TIP: RS discounts at hotels

[Lsbcal]

I've made our reservations and found that 2 hotels in Italy were listed in the Rick Steves books as giving discounts with his book. I'm not sure you really need to bring the book. The discounts are something like 10% and are listed as RS% in each hotel's details in the book. Both hotels responded to my query via email. One I queried and then when I did not hear from them I just booked it and shortly thereafter they sent me the discounted email. The other I actually called and the manager responded with a good rate that was not shown on their website.

With inflated rates nowadays small things can help, I guess.

We bring the Ricks Steve's book along in Kindle form for ease of packing and convenience. The iPhone is good for viewing the a mobile use of the information. For some of the street walking tours I will be making hard copies of maps ahead of time.

Anyway, just a thought.

Feel free to add your tips to this thread if you like.

 

[Drake3287]

In general, if you join any of these hotel's free reward programs you get the same 10% discount. Seldom do I pay the full rate because of this. Good for you though, every savings counts.

 

[brett]

A few years ago we joined the RIU Hotel club. It was our first visit. We stayed a few times...5-10 days at a time.

Year before last, on a 10 day stay to a Riu resort that membership got us upgraded.

We stayed at a Riu for nine nights this past December. Reserved through Riu.
I was given a choice to pay in full or pay with some of my Riu points (did not even know I had any). I chose the latter. We used the points....saved $500.

We belong to many. Marriott, Accor, Melia, Choice, Hilton, etc. At the very least we typically get a small discount. Quite often it is a room upgrade.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

Agreed. I always look to see if a hotel has a loyalty program you can sign up for before making a booking. It often saves me money to do so. In addition to better rates, I sometimes get benefits at the hotel itself. For example, on my December trip to Munich, the Accor hotel I was staying at had a room ready for me upon arrival early in the morning. That was luck. The benefit was that there would be a charge for me to access it early if wasn't a member. If I was a member, that charge was waived.

I believe this was the first time I've ever stayed in an Accor hotel. I had just signed up for their program when I made the reservation.

 

[Aerides]

Agreed. I always look to see if a hotel has a loyalty program you can sign up for before making a booking. It often saves me money to do so. In addition to better rates, I sometimes get benefits at the hotel itself. For example, on my December trip to Munich, the Accor hotel I was staying at had a room ready for me upon arrival early in the morning. That was luck. The benefit was that there would be a charge for me to access it early if wasn't a member. If I was a member, that charge was waived.

I believe this was the first time I've ever stayed in an Accor hotel. I had just signed up for their program when I made the reservation.

Exactly. On a trip I far favor things like early check in, late check out, possible upgrades, etc., vs. saving a few bucks. And with a loyalty program or co-branded CC one can often meet or beat those discounts anyway.

 

[Palmtree]

When we got married way back in 1990, we honeymooned in europe using Rick Steves original two books "2-22 days in Europe and Europe through the backdoor". Landed in Amsterdam and usinging the Euro-rail pass, B&B's and hostels, we explored around for almost three weeks before flying out of Paris back home. It was a great adventure for us and now over 33 years later, we still use his guidebooks to find the "backdoors".

 

[brett]

We have used one method countless times in family run hotels and B&B's.

Especially in parts of Europe...Italy, Greece, etc. We have done this many times.

IF they accept credit cards....ask if there is a discount for cash. It will always be at least ten percent, sometimes more. Sometimes an upgrade will be offered.

 

[Lsbcal]

We have used one method countless times in family run hotels and B&B's.

Especially in parts of Europe...Italy, Greece, etc. We have done this many times.

IF they accept credit cards....ask if there is a discount for cash. It will always be at least ten percent, sometimes more. Sometimes an upgrade will be offered.

We got a cash rate at a Florence hotel. Is this tax dogging Italian style?

 

[brett]

Another way to save...


If you see a B&B, condo, etc on a booking site try to find the owner on the web and deal direct. We often travel in October., making reservations as we go, sometimes the morning of.

Last time on Zakynthos we did exactly that. Contracted the owner of the oceanside condo, agreed on a cash deal that was half of the booking.com rate, and met him a few hours later at the condo for our four day stay. Same for a one week apartment stay in Madeira, Portugal.