Rick Steves' Expert Tips To Find The Most Affordable Hotel Bookings Online

When it comes to traveling within a budget, travel expert Rick Steves has a wealth (so to speak) of experience and advice. Steves has shared insight into how even fine dining can fit into budget-friendly travels, but perhaps his most crucial expertise shines through when it comes to one of the biggest expenses of a vacation: accommodation. One method for a budget-friendly European getaway that Steves advises is house-swapping — for many, though, that might not be an option, which makes finding an affordable hotel paramount. As Steves wrote on his website, Rick Steves' Europe, "If a guidebook's write-up of a particular hotel appeals to you, visit the hotel website to glean additional information, check prices, and view photos of the rooms." He said that some hotels only offer discounts if you book online.

When it comes to pricing, much of it comes down to timing. Like many hotels in the U.S., midweek and Sunday pricing are usually cheaper than Friday and Saturday nights. Prices also fluctuate frequently, even from day to day. It's good to start looking at hotel prices online far ahead of your planned trip to track how they trend, but as a rule of thumb, Steves says: "​​Book at least three weeks in advance."

On the one hand, even though last-minute deals might be tempting, this spares you the risk of a hotel selling out before you can book. On the other hand, if you book earlier than three weeks before the trip, the rooms could be more expensive since hotels often adjust prices to try to fill availability in the window closer to the date. A 2022 study of domestic and international hotel pricing by NerdWallet found that in 66% of cases, it was cheaper to book a hotel room 15 days in advance than four months in advance, with an average of 13% saved on the cost of the room.

After you've done your research and found the best dates to get a top-tie rate at your preferred hotel, it also matters where you make the reservation. It's fine to use third-party hotel-booking sites (like Booking.com or Expedia) for research and price comparisons, but Rick Steves suggests making the booking itself through individual hotels' websites. Booking on the hotel's own site or even contacting the hotel directly is a quick and easy travel hack to get you a more affordable rate on a room. "Using a booking service costs the hotel about 20 percent and logically closes the door on special deals," Steves wrote.

Another financial benefit to booking directly through the hotel website is tied to one of Steves' own travel values: flexibility. If you book through a third party, then need to change or cancel your travel plans, the hotel itself may have no say in whether you get a refund — it's dependent on the third party's policies. That could result in some unanticipated costs. While individual hotels often guarantee that you'll get your money back if you cancel at least 24 or 48 hours ahead of the booked dates, some third-party sites still charge you for the room even if you cancel ahead.

It can be tricky when a site says "free cancellation," since the phrase doesn't necessarily mean you'll get a refund — it just means you won't be charged an extra fee for canceling. With that said, if you book at a promotional rate, Steves warns, "Promotional rates are often nonrefundable." You might not get your money back in any case.