During the summer months in the Middle East, we all wish to travel to far-flung destinations, far from the simmering heat and humidity – and staying at ultra-deluxe hotels. However, we all want value for our money when on holiday. Ultimately, it boils down to whether you want the cheapest price for that super-luxury room, or whether you want to pay some extra cash to enjoy extra perks and flexibility. We offer you some tips on how to save money when negotiating the best deal at a luxury hotel.
Here are some suggestions that might be helpful for high-spending travellers from the Middle East looking to stretch their dirhams and dinars to the maximum:
- Ideas on when to book
- Insider tips for booking a room at the cheapest rate
- Suggestions for choosing the right hotel
- How to book a room with (complimentary) extra add-ons
- How can you stay for free at 5-star hotels
- Traveller Experiences
IDEAS ON WHEN TO BOOK A HOTEL
Don’t wait till the last minute to book your hotels – top luxury hotels often sell out months in advance. Do not count on a last-minute deal (which are rarely offered by most top hotels in any case).
Budget travellers should avoid travelling in the high season and plan their trips just before or after the high season. For example, you should plan your trip in the summer months for the Caribbean and autumn months for the Mauritius.
INSIDER TIPS FOR BOOKING A ROOM AT THE CHEAPEST RATE
Aggregator websites like Trivago, Musafir, Tajawal and Hotelscombined, usually provide the lowest room rates. These aggregators verify hotel prices at hundreds of other hotel booking sites (e.g. Expedia, Booking.com, Hotels.com, Otel.com, Hotelopia.com, Ebookers, etc…) and show where you can book at the cheapest rate.
The member-only websites Jetsetter and Secret Escapes (which do not feature on aggregator websites) negotiate temporary, special rates with some of the world’s finest hotels, which can represent a discount of up to 60% (room only or room with breakfast). Membership is free and without hassle (just submit your name and email address). Sign up for the Jetsetter, Secret Escapes and Vacationist newsletters, so that you stay updated with their seasonal offers.
Always compare the price that you found on aggregator or member-only websites with the one featured on the official hotel website to make sure that it is the best price indeed. Do not forget to click the “special offers” section that is present on most hotel websites (and which can save you lots of money).
If you find elsewhere a lower price than the one offered on the hotel website, make use of the Best Rate Guarantee. Not only will the lower room rate be matched, you will often receive an additional discount as well (of up to 25%)!
You can also make use of discount coupons that you can find anywhere on the internet (google the website of hotel name + coupon). For example, Hotels.com is one of my prefered hotel booking websites that regularly sends out 10% discount coupons by email (albeit not for the big hotel chains though).
Sign-up for the newsletters of your preferred hotel (chains) or booking website. They often email coupons or advanced notifications when they’re having a sale.
Stay for free by using hotels points and credits that you collected in a hotel loyalty program (albeit very few of the top luxury hotel chains offer that option though).
Stay for free or at a highly discounted rate by keeping an eye out for erroneous rates on this Flyertalk post.
SUGGESTIONS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT HOTEL
- Get ideas and suggestions from the Holiday Guide website. Every week, we post top 10 travel lists and reviews of hotels. You can subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and YouTube. Each Saturday, we also publish a full tour of a luxury hotel on our popular Youtube channel.
- Visit Kiwi Collection, a great website featuring the finest luxury hotels in the world.
- Read travel magazines, such as the Conde Nast Traveler and Travel&Leisure.
- Read Tripadvisor reviews.
- Watch Youtube clips of hotels (you can find some examples on our Youtube Channel).
HOW TO BOOK A ROOM WITH (COMPLIMENTARY) EXTRA ADD-ONS
Some of the world’s most exclusive hotel brands will only display the best rates on their official hotel website (so do not waste your time trying to find a lower price on an aggregator or member-only website as you won’t find one).
Check the hotel website directly for packages that include extra perks like spa credits, breakfast, or complimentary nights.
Absurdly, when booking a room at a top luxury hotel, it is sometimes advised not to book it directly on the hotel website, but rather through a Virtuoso travel advisor. Not only will they create unique journeys and explorations in every corner of the globe, but more importantly, you will also get free access to special amenities and receive complimentary perks (e.g. upgrades, dinners, etc …) which is not the case when you book the same rate via the hotel directly.
Holders of an American Express premium or Visa Signature credit card can also benefit from extra perks when they make the booking via their credit card travel office and/or pay with their credit card. Contact your local credit card company to find out whether they offer this travel service.
Elite members of hotel loyalty programs also receive several benefits during their stay, ranging from late check-out and complimentary WiFi to suite upgrades and breakfast.
Elite members of Cathay Pacific‘s Frequent Flyer Program (Marco Polo Club) are entitled to special benefits (e.g. early check in, late check out, room upgrade, complimentary breakfast) with partners such as Hilton, Hyatt, Fairmont, Marriott, Langham, Mandarin Oriental, Shangri-La, Swissotel, Peninsula, Swire and Ritz-Carlton. While some of these deals only apply to hotels or rentals in the Asia-Pacific region, others do not; the Mandarin Oriental benefit is applicable worldwide, for example.
HOW CAN YOU STAY FOR FREE AT 5-STAR HOTELS
You can always try your luck to score a complimentary stay at a luxury hotel by reading our tips for getting free hotel nights.
TRAVELLER EXPERIENCES
- For best hotel deals try and book outside the high season. This way you will get better rates
- Our experience tells us that the cheapest room rates are mostly found on Hotelscombined, Trivago, and/or the official hotel website. Always check all three of them before you take a final decision.
- Best Rate Guarantee can be useful as they provide you an opportunity to match a lower rate and receive an additional discount.
- To avail free extra perks try and book a package directly on the hotel website.
- You can also avail a complimentary stay at some hotels by subscribing to their loyalty program.
- In the Middle East region some of the preferred hotel booking websites are Hotels.com, Booking.com, Trivago and Tajawal.
