Save On Travel: 4 Times Hotel Prices Decrease Throughout The Year

As hotel prices fluctuate throughout the year, it becomes increasingly possible for everyone to enjoy VIP travel experiences. This article is sponsored by Discover®, who believes experiences should be accessible to everyone and is proud to present affordable ways to travel for different budgets.

Millions of people travel across the United States each year, so whether you plan to travel for work or play, finding lodging is a critical part of that process.

Hotels provide the perfect accommodation for travelers, but the prices can fluctuate depending on several factors. Luckily, if you catch a deal at the right time, you can receive a lot of savings.

This is especially important for those who might be on a budget but still want to explore. Smart travelers know hotel prices go down throughout the year — so here are the best times to book to get the best deals for your wallet.

If you plan to travel during the week, it can be more cost-efficient than weekend travel. As a result, weekdays — i.e., Monday through Thursday — are the pretty slow days for many hotels. According to Reader’s Digest, the best day of the week to book and stay at a domestic hotel is Monday, and for international travel, you should book your hotel for a Tuesday.

Off-peak season travel can be more economical because many hotels offer discounted rates and other promotions to encourage travelers to visit. Keep in mind to check the weather and the attractions you are interested in are open during this time, as many are closed. So to save money, Afar.com advises travelers to book their hotel stays during the off-peak season — when fewer visitors are in town.

Hotels see an uptick in booking around major holidays such as Christmas or New Year’s Eve. But when the holidays are over, everyone packs up to leave, leaving many hotels ghost towns. Try to schedule your next trip for after the holidays or the holiday season. Readers’ Digest reported that the cheapest month for staying at a hotel is January, which is right after the winter holidays. So, not only will you be avoiding a costly hotel bill, you will be avoiding crowds as well.

Having too many vacant rooms is bad business for hotels. So when this happens, they often try to entice travelers into booking with them by offering discounted rates on last-minute stays.

Hotel solutions strategist, Colleen Carswell says that sometimes the best booking is the last minute one. “It all comes down to supply and demand,” Carswell told HerMoney. “Most of the time, you’ll actually save much more by booking at the last minute. In industry terms, their goal is simple: Get heads in beds. If hotels still have rooms left to sell for your dates of stay, they will likely slash the prices at the last minute in hopes of selling off more of their inventory.”

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