discount hotel rooms

Want to know where can you book discount hotel rooms? The rapid expansion of the budget airlines has fueled an explosion in weekend and short breaks. But booking the flight is the easy part; next you have to find a cheap hotel room.

Although there are lots of 'discount hotel' websites, there aren't many good cheap hotel booking websites. Here we recommend a collection of great places to book a hotel for less, each offering an excellent choice and rock bottom prices.

But before we get to them (scroll down if you are impatient!), we offer some advice and tips on how to get the best deal.

How to book discount hotel rooms

1. As with most things on the web, our first piece of advice is to shop around.
2. Unlike flights, as long as there is no conference or major event in the place you intend to stay (and you can check that at whatsonwhen), you will often find the best deal by leaving booking late. Booking between two and seven days in advance usually yields the cheapest hotel rooms. But don't wait until the day you need the room as prices go back up.
3. The discount hotel websites negotiate cheap rates based on volume so it's usually cheaper to buy through them. Usually, but not always. Once you have a price online, don't be afraid to approach the hotel direct. But, to get the best rate, you must ask if they have any special offers.
4. Sometimes adding a weekend night will lower the rate for all of the other nights of a stay.
5. Compare prices, but compare locations too. It's usually worth paying a little extra to be nearer the centre of town, or your preferred attraction.
6. Don't just rely on 'star' ratings. Look at the facilities the hotel has and rank hotels based on the facilities' importance to you.
7. If you want a cheap hotel at the weekend, look at hotels in or near business districts. Business people only want hotels during the week. These hotels are usually of a 'superior' standard but, in order to attract weekend custom, they offer excellent weekend deals.
8. If breakfast isn't included in your room rate, eat at a local cafe. It's usually cheaper, fresher and better than in a hotel.

Where to book discount hotel rooms

Superbreak - with a quick search engine, you can find a cheap hotel quickly and simply then book it online. Room rates, facilities, grades, detailed descriptions and even photos are available for most hotels. They also offer london theatre breaks and serviced apartments.

Hotel Connect - this is an excellent website to get a baseline on the rate you should expect to pay. Browse their special offers and, once you've searched, click for a description and picture of the hotel and other essential information.

Expedia - the UK's number one online travel agent should always be included in your cheap hotel search. There hotel prices are good and, if you book a hotel and flight together with expedia, the whole thing can work out 20 - 30% cheaper than booking them separately via a discount flight and cheap hotel website.

OTC - have a database of over 70,000 hotels worldwide and a quick search engine. You can find a cheap hotel quickly and simply then book it online. As with expedia, you might look at their city breaks section, where you can add a flight and hotel and get a discount on both.

Lastminute.com - if you are traveling to a 'main stream' destination, such as London or New York, always include lastminute within your cheap hotel search. A regular place for bargains.

The whole process should take no more than half an hour, and will ensure that you get the best deal.

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