How Much Does a Hotel Cost?
While some people say that the hotel can make or break your vacation, others are of the opinion that the hotel doesn’t really matter because all you do is sleep there anyway. Luckily, there are hotels that fit everybody’s budget and expectations.
How much is it?
- Hotel costs have a very wide range depending on a number of factors. One night in a hotel can cost as little as $40 or as much as $1000. The location of the hotel, the accommodations, the size of the room, the number of people the room can sleep, the view from the room, the demand for the room, and many other things can affect the cost. For instance, if you were to stay at a small-chain hotel in a small city halfway to your destination, you would probably just need the basics – a room and a bed. This would be the low end of $40. However, if you are on your honeymoon and are splurging more than normal, a fancier 5-star hotel will run you closer to the $1000 mark.
What is going to be included?
- The room, the furnishings, and the maid service are all included in the per-night fee.
- At most hotels, a continental breakfast is included each morning.
- Some hotels either do not charge for parking or include the parking fee in your quoted price.
What are the extra costs?
- If you have one extra person in your group (such as 3 in a room that has one double bed or 5 in a room that has two double beds), a cot can be ordered instead of getting an additional room. This will be an extra charge.
- Most hotels will charge if anything in the room is damaged or missing.
- Hotels will charge for lost keys.
- Some hotels charge extra for parking or require valet parking.
- The services of a bellhop may be included, but the gratuity for the bellhop is extra.
How can I save money?
- The best way to save money on a hotel is to use services such as Priceline, Expedia, or Orbitz. These types of websites boast up to a 50% savings over booking with the hotel directly.
- Booking your vacation on weeknights rather than weekends or during the less busy times of the year will usually result in a lower cost per night.
- You can also try out Priceline’s name your own price, where you can name your own price and see if a hotel in that particular area accepts it.
Tips to know:
- Before booking a hotel online, be sure to check the independent ratings. Many various sources such as Priceline, TripAdvisor and Yelp can all yield some great results. Be sure to read about the good reviews, as well as the bad. Keep in mind that most people will complain about every hotel out there.
- Look into the hotel’s facilities. What does the particular hotel have to offer? Do they have a gym? Pool? Free breakfast? Learn about the amenities to see if it’s worth the nightly price tag.
- The location is one of the most important parts of the hotel. Get to learn what the hotel has to offer in terms of attractions. Are they near any attractions that you want to visit? Are there shuttles that can take you there? While it’s okay to be ten to twenty minutes away from everything, the closer, the better.
- If you’re bringing the family along, how friendly is the hotel? Check the things that can be done around the hotel, as well as see what other parents are saying about the hotel online. You’ll find that there are a lot of hotels that try their best to cater to kids.
- Consider joining the hotel’s loyalty program. These programs are going to enable you to receive greater discounts, and even free hotel night rooms if you stay there long enough.
How can I compare prices?
- If you wish to compare prices, the easiest way is to use the services of one of the websites mentioned above. They will do all the comparing for you and save you a lot of work!
How much did you spend?