When do hotels lower their rates

Now that I'm on the other side of the check-in counter, I'm able to divulge several powerful tools for saving on your lodging costs:.

Negotiate with the hotel. When business is slow, no property will turn down a reasonable offer. Earlier in my career, as a front-desk manager, I would leave for the night and allow the desk clerks the flexibility of negotiating discounts should they experience resistance to the hotel's published rates.

We found that by selectively reducing prices, we could avoid turning away any business when we needed it. Though it's best to phone ahead, you can negotiate on arrival. If you walk in without a reservation and are unhappy with the rate you are quoted, tell the desk clerk and ask if there is a lower rate or offer a rate that you are willing to pay. Always wait until the desk is not busy. This will allow the clerks to quote discounted rates without being overheard by other guests who may be checking in.

You'll be surprised at how often you are successful in receiving a discount on your room just by asking. Despite the possibility of last-minute discounts, it's best to make your reservations long in advance.

As soon as you are aware of your travel plans, call and make your hotel reservations. As your arrival date nears, the demand for that room will usually increase. As demand increases, the discounted rate will be sold out and only the high regular rate will be available. Never call the number. Dial the hotel direct!

Follow Us. Terms Privacy Policy. HuffPost spoke with travel booking experts to get the skinny on hotel room rates. In this sense, hotel rooms are very different than airline tickets. Image Source via Getty Images. Although hotel rates vary by day, the season also makes a big difference. Suggest a correction. Newsletter Sign Up. Successfully Subscribed! If they choose the lower rate, it becomes nonrefundable. Ultimately, whether the rate is refundable or not also depends on the same variables that booking rates depend on.

There are several sources that rank hotels according to different criteria. This ranking of hotel chains was done by looking at the number of hotels, rooms, and brands under its umbrella. According to a study completed by Morgan Stanley in early , the " five largest brands account for nearly half of all US hotel rooms," but unfortunately, despite extensive research into hotel annual reports, industry studies, and trusted media sites, I was not able to find any other data concerning the top 10 hotels' total booking contributions.

To wrap up, yes prices change. The extent to which they change is super variable. The recent trends of booking so close the stay date give less time for the prices to change drastically. In addition, since they change so much and there are so many ways to book it is hard to find data for every room in every hotel all over the world.

Thanks for using Wonder! Please let us know if we can help with anything else we can help you with! Rates will spike for holidays, while the immediate before and after periods will likely be significantly lower.

Pay attention to local events as well. For example, Vegas hotel rates will spike around the largest conventions. So save your party trip for the following weekend. Aside from the fundamentals, remember that Sunday is your critical day. Do your research before you book to see which dates are off-peak. Shoulder season is a good time for hotel deals. You can often find some great bargains just before the rainy season — bring an umbrella and hope for the best!

Hotels offer knock-down rates the day before if they are looking to fill rooms. If a few new hotels have opened recently in a similar area, existing hotels might lower their prices to meet new competition.