1. Book business hotels for weekend stays.
Because most of their guests want to be home on weekends, these smaller hotels clear out on Fridays and have good deals for weekend nights.
2. Try executive housing.
These are hotels that specialize in long-term stays, usually for business travelers. They’ll most certainly have vacancies over long holiday weekends. Many are suite hotels, convenient for families with children.
3. Go farther out.
Hotels in the suburbs or outside tourist areas are a better bargain. In New York City, for example, Manhattan room rates can break your budget, but you can find more reasonably-priced hotels a subway ride away in Brooklyn and Queens.
4. Think short-term.
If you have a revolving door of family, try a short-term rental. Visit websites such as craigslist.org for rentals or sublets. Split among all your visitors, the cost of a $3,000-a-month apartment in Chicago works out to $100 a night, much cheaper than any hotel in town, and convenient for a family.
5. Find the extras and haggle.
Look for deals like free extra nights, free breakfasts, free extra beds, and any other free or discounted offers. And bargain for a cheaper rate or an upgrade. Hotel rates are not necessarily set in stone, so be prepared to bargain; tell your guests to ask at the check-in desk if there’s a cheaper rate available.
Find more tips on penny-pinching in our Monday Money Savers.
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