Still booking a summer trip? Follow these 5 steps to save

Finding a great deal on a hotel room isn’t easy.

Researchers at Boston Consumers’ Checkbook recently searched for 2,000 hotel room rates and found most third-party travel booking sites and hotel websites offer the same price.

“Hotels and third-party booking sites, they’ve basically agreed not to compete on price,” Boston Consumers’ Checkbook Executive Editor Kevin Brasler said. “Even when we called the hotel’s front desk, we were usually quoted the same price over and over again.”

Brasler says there are deals out there, you just have to know where to look.

“You’re going to have to do a little extra work,” Brasler said.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MYSTERY DEALS

They may sound like a gimmick, but Brasler says mystery deals like Hotwire’s Hot Rates and Priceline’s Express are worth it. There is a catch: you don’t know the hotel’s name or street address before you’ve booked the room. But Brasler said on average, travelers can save around 28 percent using mystery deals.

“When it comes to shopping for hotel rooms, that’s actually considerable savings. That’s by far the most consistent and best way to save money,” Brasler said.

SAVE WITH NONREFUNDABLE RATES

Many hotels and third-party booking sites offer lower rates if you pay upfront for a nonrefundable booking.

Boston Consumers’ Checkbook found opting for nonrefundable rates saved travelers an average of about 12 percent.

LOOK AROUND THE CORNER

Sometimes we get our mind set on one hotel because we’ve either stayed there before or it’s the first that pops up online. Make sure there are not better deals right next door.

For example, Boston Consumers’ Checkbook searched for a three-night stay among four-star hotels in midtown Manhattan. The price to stay at The Bowery Hotel came to $2,311, while the price at the similarly-reviewed Artezen Hotel was only $1,161, according to the report.

“Sometimes people get locked into having to stay in one specific property but there is a comparable one nearby, maybe even a better one nearby, that’s charging rates that are half as much,” Brasler said.

DON’T GET HUNG UP ON REWARDS PROGRAMS

Everybody likes to accrue points and feel like they’re getting something for free, but Brasler says most hotel rewards programs only amount to a one to five percent discount. Too many travelers get laser-focused on a points program and miss better deals with other hotel chains, he said.

“Instead of staying at a different hotel nearby that may be offering them a rate that’s half, they get locked in and overpay for their stay when they really should have just booked somewhere else and forgotten about the points,” Brasler said.

PRIVATE HOME RENTALS MAY NOT BE CHEAPER

Brasler said if you’re traveling in a group and need multiple rooms, renting a house or apartment through Airbnb or VRBO might be a smart move.

However, Brasler said demand and prices for home rentals have steadily increased in recent years, and hidden fees from vacation rentals can really hit your wallet hard.

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