The Internet offers ways to find Cheap Hotels

Just 20 years ago, the best way to save money on hotel was to stop by a restaurant or convenience store off a major highway and look for one of those infamous hotel coupon books. Many people did (and still do) belong to travel organizations like AAA to save money on hotels when they travel. In the past 10 years, the Internet has spawned literally hundreds of websites that cater to travels. Now you can book your hotel in China (and even pay for it) from your home in California. Many of these sites are heavily advertise don television and are household names.
Top Internet Sites for Cheap Hotels

Many of the websites you can log onto you will find a lot of special deals. Many of these sites partner with airlines, rental outlets and some tourist sites. All of the sites allow you to sign up for email alerts.

The easiest site to remember is www.hotels.com. Like most of the travel sites, you can link onto hundreds of hotel all around the world. The site offers regular deals on the website and has partnerships with several other businesses. You can find last minute deals that can save you big if you decide to travel at the last minute.

Most people remember the jingle for expedia.com. While the site features not only hotel, but flights, cars and activities, expedia.com is well known for its great travel deals on hotels.

Because of its name, many people overlook www.cheaptickets.com . The website may sound like a site for concert and event tickets, but it is also a great site to check out low priced hotels. The "cheap deal of the week" offers some unusual getaways. One of the most recent offered a football weekend in Columbus, Ohio-an unusual offer but it was less than $250 for the flight and hotel!

William Shatner has made priceline.com a well-known travel site with his trademark voice. The site, however, is similar to others when it comes to hotel deals, even though it has some great partnerships with major airlines. Other websites that offer similar deals are orbitz.com and hotwire.com.

With so many websites out there, seemingly providing the same services, how do you determine which one is going to give you the best deal? Here are some tips for getting the best hotel deal:

If at all possible, plan your trip ahead. You always save money by booking in advance. Planning ahead also gives you time to shop the different websites for the best deals. You never know-one of the sites may feature your destination as the "cheap deal of the week."

Be aware of the package deals. Some of them seem like a good deal, but you may be able to save more money by buying separately. Research, research, research!

If you are vigilant about getting the best deal, sign up to receive emails about the best deals. However, if you don't like advertisements or you are two busy to read the emails, just take the time to research yourself.


How to find Hotel Deals Offline

You can still find some great deal without getting online. Travel agents have been and always will be a great resource. They deal with hotels everyday and know how to save you money. Many times they have stayed in the hotel they are recommending. Sometimes a cheap hotel is just that-cheap with dirty bathrooms and torn carpet. It is not worth it to save money on a hotel if it is dirty and unsatisfactory.

Many times you can call a hotel and find out if they have any deals. One major chain offers parents of college students a discount. Sometimes managers have "specials.

Many towns have hotels that are "mom and pop" establishments. Sometimes they are less expensive than a large chain. You many want to find out if the hotel is clean and reputable before making a reservation. You can also stay at a cheaper hotel outside of a major city to save money on your hotel stay, but make sure the savings is enough to cover the gas you will be using to get from your hotel to your destination.