Excellent article on finding hotels by the Kaderlis

[kevink]

Great article by ER board favorites Billy and Akaisha on finding good lodging at the best possible price. These two know how to travel!

Find a Hotel Room

 

[kramer]

Great article by ER board favorites Billy and Akaisha on finding good lodging at the best possible price. These two know how to travel!

Find a Hotel Room

I agree, great work by Billy and Akaisha. I am not very good at negotiating, and there are some great take-it-to-the bank practical suggestions in there. I totally agree about arriving as early as possible (for a variety of reasons), I hate arriving somewhere after dark.

I will add a couple of ideas.

I also have torn the map page out of my guidebook and I will have a small compass when I arrive in the particular area with several hotels (I rarely go to investigate any hotel if there are not others in the same area) so that I can easily find them all. Having a map is also handy when asking others for directions. I have had travel partners initially laugh at the compass idea, but by the end of the trip every single one swore never to travel without one again.

When I am traveling alone, I can't leave my bags with my partner. Sometimes I have just carried my pack, but I have also dropped it off at the first place I checked out and asked them to watch it behind the counter, and then picked it up later after deciding where to stay. That is a small risk, but so is carrying all of your stuff around in a new place.

 

[FUEGO]

When we did the "backpack through Mexico" thing 10 years ago, we would follow some of the strategies the Kaderlis suggest. I think we used roughguides (which then had all their hotel recs online). I printed out 3-4 hotel choices for each city that seemed reasonably nice and affordable. We would usually stay there the first night if it was acceptable when we showed up. Then the next day, we might check out a handful of other hotels during our day exploring the city to see if we could "upgrade" and/or "economize" and/or get in a better neighborhood. That is, if we were planning to stay more than ~2 nights in a given town. Often times, they would cut us a deal for multiple night stays or a week stay. Or we found out a nicer hotel was next door that would also give us free bottled water, free breakfast etc for the same price.

 

[Billy]

Hey, Thanks Kevink for posting our Hotel piece. We appreciate it!

Kramer... one very easy way to negotiate is when you ask the clerk if they give discounts for 2 or 3 night's stay, and maybe they say 'no'... Simply respond with a smile on your face, maybe looking a bit distressed and say "I'd really like to stay here, I like this place, but can only pay X. Will you take X?"

This gives them an opening (no one loses face), a very easy way to give you want you want (the better price) and to get what they want (a customer for the hotel room.)

Even though it's not fool proof, it is worth trying. We have succeeded often with this approach.

Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement
The Adventurer's Guide to Chapala Living

 

[WanderALot]

Kramer... one very easy way to negotiate is when you ask the clerk if they give discounts for 2 or 3 night's stay, and maybe they say 'no'... Simply respond with a smile on your face, maybe looking a bit distressed and say "I'd really like to stay here, I like this place, but can only pay X. Will you take X?"

This definitely worked for us on our last trip. I made an inquiry through email and the apartment owner gave me a price of $95/night for 6 nights; a good price, but a little bit above our budget. I didn't make a reservation with her. About a week before we were to arrive in the city, she inquired and I told her that I really liked the place but it was too expensive. She took off another 25% off the apartment. As Billy implied, the genuine compliment about the place coupled with the gentle price reduction request sealed the deal. It also helps when you are deal with small B&B type places which have the power to reduce the price and the desire for occupancy.

We are so glad she did because this was one of the best places I've every stayed at and we loved the [foodie] owners recommendations for restaurants in the neighborhood! Just over $70/night with breakfast for a two bedroom apartment with kitchen in one of the best neighborhoods in town.

 

[simple girl]

Great article by ER board favorites Billy and Akaisha on finding good lodging at the best possible price. These two know how to travel!

Find a Hotel Room

+1. Excellent, informative article.

 

[Billy]

WanderAlot

As Billy implied, the genuine compliment about the place coupled with the gentle price reduction request sealed the deal. It also helps when you are deal with small B&B type places which have the power to reduce the price and the desire for occupancy.

In our decades of travel around the world, we have found how powerful social connection/interaction really is. Interrelationship is valued in many cultures and while it might take a bit more time in the moment, it pays dividends.

Recognition of the person giving you service, remembering to nod hello or say thank you, and even sharing a bit about yourself (sharing about family is big currency) all comes together in a satisfying way.

We are so glad she did because this was one of the best places I've every stayed at and we loved the [foodie] owners recommendations for restaurants in the neighborhood! Just over $70/night with breakfast for a two bedroom apartment with kitchen in one of the best neighborhoods in town.

Perfect. Sounds fabulous, and it added such a human dimension to perhaps an otherwise ‘ordinary’ trip.
　
simple girl

+1. Excellent, informative article.

Thanks so much, Simple Girl. That means a lot!

Billy and I write to share the information we have gathered and it is always our hope that others can benefit from what we have learned.

Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer’s Guide to Early Retirement
The Adventurer’s Guide to Chapala Living