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Put the Money In Your Piggy Bank

What money? The money I'm going to tell you how to save when booking a hotel room. There are several ways to accomplish this, and it doesn't have to be painful. As a veteran of hotel service, these are the top five insider tips:

1. Beware of booking online, whether from the hotel website or through a third-party site, such as Priceline, Orbitz, or Travelweb. This can be a slippery slope to navigate, especially if you don't read the fine print it contains a lot of information you'll wish you had when you're charged for a room you never stayed in. Note the cancellation clause; the lower the rate, the more restrictions, such as no cancellation option at all. Once you buy the room for the date indicated, you cannot alter that reservation in any way, under any circumstance. You may be able to get the penalties waived by calling the hotel direct, but while they will sympathize because your aunt on your mother's cousin's side passed away and you have to be at the funeral, you're locked in, whether you show up or not. With companies like Orbitz or other third party sites, when you buy the reservation you have paid the third party site. The hotel doesn't have your money, they do then the company will issue a payment to the hotel. The good news is, legally the hotel has to keep your room for you, should you actually make it there, for the entire length of the intended (and paid for) stay. It's illegal for them to sell that room. If you book a room for three days and pay for it in advance, even if you don't show up until the second day, they have to hold that room for you.

2. Weigh the money you save against the cancellation or no-show policy. Often it's a matter of a difference of mere dollars. Call the hotel directly and find out what rates they offer. Often there's a discount for AAA, AARP, and if you are a military or government employee. If you have any doubt about whether or not you can make it to your vacation destination, this is the best choice. This way, you can cancel the room (usually twenty-four hours in advance) with no penalty. If you book through the hotel directly, ask about their cancellation and no-show policy (which is different and usually more lenient than booking through a third party) so there are no surprises should something come up and your vacation is derailed.

3. Make note of your reservation confirmation number and especially your cancellation number. Write it down somewhere so that you can access it if needed.

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