Here is a good article from Economic Times that gives you tips on getting good deals for your trips.
While planning a holiday, a lot of time is spent into choosing the right hotel to suit your budget.While online travel portals, especially the metasearch ones, are a great help in finding one, they do not necessarily guarantee the best room rate. If the hunt is not for the lowest rate, making a non-refundable booking well in advance, which means paying in full even before you get to your destination, is your surest bet. Then there are other tried and tested strategies, such as group booking and making the most of hotel loyalty programmes.
However, a rock-bottom bed-and-breakfast rate can be no match for a well-bargained deal which includes bed & breakfast and amenities, even if the latter costs more. For instance, if the package accommodates free airport transfers, it can save a lot of money. Some hotels also provide complimentary shuttles to, say, popular shopping centres, which ups the savings quotient. So, if you are looking to pile on some amenities for free and bag luxury for less, here are some insider tips that could get more bang for your buck.
Time your travel
Most discerning travellers interpret this as visiting a place during off-peak or off-season time because this is when the rates come crashing down. However, did you know that room rates vary on a daily basis? Says Manoj Gursahani, founder and chairman, TravelMartIndia.com: "At leisure hotels, weekdays turn out to be cheaper than a weekend stay." The reverse is true for business hotels. Here's proof: At Mumbai's Ramada Plaza Palm Groove at Juhu, a two-night stay from 2 January (Monday) to 4 January costs Rs 18,424. But if you check in on Friday, 6 January, the two-night stay would cost Rs 13,818. For the same dates, weekend stays at The Oberoi at Nariman Point, Mumbai, are cheaper by nearly Rs 14,000.
Go online, not just to book
The Internet is the genie that can conjure up incredible deals. Consider the promotion code, aka coupon code, which is a string of letters or an alphanumeric code that entitles one to discounts and/or freebies. Most travel Websites, be it online travel agents, hotel reservation engines or airline sites, now carry a box on their booking/ checkout page, where such codes have to be keyed in. In the US alone, there are supposedly over 500 Websites offering such codes. India, on the other hand, is waking up to the concept only now. Check out the sites such as promotioncode.in, yatrapromotioncode.com, and couponcodesindia.net, to name a few. Here you can bag discounts of anywhere from Rs 200 to four-figure amounts.
If you take frequent foreign vacations, consider registering with a private sale site, such as SniqueAway.com, MrandMrsSmith.com or Jetsetter.com. According to RateGain.com, a hospitality technology firm that has partnered with the likes of MrandMrsSmith.com, smart hoteliers are finding that managing their supply through private sites, in terms of rates, volumes and availability, can create better margins than other distribution channels. For the members of such sites, it means discounts of 20-70% on flash sales and anytime deals. For instance, Jetsetter was offering a one night-stay at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay in the US for $118 a night, down from $169 at the hotel's Website.
Clicks versus calls
This one has been tried out with success by several travellers. The first thing to do is to shop online and make a note of who is offering what. This means comparing online travel agents and metasearch portals with individual hotel booking engines. Then, instead of rushing to book the best of what you see, choose the top three options and personally call each of their front desks and start a bidding war. The trick is to choose the right words. Don't ask, "What is the best rate you can offer?" Instead, try something like, "I really like your hotel, but it seems a little pricey compared to other hotels in the area. Are there any packages or promotions on offer that can sweeten the deal?" This is the ticket to landing great freebies, such as spa treatments, airport transfers, F&B discounts, and more. Remember, this will only work with the staff manning the front desk, not the customer care executives. Alternatively, after you check into a hotel, approach the front desk towards evening and ask if an upgrade is possible. Remember that an empty room does nothing for a hotel. By evening, they know which rooms are sure to be vacant and offering an upgrade, either complimentary or at an unheard of discount, is a good relationship building exercise. This strategy works the best if you are a repeat guest at a hotel or even the chain.
Economic Times
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