Knowing how to find the best luxury hotel deals can help holidaymakers enjoy high-end experiences without the sky-high costs. We reveal how to bag the best value for less.
When choosing a luxury hotel, it’s important to identify what really matters to you for your stay.
We delve into some tried-and-tested ways to help you secure the best deals on luxury hotels.
1. Book early
Timing matters. This holds true for everything, whether you’re looking for cheap business and first class flights, sorting out travel insurance, or trying to secure a bargain on a luxury stay. Booking ahead of time — especially outside peak seasons — can be the easiest way to lock in lower prices at luxury accommodations. And if you’re flexible with your dates, you can discover deals that are hard to match otherwise.
2. Use travel websites
Scouring through travel websites can be a hassle, but it’s one of the best ways to find exclusive deals, packages, and reward programs that give you the most bang for your buck.
Make sure to filter your options, otherwise, you’ll be looking through hotel options for hours. You can refine your search based on star rating, amenities provided, and guest reviews to decide whether a high-end hotel is worth the expense.
3. Sign up for loyalty programs
Many luxury hotels have loyalty rewards that offer you points, perks, or member-only rates. For instance, Marriott Bonvoy offers five tiers of Elite memberships, and you can receive points towards free nights, golf, dining, flights, car rentals and even shopping trips. So if you’re a frequent traveller and regularly stay with Marriott, it can save you a substantial amount over time.
Another way to do this is by exchanging supermarket vouchers for discounts at different hotels. You could use your Tesco Clubcard vouchers at Hotels.com, Best Western, Warner Hotels, Mercure, Novotel, Butlin’s and Macdonald Hotels and Resorts.
4. Look for VIP Access hotels
Sometimes, getting good value can mean choosing a hotel that offers something better than the rest.
One way to do this is by staying at Hotels.com’s VIP Access properties. It’s a collection of some of the best hotels on the website, and you can enjoy exclusive perks and earn extra rewards from staying in one of them.
Below, we’ve listed some perks available at VIP Access hotels:
Holiday packages, where you bundle your hotel stay with flights, car rentals, or experiences through travel agencies, can be a good way to unlock discounts. In some instances, luxury hotels offer special packages during holidays or events, like spa weekends or gourmet dining experiences included in your stay.
According to research by Which?, an all-inclusive package is cheaper than doing it yourself (DIY) in seven out of ten popular destinations, especially if you plan to spend most of your time at the hotel or resort. However, Which? urges holidaymakers to pick wisely, or you could be set back by an average of £119 per person per week by spending on snacks and cocktails — even if they were supposed to be included in your deal.
6. Four-star hotels offer the value ‘sweet spot’
Katherine LaGrave writes in Afar that there are trips where you want “something nice – but not overwhelmingly nice”, and that’s where four-star hotels come in. Typically, they are “upper upscale” hotels with sizeable rooms, high-quality bath products, and 24-hour room service. “A guest should ideally be able to get everything they need at a four-star hotel,” LaGrave adds.
It’s also more affordable compared to a five-star hotel. Based on analysis by Hotels.com, the jump from a three-star hotel to a four-star one abroad is 41% more expensive on average – climbing to 63% for a five-star. That makes four-star hotels the ‘sweet spot’ for value.
Some of the best value domestic four-star hotels are in Aberdeen, Derby, and Milton Keynes, costing an average of £110 per night.
Where to find five-star hotels for less
If you’re keen on that extra star but not stretching your budget, a UK staycation could be a good idea. Domestic five-star hotels are 21% cheaper on average than their international counterparts, Hotels.com said, and you can find deals for under £200 in cities such as Manchester, Bath and Brighton.
We’ve compiled a list of places where you can find the best deals on luxury hotels.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Where to find cost-friendly five-star hotels in the UK
Location
Price per night
Swindon
£56
York
£170
Manchester
£171
Bath
£193
Newcastle
£195
Source: Hotels.com
Here are a few international locations where a five-star hotel wouldn’t hurt your pockets as much.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Where to find cost-friendly five-star hotels abroad
Location
Price per night
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
£108
Bangkok, Thailand
£123
Prague, Czech Republic
£136
Istanbul, Turkey
£137
Doha, Qatar
£173
Source: Hotels.com
Ultimately, it boils down to what you’re after and where you want to splurge for a memorable experience.
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Oojal has a background in consumer journalism and is interested in helping people make the most of their money.Oojal has an MA in international journalism from Cardiff University, and before joining MoneyWeek, she worked for Look After My Bills, a personal finance website, where she covered guides on household bills and money-saving deals.Her bylines can be found on Newsquest, Voice Wales, DIVA and Sony Music, and she has explored subjects ranging from politics and LGBTQIA+ issues to food and entertainment.Outside of work, Oojal enjoys travelling, going to the movies and learning Spanish with a little green owl.
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