Lounging around in a hotel room is one of my favorite parts of a vacation. Drinking coffee in the morning, wearing a plush robe, and gazing out the window onto an unfamiliar city can really take you away from reality.
Unless of course you stay at an overpriced, unclean, smelly hellhole, which has happened to everyone. But it’s a recession, so don’t do this to yourself. Do the research and get a bargain!
Some may think it’s best to plan ahead and book a hotel room early. Not these days. Getting on line even a week before can get you a hotel room for cheap. And if you do book ahead, get alerts on Yapta.com when your rate drops. Also, believe it or not, calling and ASKING for the bargain can sometimes get you a better rate.
Across the country, occupancy is down 10.9 percent and the average daily rate is down 7.7 percent, according to Smith Travel Research.
Look at how much the average daily rates have gone down in some of the most popular summer destination cities: New York
2009 - $203
2008 - $273
Chicago
2009 – $124
2008 – $135
Hawaii
2009 – $189
2008 - $212
Hotel chains like Marriott and Starwood are offering great incentives with lots of amenities. In addition, luxury hotel chains such as the Four Seasons have been hardest hit during the downturn. So if you’re a Holiday Inn kind of traveler, you may be able to spring for the good stuff. A good deal in a high class place makes that comfy robe even more comfy.
The famous, 4-star Waldorf Astoria costs $199 per night this summer
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