Frugal Travel: One Little Known Way to Save on Hotels

I want to say that I am not in any way associated with the La Quinta hotel chain. I am just going to use them as an example. I have stayed at many different hotels during my life and I do like La Quinta but I also like Towneplace Suites and other good mid-level hotel chains. My most recent experience is with La Quinta, however, and because I signed up with their membership program I learned something about the chain hotel business that piqued my interest.

You see, La Quinta (like all the hotel chains with consumer Website programs) sends out occasional announcements about new hotels they are opening. These “Grand Opening” announcements are accompanied by special, short-term discounts. So if you happen to be traveling through an area where a new hotel has opened, they want you to stay there. No doubt they hope you’ll write a good review about that hotel on Websites like TripAdvisor, Yelp, and other popular business review sites.

If you travel through the United States several times a year, it may be behoove you to sign up with several hotel chains’ Websites. Sure, you can stick to your preferred chain whenever possible. But wouldn’t it make sense to be one of the first people to stay at a brand new hotel? Not only will you get a premium discount, you’ll also experience a wholly new experience. In order to stay competitive these chains have to keep updating their facilities. Older hotels will be renovated but newer hotels use the latest designs and features.

So keeping your email IN box open to new opportunities can help you become one of the luckiest travelers in your social circle. You’ll always know where the newest hotels are opening up and you can plan ahead to stay at nice, clean, new facilities as much as possible. Plus you’ll save money on the room nights.

There are two downsides to finding hotels this way, of course. If you earn points from your favorite hotel chain (which can also be applied toward free room nights and/or discounts) then it will take longer to reach your next reward level for any one chain. Also, you may have to stay farther from your travel destinations than you are accustomed to. But in my experience the newest hotels I have visited have been in good locations near major highways, close to tourist attractions, and in safe neighborhoods.

As a consumer who travels a few times each year I appreciate every extra effort these hotel companies put forth toward making my travel experience both more enjoyable AND more affordable.