Travel expert reveals the clever way you can get some extra freebies when booking a holiday – and save nearly £100 | The Sun

A TRAVEL writer has revealed the booking tip she always uses to save money on hotel stays.

Siobhan Downes is a travel expert who has spent nearly a decade testing out various travel hacks, so it's safe to say she knows exactly what she's talking about.

In an article in Stuff, Siobhan revealed the travel tips and hacks that she uses on her own holidays.

One of those tips is to book hotel rooms directly, which Siobhan has used to save hundreds.

She wrote: "You can almost always get a better deal by booking your accommodation direct, rather than using a third-party site like Booking.com or Agoda. 

"I once saved $200 (£96) doing this – it turned out the hotel had a special rate for guests who booked direct."

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In the article, Siobhan also explained that guests who book their room directly could be entitled to extra perks too.

For instance, holidaymakers who do book direct may be treated to a bottle of wine in their room, a free upgrade, or vouchers for the hotel restaurant.

These perks and cheaper rates aren't often advertised on the hotel website, so it's worth phoning or emailing the hotel to ask about the booking.

There are plenty of other ways to save on hotel rooms too.

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Overnight stays in hotel rooms are often cheaper on a Sunday evening, this is because demand is at its lowest.

This means if you do want a weekend away, Sunday may be the way to go.

Booking last minute is also a good way to save some pennies because hotels will want to fill their rooms – even if it's for a lower price.

Meanwhile, the travel experts at Thrifty Nomads are used to hunting for holiday bargains and have revealed some of their best tips to avoid forking out a fortune for a place to stay.

In an article for Metro, they revealed their best tips to avoid forking out a fortune on an overnight stay.

Their advice is that, if your trip is to celebrate a birthday, you shouldn't be shy about telling your accommodation.

By sharing this information, you might be able to nab yourself a free upgrade, or, at the very least, a free celebratory item.

In a recent video, TikTok user Alexis Gould explained all about hotel hedging, which involves booking rooms in advance.

But if these rooms are booked in advance, guests should make sure the room can be cancelled, or refunded, without charging a fee.

When a trip is just around the corner, Alexis recommended looking for other hotel deals that might be cheaper.

Meanwhile, this woman said she didn't want to use the toilet in her hotel because of a very strange design.

And a former hotel worker has revealed why you should always change the toilet roll in the bathroom.


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