How to book a sold out hotel room
The strategies that have worked for my family time and time again.
How is it already December?! We got our Christmas tree this weekend and I’m scrambling to get everything done for the holidays (we celebrate basically all of them and it’s A LOT!). But I love this view from outside our window and the soft glow of the light at night makes it all feel somehow calming and worth the insanity.
If you missed the traveler’s gift guide, here is a link to it. Hope you’ll check out some of my favorite gifts for kids and adults!
So, as we prepare for the holidays and the many school breaks, etc. ahead, here are some strategies around booking hotel rooms that have helped us significantly in our travels!
And if you need some credit card advice, email Rachel@brooklynfamilytravelers.com with your card names and I’ll help you figure out a card strategy! And if you’d like to set up a credit strategy call (free!) or would like to book a 1:1 travel coaching session, book here. Want to gift one to a friend or family member? Email me for more info.
Here is a short list on hotel bookings but don’t miss my top strategy for booking sold out rooms at the end.
Book one night at a time
This seems counterintuitive but it works. If you book one night at a time, the hotel can typically link the reservations together on the back end so you don’t have to check in and out each day. This is a great strategy because it allows you to book each night at its lowest rate and make changes to that booking without effecting the nights around it. Let’s say you book a stay when the rate is low for 4 nights but then you want to change it to 3 nights. Once you go in to cancel that 4th night if you’ve booked it as one reservation, the entire stay will be re-priced at the current rates. If you had booked one night at a time, you remove the 4th night and nothing changes with the other nights you booked. It’s a great way to piece together a reservation AND give you flexibility if things change down the line.
Use high end credit card benefits to get perks
Sometimes, if there isn’t a points stay available, I may consider paying instead with a card that has extra benefits. One of the cards I have has a benefit that will get free breakfast for two, an upgrade when available, early check in, late check out and other perks. These perks can really add up and make a huge difference in the overall cost. It’s like having status without having status. Reply to this email for a link to the card and I am happy to send it over! The annual fee on this card is steep but between the welcome bonus, the benefits of the card and other perks, it is more than worth it. There is a business version and a personal version and I can help you figure out which makes sense for you. Don’t ever be afraid to ask!
Search for rooms for 2 people
Even if you are a family with more than 2 people, start your search at 2. This offers up the most availability. Once you find what you’re looking for, call the hotel and ask them if there are occupancy restrictions. If not, book the room, let them know how many people will be staying in the room and you’ll be all set! Note: Most of Europe is known for having strict occupancy rules and will not allow more than 3 people in most rooms. It can still be worth calling to see if an exception can be made. One option that has worked well for my family? We bring small inflatable kid size mattresses with us on each trip that fold down to nothing and can be inflated with 15 puffs of air (!). Letting the hotel know that you don’t need any rollaways can sometimes help get around occupancy restrictions (particularly if it’s a hotel rule and not a local law).
Note: this is the one we bring when we’re packing light and this is the more comfortable mattress we bring for road trips.
Check the point value if you’re booking on points to make sure it’s worth it!
Before I tell you my #1 strategy for booking sold out rooms, let’s talk about the value of points! Not all hotel points are created equal! Hilton and Marriott points aren’t worth even close to the value of Hyatt points. If you’re looking at a Hyatt, you may be able to get 2 cents per point or more out of each point you’re transferring over whereas with Hilton and Marriott, that value may be closer to a half a cent. To calculate the value of a point, there is one simple calculation that will save you a ton of money and points if you make sure to do it every time: