Staying at a five-star hotel can be an exceptional travel experience. These hotels tend to offer the best rooms, many on-site amenities, and a higher level of service than you would get elsewhere.
They also cost a lot more. When you’re trying to travel without spending a fortune, a budget hotel may seem like the best option. However, there are also ways to make the five-star experience much more affordable, including: travel rewards cards and several other strategies used by frequent travelers.
1. Open a hotel credit card
Most of the larger hotel chains have their own credit cardsincluding Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG. Here are some ways a hotel card can help you save big on your luxury hotel stays:
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You will earn points in the hotel's loyalty program every time you pay with their credit card.
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Hotel credit cards typically offer sign-up bonuses to new cardholders. Depending on the card, you can earn more than 100,000 bonus points.
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Many hotel cards offer annual free night vouchers. There may be restrictions on where you can use them, but some cards offer free night vouchers that can be used at five-star hotels.
Hotel credit cards are my favorite way to save when staying at high-end properties. Last month, I saved over $2,500 at a five-star beach resort using a free night certificate and my hotel points. If you’re looking to book hotel stays for less or even free, I highly recommend getting a hotel card.
2. Visit during the off-season or shoulder season
Almost all destinations have a high season, which is the busiest time, and a low season. In between is the low season.
You might be surprised at the price difference this represents. For example, some five-star hotels in the South of France cost between $500 and $600 per night during the high season (July and August). In the low season, in September, most of these same hotels charge around $400. And during the winter low season, rates are less than $300.
I know most people don't want to go to the beach in the winter. But if possible, try to schedule your outings in the off-season or low season. This can make your hotel stay much more affordable.
3. Try a flexible date search
Hotel websites and online travel agencies usually offer a flexible date search option. Instead of searching for exact travel dates, you enter a month and the number of days you want to stay. For example, you might search for four nights in October.
You can then select a hotel and view its nightly rates for the entire month. If you are transparent about the time of year you are visiting, this is a good way to check when prices are high and when you can get a good deal.
4. Create a travel savings fund
People who love to travel and want to do it without debt are proactive. They save money to travel, whether they have a trip planned or not. When they need to book an expensive plane ticket or hotel, they already know how much they can spend and where the money will come from.
If you want to stay in nicer hotels, make it one of your financial goals. Create a travel fund in your savings account. Many savings accounts allow you to create subaccounts or buckets of savings for specific goals. Once you have your travel fund set up, send money to it each month. If you put $250 in a month, that’s $3,000 a year that you can use for travel.
5. Choose an affordable destination
Being flexible about your destination is another way to save on the five-star experience. Luxury hotels in expensive destinations may be out of your budget, but there are plenty of more affordable places to go.
For example, Latin America has become a popular budget travel destination for travelers from the United States. In Europe, travelers have been pleased to find that Poland and Portugal offer great value for money. You may also want to consider cheaper alternatives to major tourist destinations, such as Bordeaux instead of Paris, or Valencia instead of Barcelona.
A room in a five-star hotel isn't necessarily a must when you're traveling, but it's always nice if you can afford it. And as you've seen, it's possible to stay in a luxury hotel without breaking the bank.
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We are firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are our own and have not been previously reviewed, approved or endorsed by the advertisers included. The Ascent does not cover every offering in the market. Editorial content on The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different team of analysts.Lyle Daly has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Hyatt Hotels, InterContinental Hotels Group Plc, and Marriott International. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Top 5 Ways to Go From Budget Travel to 5-Star Hotel was originally published by The Motley Fool
