Booking Cheap Accommodation

Should I be reading reviews?

Where should I stay?

When should I travel?

The sensible answer here is yes! Even when booking cheap accommodation, you are often spending hundreds of your well earned money that you likely can’t afford to lose. Not all cancellation periods are equal, some will allow cancellation until the day of check in, others may only offer it up to 14 days in advance, so make sure you know what you are paying for.

The price difference between the non-refundable rate should be taken into consideration. Personally, if the price difference is huge and we can’t foresee any issues arising, we have been known to go for the much lower non-refundable price. It is always a gamble when you do this but by booking on a credit card and buying travel insurance immediately after booking you will still have protection against many problems that could prevent you from travelling. We go into more detail on how to book a safe trip here.

A great benefit of free cancellation is that you can simply decide not to go – something not offered with traditional package bookings. It is also useful if the price of the room drops, if you keep an eye on the live prices you can then cancel and rebook if the price falls. Hotels.com offer a price guarantee so even if your booking is non-refundable, if you find a better price they will give you vouchers to the value of the difference to use on a future trip. Learn more about this and submit a claim here.

What star rating should I look for?

Take the star rating of a hotel with a pinch of salt. The requirements to reach a certain number of stars varies massively across countries. A 4* hotel in one country may not be equal to a 4* in another. Governments set the standards and it often relates to things like the hotel having a pool, a gym, 24 hour bilingual reception staff, conference facilities – it isn’t simply a measure of how ‘fancy’ a place is. Filtering accommodation by the star rating can help you find relatively nicer accommodation options, and is how we source our ‘Bargain Lux’ deals for you, but it is one part of many other things you should be looking at. Don’t be put off by a 2* hotel rating, this doesn’t mean the place is awful, it just means it lacks certain facilities. Use the reviews, location and photos to work out if the place would work for you.

Do I need a credit card?

If you are planning on travelling regularly, a travel specific credit card is a really useful thing to have. Any bookings you make over £100 will be protected under Section 75 of the Credit Consumer Act, so it is always sensible to book your travel using one. It also has benefits when spending abroad, the exchange rates you get when spending on a travel credit card will be near perfect. On top of the savings and protection it offers, it is usually essential to have one when booking car hire. Read our blog post on ‘How to hire a car abroad‘ for more information on doing this.

Consider house sitting. (And use our 25% off code!)

House sitting is a great way to get away on the cheap. Memberships start from around £99 and allows you to use the site all year to source house sits. We currently have a 25% off code that you can use, making it even better value. We have a specific post on our housesitting experience which you can read for more information and to find the discount link. Essentially you look after someones home and pets in exchange for the free stay. We have stayed in some beautiful houses by doing this. You can find the website we use here.

So, what are you waiting for?

Traveling on a tight budget is easy with the right mindset and smart planning. By understanding your needs, booking cheap accommodation to meet these, leveraging reviews and timing your travels wisely, you can embark on more travel adventures without breaking the bank.

Gone are the days of settling for expensive package holidays just because it is easier. DIY planning is often overlooked and can unlock the cheapest possible trips for a tight budget. With our search feature, you take full control of your own journey whilst we handpick the best flights and accommodation to suit your needs. We believe that travel should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their budget, and that’s why we’ve designed this powerful tool to maximise your savings without compromising on quality.

Forget endless hours spent browsing numerous websites for the best deals. Multiple tabs open looking for flights, hotels, blogs open looking for recommendations and the best locations… We’ve streamlined the process, making it easy and efficient for you to plan your perfect trip. As a premium Travel Max member you can also enjoy access to personalised deals that cater specifically to your preferences and interests, and we send these deals straight to your inbox.