Getting More Bang for Your Hotel Buck

Is there anything more irritating to a frugal traveler than having to pay hundreds of dollars for a single hotel room that you only have access to for less than 24 hours? In many cases, hotels are cutting corners even more by pushing back check-in time to 4 p.m. and moving up check-out time to 11 a.m. What a rip-off. Fortunately, some hotels are offering budget-conscious guests a reprieve by allowing for later check-out times on Sunday morning. For example, Westin Hotels & Resorts recently debuted a “Make Monday Better” deal for travelers looking to extend their weekend stay. The program … Continue reading →

Last-Minute Fourth of July Travel Bargains

Don’t feel like celebrating America’s birthday in your backyard this year? Changing party venues doesn’t have to cost you a pretty penny if you take advantage of last-minute deals. By waiting this late in the game to book a hotel stay for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, you stand to save a bundle. For example, New York City is showing a slew of savings for Independence Day visitors. According to travel app HotelTonight, which specializes in finding deeply discounted rates for same-day hotel stays, many rooms in the heart of NYC are going for a mere $100. That’s a … Continue reading →

Hotels Helping Guests Avoid Expensive Mistakes

Typically, I don’t sleep the night before an early morning flight. I simply don’t trust myself to wake-up on time. What’s more, the cost of missing my flight would keep me up for months, so I simply remain awake at night and sleep on the plane. This is true if I’m departing from my home or a hotel, though the latter is debuting some new practices to help heavy sleepers like me avoid the costly mistake of missing a flight or an important business meeting. Properties like The Wolcott Hotel in New York are going the extra mile so guests … Continue reading →

Save on Room Service

When was the last time you ordered room service? If you are adhering to a strict travel budget, then splurging on a formal meal to be delivered to and consumed in the privacy of your hotel room may be out of the question. Or is it? Recently, some hotels have been experimenting with a frugal version of room service much to the delight of budget-conscious guests. PUBLIC Chicago, a boutique property in the Windy City, has been garnering headlines for its affordable room service described as “fast food with little human interaction.” The service is called “PUBLIC Express,” though instead … Continue reading →

Hotels Stealing a Priceless Commodity

Not your Louis Vuitton luggage, your precious tech toys or the treasured stuffed souvenirs you spent three hours trying to win during your trip to the amusement park. Some hotels are taking something far more valuable from unsuspecting guests–their health. According to a new study, if you are spending the night in a nonsmoking room at a hotel with a partial smoking ban, you are not fully protected from harmful exposure to so-called “third-hand” smoke. Researchers at San Diego State University discovered that tobacco pollution can easily congregate on surfaces in both smoking and nonsmoking hotel rooms. “Our findings demonstrate … Continue reading →

Hotels: Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck

Hotel rooms aren’t cheap. Adding insult to injury is the fact that many properties are now moving back check-in times, so by the time you are forced to check-out you’ve barely been in the place for 18 hours. How do you justify forking over $200 for a room you aren’t given the opportunity to be in for 24 hours? Or worse, consider having to park yourself in the hotel’s lobby after a long flight simply because you arrived prior to the set check-in time. What a waste of time; precious time that you can’t put a price tag on. To … Continue reading →

Can You Afford Room Service?

If you don’t mind forking over $16 for three strips of bacon, then room service may be a no-brainer for your morning, noon or late-night meals. The saying, “If you have to ask price, you can’t afford it,” takes on new meaning when you are traveling. After all, we have to eat to survive, but we certainly don’t have to opt for the $20 chicken salad sandwich, plus the 18% gratuity tacked on because we’re too lazy to eat somewhere other than our hotel room. With the economy still in the dumpster, can anyone afford the high cost of hotel … Continue reading →

Big Apple Savings

Vacationing in the Big Apple can put a BIG dent in your wallet. According to a recent travel survey, the average price for a hotel room in the heart of New York City will run you about $300. Not exactly cheap, though the hit to your travel budget could sting a lot more if you stay at luxury four-star chains, such as Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and Sheraton properties. So what’s a frugal traveler to do if he wants to visit Manhattan without going broke? Fortunately, there is good news for budget-conscious tourists looking to explore the nation’s most expensive hotel … Continue reading →

The Newest Hotel Trend

Who doesn’t enjoy a two-for-one special? The newest trend in the hotel industry is all about twofers, only most of the money saving is taking place on the property’s end, while travelers look to save more time than dough. Several major hotel chains have decided to save money by building two hotels on one property. Dual-branded hotels are the latest way developers are padding their wallets during these unpredictable financial times. According to hotel industry insiders, by having two hotels on the same lot chains not only save on construction and operational costs by combining amenities such as the pool … Continue reading →

Travel to a Hands-On History Lesson

Looking to take a trip of a lifetime? Then, consider jetting off to see history in the making at the 57th Presidential inauguration. Washington, D.C. is buzzing with excitement as it gets set to host Inauguration 2013. On Monday, January 21st, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will be sworn in and officially begin their second term in office Surprisingly, there are still some hotel rooms available for visitors traveling to D.C. for the big event. Of course, not all of them come with price tags fit for frugal travelers. In fact, some Presidential inauguration travel packages are … Continue reading →