You can shop online all day, looking for a hotel bargain. You can check a dozen websites. You can use one of those sites that won’t tell you the name of your hotel until you commit. You may think you did a great job searching for bargains.
You may be wrong if you haven’t tried something that is so simple and old that you might think it might not work – call the hotel on the phone.
I have the idea of the magazine Consumer Reports. They say their buyers got the best hotel rates by calling hotels directly. That compares with online services that promise discounts or using hotel websites, even if they have low price guarantees.
My friends have tried it and they say it works too. Last year, one of my friends got almost 30% off a Monday-Friday rate at Disneyland’s Paradise Pier Hotel by calling.
How to get the best hotel rates with a simple phone call
First, you need to talk to the right person. Do not call the hotel’s 800 number. Instead, call the front desk and ask to speak to someone at the hotel, not their central reservation center. Hotel managers may have more flexibility to negotiate than a reservation agent. Independent Traveler says: “Many chains assign only a select number of rooms to the central reservation system, so 800 agents can even tell you that a hotel is sold out when the hotel is actually discounting rooms.”
Some people say that Sunday is the best day to call. Travel + Leisure says the deepest discounts appear on Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and right after the holidays.
Use these phrases, questions, and tips to facilitate your discussion:
Learn about the lowest rate you can get online. You can check that on TripAdvisor. Know what the hotel charges for parking. You may have to search the hotel’s website for sections with names like Services or FAQs to find that information. If you can negotiate free or discounted parking, that will also lower your total cost. Find out what are the best deals in the area, for hotels similar to the one you are talking about.
This is not the time to be loud, demanding, or aggressive. Instead, make the person you are talking to befriend. Tell them about your plans and how long you want to stay at your hotel. Be courteous, but be persistent. Ask each of these questions if necessary.
- When asking for the lowest rate, Consumer Reports Money Advisor suggests using these magic words: “cheapest rate and non-refundable.”
- After they tell you that rate, ask, “Is that the best you can do?”
- If you’re still not satisfied, ask: “Do you have any special offers I should know about?”
- You are not done yet. Say, “That’s more than I can afford.”
- Mention better deals that you have found elsewhere, especially if they are of a similar property. Say, “The Big Fancy Hotel near yours has a special. Can you match its price? “
- If you hit the lowest price and they don’t go any further, ask, “If you can’t lower the price any further, can you give me an upgrade or free breakfast?” “How about a parking discount?”
Protect your business
In the best of worlds, you wouldn’t need this advice. Unfortunately, I read about misunderstandings and miscommunication with hotels all the time. And about unhappy travelers who feel they were cheated. Here’s how to prevent that from happening to you.
Please confirm all the details. Say “I just want to make sure this is all correct.” Confirm the rate and dates, extras and discounts. Ask for a confirmation number and the name of the person you spoke with. Ask them to confirm via email or text message. When that message arrives, read it and verify all the information. Make sure you have all of that with you to use at check-in.
Getting an even lower rate
If you negotiated a particularly good deal, it might be a good idea to call back a few days before your trip to confirm everything one more time.
Hotels often get last minute cancellations, and it’s also a good idea to ask if they have any new deals or lower rates that you should be aware of.
