When you call the hotel on the very day when you intend to arrive – you can win nice money saving bargain. Hotels are prepared to offer substantial discounts on the day (this is logical as from their point of view an empty room is a waste of money).
But this ‘last minute hotel booking’ strategy is viable if you are traveling to a city that has several hotels, it is out of peak season and you are flexible in terms of facilities.
For other situations the phone call to the hotel in a few days’ advance is a more often thing to do. Yes, you will not get the total bargains, but you have plenty of space to negotiate.
Those who want to get inside a specific hotel - check their cancellation policy. For example, you read that this hotel requires at least 3 days notice to not charge for a cancellation. Congratulations, now you know the point where they are most likely to receive the most cancellations. And you will help them to fill vacant spaces.
There is another strategy. You book a cheap chain hotel that allows you to cancel free up until the day of travel. Then, when the X day comes, you call to other hotels with the aim to get a better deal. If you found one – you cancel your previous booking without penalty; if you did not find anything better – you are safe.
Negotiations about extra free nights or discounts do not work with the larger chains of hotels: they have a central system and do no normally negotiate directly with a guest.
By the way, swimming pools, fitness centers, satellite televisions add to the costs of a hotel. That is why if you do not need these facilities – don’t get into the hotel where you are paying for it.
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