Getting discount hotel reservations when you travel isn’t that hard when you know how.

Booking early is one of the best ways to get a discounted hotel reservation. And the sooner you book your hotel room, the more discount you can receive. Hotels manage their reservations to ensure that they book the maximum number of rooms at the highest possible room rate. And the hotel will certainly make sure that the number of reservations exceeds the hotel’s breakeven point in order to be profitable. Hotels regularly release blocks of low-cost rooms onto the market to encourage people to book. These rooms will only be available for several months in the future. The hotel will have blocks of mid-priced rooms and blocks of high-priced rooms. As the demand for rooms increases, the hotel “sells” the cheapest rooms first, leaving the blocks of more expensive rooms. Additionally, as demand for rooms increases, the hotel will increase room rates to meet demand.

Booking last minute can sometimes result in a significant discount for clients. When a hotel has not received enough reservations to be profitable, then the hotel may release a number of rooms to the market at a discount. However, clients may not be able to book the hotel of their choice. If you’re not too picky about where you stay, booking a hotel last minute can sometimes work in your favor.

Avoid traveling on religious, public or school holidays. There will be a higher demand for hotel accommodation, which will lead to higher room rates. Hotels tend to take reservations many months in advance, giving them the opportunity to maximize their room rates to ensure that the hotel is fully booked well in advance of the holiday period.

Avoid traveling at peak periods, such as mid-summer, when visiting a beach or island resort. Similarly, avoid the middle of winter if you go on a ski vacation. The Greek islands are a very popular destination during the summer months, peaking during August when the Greeks are on vacation. I visited the Greek islands during June; there was plenty of affordable accommodation and the weather was beautiful.

Avoid traveling during a major event like the Olympics. For example, when the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games were being organized, I traveled to New Zealand. The number of tourists visiting New Zealand was at a low point and I booked some great deals and was able to choose hotels. Also, there were no lines at any tourist attraction, which makes your vacation that much more enjoyable.

Booking multiple nights at the same hotel often results in a discount for clients. I can’t count the number of times I’ve booked 3 or 4 nights and received a free night or some other perk like a free breakfast every day. Hotels offer this to encourage customers to stay longer as it saves the hotel money. A hotel would rather check-in one customer for five nights than check-in five customers, one for each night. The hotel would save substantial check-in and check-out costs, administrative costs, cleaning costs, advertising and booking agent fees.

Staying on weekdays and not on weekends can result in a significant discount for customers. This is very evident in entertainment venues like Las Vegas and Macau, where players fly in for the weekend. The hotel rate on Friday and Saturday nights is typically double the rate for Sunday through Thursday nights. Many other international locations also have this premium weekend where travelers arrive for a weekend getaway from the city. For example, many Londoners travel to Paris at the weekend and many Greeks visit the Greek islands on weekends.

Stay a little further from the center of the action. When traveling to major cities and attractions, the closer the hotel is to the city or attraction, the more you’ll have to pay. If you book a hotel in a major city, consider staying in the suburb just outside the central business district. If you’re visiting a major tourist attraction, like Disneyland, consider staying in the next suburb. The downside, of course, is the added cost of travel, but a $10 cab fare can be much cheaper than the added cost of a hotel room.

Booking on the Internet is the best way for customers to compare and buy a hotel anywhere in the world. There is a wide choice for customers, which means a lot of competition for hotels which keeps prices low. Also, many of the best hotel deals are only posted online and are often only available until they are sold out. The Internet allows you to enter your travel dates, check availability, compare prices, view photos of the hotel’s exterior and interior, and read reviews from other travelers.

The reservation is made in real time so you know that once the reservation is confirmed it is complete. Most importantly, by making a prepaid reservation you will get the cheapest hotel rates available. As your credit card is charged at the time of booking, everything is immediately confirmed and arranged.

And once the reservation is complete, the hotel check-in voucher is sent to your email address and can be printed to present to the hotel at check-in. If you lose your coupon, don’t worry, just go to your email and print another one. Reservations can be modified or canceled at any time; however, if the reservation is changed within 72 hours of the arrival date, the hotel may charge an administration fee that will vary from hotel to hotel.