SavvySugar

5 Ways Flexibility Can Cut Travel Costs

SavvySugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:45:42 -0800

When it comes to bargains, it pays to play it cool. High maintenance travelers can be as finicky as they want while on vacation, but that approach won't get you the cheapest trip while in planning mode. Think flexibility when organizing a vacation, and the deals will come to you.

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Match the Las Vegas Suite to Its Price Tag

SavvySugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:30:52 -0700

Sin City has accommodations at every price point, and the most luxurious rooms come with nightly rates that exceed most people's mortgage payments. Can you match the Las Vegas suite to its price tag?

Question 1 of 5

The Chairman Suite at the Bellagio is 4,000 square feet and has two master bedrooms, a solarium, whirlpool tubs with views of the city and more. How much is the average nightly rate?

Would You Pay $19 For a Hotel-Stay Without a Bed?

SavvySugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 06:31:51 -0700

Call it an end-of-Summer fire sale. From Aug. 16 to 31, San Diego's Rancho Bernardo Inn is offering extremely reduced prices on its rooms that typically cost more than $200. The "Survivor Package" becomes cheaper with every amenity a guest gives up, and a $19 nightly rate applies if guests forego breakfast, air conditioning, lights, sheets, and the bed. The hotel staff will go as far as to replace the bed and headboard with a tent.

So what's the draw? The bigger hotel amenities, like three swimming pools and a golf course, are available for guests to enjoy. The hotel is hoping the promotion will pay off down the road when patrons who enjoy their tented experience return for a later stay at full-price.

How Do You Decide Which Hotel Gets Your Reservation?

SavvySugar — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:30:13 -0700

Star-ratings, online reviews from strangers, recommendations from friends, and guide books are all good methods for deducing information about potential accommodations on your next vacation.

While travel site TripAdvisor warns that some hotels have been posting fake reviews, the vast majority of the reviews are from legitimate customers and they're getting the fake-review situation under control. Overall, the system is credible. Do you read through reviews before booking a reservation, or do you primarily rely on other resources to make your final decision?

Get a Hotel Room For Less With 8 Hours of Community Service

SavvySugar — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:30:08 -0700

Sage Hospitality hotels are encouraging volunteerism with its Give a Day Get a Night promotion. If you do at least eight hours of community service at a 501c3 organization (like Meals on Wheels or Habitat for Humanity) between July 1 and December 20, 2009, you're eligible for a complimentary night stay or 50 percent discount on hotel rooms at any of Sage's 52 hotels. The properties include hotels like The Nines in Portland, OR and The Blackstone in Chicago.

You can contact the hotel directly to make a reservation and mention the promotion. They'll ask you to provide a letter on the nonprofit organization's letterhead proving that you've completed at least eight hours of volunteer work in the given time period. Learn more about the do-good discount program at giveadaygetanight.com.

Are You Careless With Energy Use While Staying in Hotels?

SavvySugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 04:30:17 -0700

The perpetually clean bathrooms, plush bath towels, fresh sheets, and anytime room service make hotels divinely liberating. There's another element of home life I've noticed some people ditch when they're staying away, and that's flipping off the light switch when they're not in the room.

According to Claire Newell, author of Travel Best Bets, being conscientious about your energy use in your hotel room is a travel rule to live by, just like the middle seat person on a plane getting both armrests. She encourages people to "pack their environmentally friendly habits when they travel," meaning turning off the lights and not taking longer showers than you would at home.

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Travel on the Cheap: Get 50% Off Your Memorial Day Hotel

SavvySugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 04:30:50 -0700

Between recession fatigue and a demanding work schedule, a getaway is in order for the end of this month. Lucky for us, the long Memorial Day weekend presents the perfect opportunity to travel. Spend what you can afford (and maybe even come in under budget) by taking advantage of the awesome offers on Hotels.com.

The website is promoting Memorial Day travel by offering 50 percent off hotel rooms booked by May 25 for travel between May 21- 27. On top of the discount, they're giving $50 Prepaid MasterCards to customers who make reservations for three nights or longer. You'll find deals on hotels from Las Vegas to San Francisco and New York.

Money Tip: Check a Hotel's Fine-Print Before You Book

SavvySugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:30:44 -0700

We saw this one coming. The travel industry has been hit by the economy - people are traveling less because their expenses up and jobs aren't as secure as they used to be, and gas prices have caused airlines to barely stay in business. Hotels are a main component of the travel formula, and they're beginning to express their hardships in the form of fees and fine print.

Some hotels are imposing cancellation policies that entail giving notice weeks before a scheduled stay, and the penalty for canceling after the given date may result in a charge for the total stay. Paying for an unused hotel room? How frustratingly expensive. Before you book an accommodation, be sure to ask about their cancellation policy and make note of it if you go through with making a reservation.

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Three Travel Tools to Get the Most Bang For Your Buck

SavvySugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 09:30:33 -0700

Travel websites that allow us to compare fares from across the board and suggest when is the best time to buy are a budget traveler's best friend. Cost is on everyone's mind when it comes to travel, and there is more to getting the most bang for your buck than getting the cheapest possible air fare. Here are three websites to help you feel more satisfied with your travel experience.

Gross, but helpful: Bedbugregistry.com. TeamSugar member said8me uses this site to check out hotels before she books them. The site lists hotels that have reports of bed bugs, so there's no need to waste your money on a hotel that could be infested.

See two more travel tools when you read more.

Make your flight as pleasant as possible: Seatguru.com. The site has information about which seats on your flight are "superior and substandard." With notes on which seats have limited recline, reduced legroom, mis-aligned windows, I found myself wishing I'd checked this site after sitting in a window seat with no window!
Avoid sleeping in the airport: Flightstats.com. Not all airlines are created equally, especially in terms of flight delays. This site shows airlines' performance ratings to warn you of the likelihood of a delay.

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Would You Swap Houses to Save on Hotel Expenses?

SavvySugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:30:45 -0700

House swapping was never something that crossed my mind until I watched Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet merrily swap abodes in The Holiday. Cameron's character (Amanda) got to stay in a cozy English home while Kate's character (Iris) spent a week in a decked-out Los Angeles pad, and in the end everyone got exactly what they wanted. I made a mental note to peruse Craigslist to see what was out there the next time I traveled, but the fact is the idea hadn't come up again until I read an interesting article from Budget Travel.

Frequent traveler Joanna Goddard is a big proponent of home swapping; she's exchanged her Manhattan apartment for stays in other people's homes all over the world. She and her traveling partners have been able to stay for free in often expensive cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Paris, and more. Joanna admits that, at first, it was difficult to imagine other people using her towels and sleeping in her bed, but once she became friendly with them over email she became comfortable with the idea.

Would you ever consider checking out the Housing Swap section on Craigslist instead of searching for a hotel deal?

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