Come on, we are amongst friends and I would like to know how to get THE BEST DISCOUNTS ON HOTELS!!! Lord knows that the Entertainment Book gets thinner every year, and 10% off with your AAA card is just not all that exciting...and rather pathetic!

By a backpack and hit the hostels if you can't afford a hotel.

Sorry, cheapskate, but there is no substitute for diligence.
There is no single strategy for getting cheapest rates.
Strategies for getting cheap rates in Las Vegas are very different from those useful for Chicago.
Some chains have great website discounts, membership program discounts, mailer discounts etc.
There is no universal strategy.

It is no secret, but I will tell you anyway.
I am beautiful and everywhere I go, people give me things and make me offers that I cannot refuse!
I also would not be caught dead using an AAA card (alchoholic?)


I know I know, just joking!!!

Call and book a room in the hotel of your dreams. Pretend (in your mind ) that you have lots of money. Act like it. When booking on the phone, tell them it is your birthday, anniversary, last time before you die holiday.
When you check in, remind them that this is a so special holiday and it is so up to them that it is perfect. Don't forget to mention your friend, the travel writer at Conde Nast!
That should do it!
Have a great time!

Cheapskate, you're in good company.

One technique that I use which serves me well is to make a "provisional reservation" at at place that I am willing stay which has no cancellation penalty and a rate that I would be willing to pay. Okay, now you have established your "worst case" scenario and that is your benchmark. Now, hit the discount hotel booking sites (Hotel Reservations Network; www.quikbook.com, local booking engines, etc.). Don't pull the trigger on anything unless you really like what you see because cancellations can become a lot more complicated and dicey.

Keep checking back with your original reservation, too. For example, I've been able to knock up to $30/night off Six Continents selections, Radisson or Hilton just by catching rate changes when they occur. (Yes, those "yield management" programs on their computers can sometimes be YOUR friend too!). You can also go the Priceline route (but DO learn something about what you're doing first: www.biddingfortravel.com). You can sometimes book throught the vacations affiliate of your airline -- even without booking a flight, at times.

You should join hotel loyalty programs and subscribe to their e-mail services to be tuned in for rate offers, as well as to collect the points. Find out about these programs through: www.flyertalk.com and read through the posts for the various programs.

I agree with Scrooge, above: There is no single strategy; it will vary with each destination and booking you make. But may you NEVER pay rack rate again!

But, AnonThisTime, by the time you have spent all those hours getting a better price, is it really worth it? Your strategy is great, and I like a discount as much as the next guy, but I have to consider the dollar value of my time.

Priceline.

I use a similar plan as AnonThisTime. It does not consume a lot of time to shop every so often right up until departure. I, too, have saved as much as $100/night by checking the rates for my dates on a regular basis. I've found that each new booking is an entirely new endeavor. No one resource is the best each and every time. I don't mind spending the time - at the substantially lower rates I find, I can stay longer!

Regarding the time spent finding deals, it's really no big deal. For some of us who like to do it, the activity isn't entirely about the money, per se. It's kind of fun. The money part offers a ready means to keep score and it also provides a reason to fool around with it all.

one easy one is type Discount hotel in brouser" it will give you hotel consolidators..

internationaly.. try using a local search engine for instance if you want too get a cheep hotel in Bali indonesia go too yahoo Asia and find the links too Bali discount hotels. and you will find local listing on hotels which are TONS cheeper then those found just by typing "bali hotel"

I am by far the worst speller in the whole forum.. but last time I checked I didn't have too take a spelling test when passing threw customs in Tokyo or Amsterdam..

anyways
tip 5 say you have a student discount card even if you don't many places will give the discount anyways..

Often times calling the hotel directly will yield better rates than the 800 number or website.

I don't travel frequently enough to deal with loyalty programs. What I do is check orbitz to identify prices and availability for hotels in our near my destination city for my dates, then if I think I can do better on priceline, I go there and bid accordingly.

If you are looking for a room on the weekend, try to stay in hotels that cater to business folks - like the hotels in lower Manhattan or in the technology corridors outside of Boston. Priceline has accepted my 50% off bids for hotels in this scenario.