Disadvantages of Hunting Bargains While Traveling
Travel can be expensive, and thankfully, there are many ways to do it on a tight budget. But as someone who loves to save money and travel, I realized that there are sometimes downsides to these tips for saving money. Knowing about them will help you decide which tips for saving are worth it and which are not.
I am not suggesting that you avoid any of the following ways to save money on travel. Instead, I present them so you know when weighing your options. Sometimes, you can save enough money that the cons are worth. Sometimes this is not the case. But at least you will know what to expect, and you may even be able to work around the cons.
Cheap (but not lodging) hotel booking
Depending on the length of the trip, the cost of living can be enormous. I booked the hotel through discount apps or tools like Hotel Tonight to save money. The hotels themselves have been damaged or missed, but on several occasions I have heard a hotel clerk hinting that they don’t like it when guests book using this method. And yes, sometimes it affects my stay.
On a recent trip, I booked a cheap hotel with HotelTonight and was given a smoking room. When I called the front desk to ask for non-smokers, they said they couldn’t make special arrangements as I had booked through this app. To be honest, this hotel generally has poor service so they might not have stayed no matter how I booked. But on another occasion, a friendly hotel clerk joked, “Oh, have you booked a room at HotelTonight? We’ll give you the worst room. ” I asked, “Do hotels really do that?” He said: “We prefer that you book directly with us. Some places will provide you with better service. ” One insider confirmed this to Consumerist :
Bookings through third-party sites can lead you to rooms that regular visitors don’t need. This means a smoking room at the far end of the hallway away from the elevator. “My hotel does not maliciously host third-party internet guests in our smallest rooms, but when occupancy rises, we have to get there. You may not get the best rooms if you book directly, but at least you will not be allocated less desirable rooms upon arrival. ”
In the meantime, I have stayed at some great places through third party apps and sites, so it really depends on the hotel, clerk and other variables (like room availability), but this is something to watch out for regardless. Consumerist adds that many hotels offer lowest price guarantees. So if you see a cheaper price on the internet, you might be better off just calling the hotel and asking that price. The Points Guy lists some of these guaranteed hotels here.
I also booked a hotel further from the city center because it is cheaper. Sometimes this works well and you can explore the non-touristy part of the city. However, this can also be a disadvantage. For example, when my fiance and I went to Dublin, we stopped a couple of miles from the city center, where most of our attractions were located. We walked a lot, and it was really fun because we had to see the outskirts of the city near, but the drunken nights we returned to the hotel by taxi, and it adds up, so that the savings on hotel was negligible.
Booking a hotel further away isn’t always a bad idea. However, consider the transportation system of the destination city. Is there a simple bus or metro in the city with stops near your hotel? What time does transport stop running? What do taxi or Uber taxi prices look like? Compare all of this to your potential savings.
Buying a cheap (but inconvenient) flight
Discount airlines can save you money, but you get what you pay for with companies like Spirit or Ryanair. There are no amenities here, comfort is not a priority, and you shouldn’t expect a lot from customer service. Plus, these airlines often charge crazy fees as well . So much, in fact, that it might not be worth the “savings.” During our trip to Dublin we flew to London on a cheap Ryanair flight. We had to pay a commission on pretty much everything: carry-on luggage, credit card payments and even the printed boarding pass at the airport (which has thankfully been canceled since then). After all, they weren’t that much cheaper than some of the other major airlines.
But sometimes a flight with a discount carrier is still cheaper, even with such fees. Just make sure you read the fine print before booking. Ryanair’s fees are listed here and Spirit’s fees are listed here .
Another popular way to save on flights is to fly to a regional airport or an airport a little further from the city center. It can also be more convenient as these airports are usually less congested and less stressful. But sometimes you make up for the savings and convenience by ground travel after landing. For example, my friends and family often visit me in Los Angeles, and instead of booking a flight in Los Angeles or even Burbank, they fly to the “nearest” airport, which is 50 miles away. The plane is cheaper, but due to traffic congestion, it takes hours to get to the city. Considering travel costs, this becomes much less of a “bargain”.
Likewise, red eyes and early morning flights are often cheaper, but you should consider lodging. If you arrive in town at midnight or 6 a.m., you will pay for a full night at the hotel, which you will only use for a few hours. Some hotels offer discounts for late night arrivals, but not all. It is worth asking the hotel about their policies and making your case.
Alternatively, you can also book this night using one of those last minute hotel apps as we mentioned above. You can probably find a big discount room in the middle of the night. Then, book the rest of your trip at your chosen hotel.
Travel in the off-season when the weather is bad
For the most part, I have had a great off-season travel experience. It’s a hell of a lot cheaper and I’m still having a great time. However, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First, some destinations are cheaper in certain months due to the terrible weather. It can be very hot or rainy, or even a little dangerous. For example, Kiplinger explains that cruise lines offer big discounts from June to November because of the hurricane season in the Atlantic. They offer a word of warning and a couple of sentences:
Warning: The cruise line will not reimburse you if delays in re-routing force you to shell out additional hotel nights or other re-routing changes. You might want to cover your bases by ordering travel insurance through a third party provider such as Travel Guard. … Check out Cruise Critic’s Hurricane Zone section for storm news and links to hurricane season deals.
I also traveled to places during the off-season and found them to be semi-desert because it was not the tourist season. The shops did not open; restaurants closed early. That was fine for me, but there is a lot to think about depending on what you hope to get out of the trip.
And this is the crux of all these disadvantages: it depends on whether the savings are worth it. It depends on how much you are saving, what your personal preference is, and how likely the disadvantage is. But knowing them can help you justify reasonable travel expectations and prepare for any inconvenience.