In the hotel industry, rates are often changed due to supply and demand. If going to an area for a major event, the hotel rates in town can be significantly increased. When there is an incredibly high demand for hotel rooms, don’t be surprised to see rates that are doubled.

In these circumstances, it is wise to book far in advance. If this is done before a hotel can increase rates, you should consider yourself lucky. General rates for a hotel are set at least one to two years in advance, but when there are major conventions or conferences, these increased rates do not always get adjusted until closer to the date.

Look at The Competition

Depending on the hotel, there will be other options in the area. A hotel will usually price itself similarly to the competition. This information can be used as a bargaining tool. Be certain to review all of the amenities and features of the competition. For example, a competing hotel may offer a lower rate but the breakfast is an additional charge. When negotiating with the hotel, you may be able to get additional services such as the breakfast included for free.

The Extra Perks

Many times, a hotel guest will not take advantage of special perks and discounts that a hotel or other providers may offer. Before arriving at the hotel, checking with the local Visitors Bureau—it is a great way to gather information about the area and receive special coupons and discounts to area restaurants and attractions.

The hotel itself may offer a number of things to guests at no additional charge. These vary from one hotel to the next but can include wireless Internet, dining vouchers, shuttle service and more. The key is to ask about these amenities upon arrival. The front desk staff will not always go out of their way to tell offer the information unless asked.

To get the best value and most out of a hotel stay, the most important things would be to investigate and ask. Great deals can be had by any traveler. If you don’t ask or negotiate, you could be missing out and end up paying too much for a lower grade hotel room.

Photo credits courtesy of flickr: Fairmont Hotel Lobby in San Francisco by Pargon; Luxor Hotel Lobby in Las Vegas by Rob Young; Tokyo Bay Hotel by Masakazu Matsumoto.

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A former hotel administrator, Tony Patterson is a personal finance consultant, and content contributor for companies offering consumers a credit card for bad credit situations they may have temporarily experienced.

By Dan Weisman

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Americans take over 405 million long-distance business trips each year. For most business travelers, that means days of conference rooms, airports and planes, and taxis. The last thing you want on a business trip is to spend more time in a generic, impersonal space, but what options are there for on-the-road accommodations other than the tried-and-true business hotel?

Try this on for size: an entire apartment with a kitchen, bedrooms, living room, and space to work that isn’t squeezed between your bed and the bathroom. Throw in amenities like free Wi-Fi, pool access and laundry facilities, and your business lodging is starting to sound like home. That’s the idea behind corporate rentals – fully furnished villas, houses and apartments that cater to business travelers. Instead of staying in a hotel that could be the same anywhere in the world, business travelers can rent a distinctive house or apartment and enjoy the privacy, comfort and convenience of home while traveling. Vacation rentals are the perfect cure to travel angst, especially for those who take extended or frequent trips, or want to entertain while on business.

Extended Trips
If you ever need to travel for a week or more, then you may not relish the idea of staying in a hotel every night – especially if you need to work and live in the same place the whole time. Corporate villas and apartments often provide all the business necessities, such as Internet, convenient transportation options, recreation facilities (pools, gyms, spa), and even housekeeping.

Best of all, a business villa or apartment also offers privacy and options that are simply unavailable when you stay in hotels. Stay in a corporate rental and you won’t have to see colleagues in the hotel lobby several times a day. Don’t want to go out and eat alone? You can stay in for the evening without falling back on room service and pay-per-view. Rentals give you the opportunity to settle into a place and work more like a local, which can help ease some of the stress of business travel and make your extended trip more successful.

Frequent Trips
Consultants, government workers and finance professionals, among other business travelers, often need to visit a site repeatedly over a period of several weeks or even months. For this type of travel, hotels can get old fast. Booking the same rental for the duration of the project can help make it easier to live and work on location. With laundry facilities and storage space, you could travel back and forth with fewer items and smaller bags. Instead of living in a different hotel room each week, you would have your own space to work and live, and even spend time with friends.

For those whose travel involves working with a team, corporate rentals can be found that accommodate as many as twenty guests. Whether your whole team is on site at once or in shifts, a corporate rental can be a great place to set up a mobile office, host meetings outside of the client’s space and simply relax. More importantly, corporate rentals provide great value for a team, as the per-person cost is typically much lower than the average corporate hotel rate of $147/night, according to Business Travel News.

Corporate Events
Small businesses and teams that want to hold an event on-location – to celebrate the beginning of a relationship or the end of a project – may want to avoid the clichés of hotel banquet halls and create a more personal atmosphere. Corporate rentals are perfect for hosting small- to mid-sized parties. Bring in a caterer and some beverages, put some tunes on the stereo, and invite your associates to enjoy a party in a unique setting that they are bound to remember.

The bottom line: corporate rentals make business travel more comfortable and convenient for a lower price than frequent hotel stays. Whether you travel for business or plan corporate travel, you can find great deals and options on corporate rentals by searching Flipkey.com, which features over 100,000 rentals around the world.

Dan Weisman is the Blog Editor for Flipkey.com. More of his writing about vacation rental travel and marketing can be found at www.flipkey.com/blog, and you can connect with him on Twitter at @flipkey.

Image credit: flipkey

Do all-inclusives do it for you? I’ve tried all inclusive hotels a couple of times and I have to admit that I’m not a big fan. I know the reasons why it’s a good idea. If you’re on a budget sure it’s great to know exactly what your trip is going to cost you.  And if there are lots of activities included it might be  an even better deal.

Cutting The Cost Of Travel

There’s no denying that going all-inclusive helps to keep the costs under control, but watch out for hidden extras that may make the deal less appealing.  For example, some friends of mine recently found that although there were several restaurant choices at their hotel they were only allowed to eat at the one they liked best two nights a week; any other time and they had to pay a supplement.

The other thing that irks me is that it can be hard to avoid the mentality that says: “I’ve paid for this; might as well grab everything I can.” That seems to turn the all-inclusive into a challenge rather than an enjoyable experience. Even worse is the tendency to feel restricted by the fact that you have paid upfront. Many people find that because they have chosen an all-inclusive experience they don’t want to leave the hotel, and they certainly don’t want to spend money on enjoying a cultural experience beyond the walls.  I don’t suffer from that problem.

Soaking Up The Atmosphere

The last time I went all-inclusive I decided I didn’t want to do it again. I stayed at a hotel in the Canaries where I soon tired of the everlasting buffet and felt the need to go in search of culinary adventure. Luckily there were some great restaurants and bars on my doorstep and I had a much better time eating where the locals ate and soaking up the atmosphere.

Don’t get me wrong; if I’m staying in a hotel I love it when I don’t have to think about breakfast. However for other meals I prefer to get out and about. I certainly don’t want to have to rush back in the middle of the day for lunch, feel obliged to eat in or book a picnic basket (unless I’m going on a boat). I think you miss so much this way. It’s far more fun to hang out in a local bar and get a cold drink, grab some “street meat” (veggie variety in my case) or try the local fare on your way in.  What about you? Have you ever gone all-inclusive? How did you rate the experience?

Most business trips are short and sweet, but occasionally there’s the chance to spend a couple of extra days seeing the new city. If you want to see the sights without blowing a hole in your budget, then couchsurfing might be a great option. Since we first covered the topic at the start of 2008, the numbers of couchsurfers have grown and grown, with an estimated 1.2 million couchsurfers around the world, according to Couchsurfing.org, the site founded by the originator of the movement, Casey Fenton.

How Couchsurfing Works

The premise is simple – sign up for the site, set up a Facebook style profile, say where you want to go and find someone in the city prepared to offer you a couch for a few days. That’s not all you might get, either. Many hosts are willing to show you around, give you tips on where to eat and places to visit and generally make sure that you have a great time without spending a lot. It’s a wonderful way to see a place from the inside – the way the locals see it. You can avoid tourist traps and have experiences that you might otherwise have missed.

Rating The Experience

Is it safe? Statistics suggest that most people have a fantastic time with no negative reports. On the Couchsurfing site you can rate each experience. Even if you don’t want to stay with a complete stranger, you can use the site to meet people in your destination who will meet you for coffee or a drink and point you in the right direction. You can also have just as much fun playing host to new friends visiting your town – and when the holiday’s over, there might even be business opportunities.

Other resources

• The Hospitality Club
• Global Freeloaders
• Video Introduction To Couchsurfing
• Couchsurfing on Twitter
• HostATourist
• Stay4Free
• Warmshowers – for bike tourists