It Pays to Continue Checking Hotel Prices

[egritz]

Just thought I'd share. I had a reservation at La Quinta Inn on S Clementine for 7 nights later this fall. We are getting APs this year so I was working on an Excel Sheet with all the different Hotels & Room types we normally look at (and noting extra fees like parking, crib, as well as amenities such as an in-room fridge/microwave, breakfast, etc). When I've been doing this I've been putting in our travel dates to see if there are extra costs the hotel adds that I should note (i.e. for crib or resort fees) and when doing so tonight, I noticed the AAA rate at La Quinta had dropped $20 a night! I just amended our reservation and after taxes, saved $151! So excited! I've been pecking away on the spreadsheet for a while now, I'll have to go back through on some of the more desired hotels to see if their rates have gotten any better for our dates too.

 

[VandVsmama]

That's awesome! I do the same thing...I have a spreadsheet that I use to keep track of trip costs and when I am comparing hotels, I factor in all the extra fees...taxes, parking, etc. that way I can compare apples to apples.

 

[kappyfamily]

I do the same and with car rentals too. I just make it a part of my morning routine. I've saved a ton checking car rentals daily.

 

[ADLFAN]

I do that too! I have been booking and cancelling our hotel for months for the trip we are leaving on TODAY!!! I just got the Tropicana for the same price as the Quality Inn on Manchester, so SWITCH! Now we are right across the street! I have even saved on the DLH that way, when a special came out after we booked.

It's like the hotel prices are pretty low when you book them like a year in advance, then they skyrocket when most normal people are booking, 2 to 4 months out, THEN when those rates didn't attract enough customers, then they drop rates to try to fill the rooms about a month before all the way up to the day of the stay if they still have rooms.

 

[Cal-Pie]

It's like the hotel prices are pretty low when you book them like a year in advance, then they skyrocket when most normal people are booking, 2 to 4 months out, THEN when those rates didn't attract enough customers, then they drop rates to try to fill the rooms about a month before all the way up to the day of the stay if they still have rooms.

I am certainly not a normal person. I booked Tropicana in Dec 2014 for my trip in March 2016! Got a $79/night rate! It will be my first stay at Tropicana. Please report back on how you liked it. Have a great trip!

 

[egritz]

You know what's interesting? This morning my fresh eyes re-looked at my confirmation email for the change and while it has the new nightly rates, it is still showing the old total! So I just changed the reservation again and printed it this time in case the email does the same thing. Oops, should have printed last night, but that's what I get for trying to rely on digital stuff! And yup, the new one again has the same old total!

 

[valiamo]

I am the same way! for our December trip we currently have 3 rooms reserved at 3 different Marriott hotels, and are awaiting for a better deal to pop up. Marriott has a best price guarantee, and they do honour it.

Last Sept, I found a 2 day sale on a obscure hotel site (through a Trivago search) and was able to enact the 25% price match discount on our rooms. We went from $149 a night, down to $97 a night for a one week stay. When we got to the hotel, they also upgraded my DD and DDIL as it was their "honeymoon" trip.

 

[egritz]

I am the same way! for our December trip we currently have 3 rooms reserved at 3 different Marriott hotels, and are awaiting for a better deal to pop up. Marriott has a best price guarantee, and they do honour it.

Last Sept, I found a 2 day sale on a obscure hotel site (through a Trivago search) and was able to enact the 25% price match discount on our rooms. We went from $149 a night, down to $97 a night for a one week stay. When we got to the hotel, they also upgraded my DD and DDIL as it was their "honeymoon" trip.

We currently have 3 reservations (anabella, eden roc, and La quinta), but the hotel I really want is the Mariott Residence inn, I just don't see the price on the room I want coming down enough. Maybe I need to just book the room and then see if I can find some obscure deal!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I am the same way! for our December trip we currently have 3 rooms reserved at 3 different Marriott hotels, and are awaiting for a better deal to pop up. Marriott has a best price guarantee, and they do honour it.

Last Sept, I found a 2 day sale on a obscure hotel site (through a Trivago search) and was able to enact the 25% price match discount on our rooms. We went from $149 a night, down to $97 a night for a one week stay. When we got to the hotel, they also upgraded my DD and DDIL as it was their "honeymoon" trip.

Do you have a room reserved at the new Courtyard across the street from DLR?

 

[valiamo]

Do you have a room reserved at the new Courtyard across the street from DLR?

No, it is just out of what I feel is a reasonable price, plus we do not need a room with a bunk bed (just the two of us this time, adults on;y). I have reservations at the Fairfield, Marriott, and the Staybridge

 

[valiamo]

We currently have 3 reservations (anabella, eden roc, and La quinta), but the hotel I really want is the Mariott Residence inn, I just don't see the price on the room I want coming down enough. Maybe I need to just book the room and then see if I can find some obscure deal!

The nice part is you do not have to pay in advance for a Marriott hotel room, and you have until the day before to cancel. I stay at Marriott properties "a lot" and I like the service I receive.

 

[dtnrhi]

I wait until our go-to hotels have great sales, and then book stays in advance for whenever we may go. If we go, we just got our room for $100 instead of $189+.

If we aren't able to make it, I cancel with no loss to me. Timing is everything!

 

[tzeitel]

I am certainly not a normal person. I booked Tropicana in Dec 2014 for my trip in March 2016! Got a $79/night rate! It will be my first stay at Tropicana. Please report back on how you liked it. Have a great trip!

I also like to book way in advance. Booked in Feb. for our trip in Oct and found a great deal - $79 at the Desert Inn and Suites. I kept an eye out for price drops but they just kept going up and up. Now they are sold out. The in laws decided to join us a couple of weeks ago and they had to book somewhere else for twice the price!
The same with our flights. Booked when SW opened up their dates - got the times we wanted, direct flight and it came out to $159 r/t (actually less since we are using miles for one way). Prices have gone up for the flights as well, never saw them go down even with all the promos they've emailed me about.

Now I have my eye out for a better car deal - I have a reservation for a $98 week (all inclusive). Hoping to do better with Priceline.

The nice part is you do not have to pay in advance for a Marriott hotel room, and you have until the day before to cancel. I stay at Marriott properties "a lot" and I like the service I receive.

I think for most hotels you do not have to pay in advance unless it is a special promo (I know Choice hotels gives a discount if you pay in advance). The Desert Inn and Suites does a 1 night charge 48 hours before check in date (which is the last day to cancel).

 

[egritz]

We JUST decided on our trip in July (originally we planned to take this year off from DL) but since we are getting AP's this go around I'll be able to plan ahead better for next year's trip(s).
Only frustration is that some of the hotels are not showing open reservations for 2016 - and i'm just looking in January (and I'm not looking at marathon or holiday weekends).

Anyone know if the Residence Inn Marriott discounts as it gets closer? Rack rate for the room I want is $229 a night...can't stomach that especially when we are staying next door for $100/night (including parking). But the Resd Inn is so nice & has a full kitchen for the room I want, and where we think we'll be staying (La Quinta) is an unknown since we've not stayed there before and the reviews vary.

 

[keltiesmom]

we booked the desert inn and suites last october for our september stay. We got a C1 Parlor family suite for $149 a night, it wasnt long before the rate went up to more than double what we paid. My parents decided to join us and are taking the extra bed in our suite so there will be 8 of us for only $150 a night, cant go wrong at that price. Fingers crossed its clean