Traveling doesn’t have to break the bank.
One of the biggest expenses you’ll encounter when planning a trip is accommodations. Between hotels, vacation rentals, hostels, and resorts, finding somewhere affordable to sleep can sometimes feel like a vacation-planning nightmare.
The good news? There are plenty of ways to save money on accommodations without sacrificing comfort, safety, or your entire travel experience.
Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or a month-long adventure, here are some of my favorite ways to find cheap travel accommodations.
1. Don’t book the first hotel you find
You’ve picked your destination, searched for hotels, and found one that looks cute.
Don’t hit “Book” just yet.
Take a few minutes to compare prices and properties first. I like using a hotel search tool to get a quick look at prices, ratings, locations and different booking options before choosing a property. The same hotel-or comparable properties nearby-may have different rates depending on where and when you’re searching.
More importantly, pay attention to what’s actually included in the advertised price. That $89 room isn’t much of a bargain if another $50 in fees magically appears at checkout.
Compare the total cost, not just the nightly rate.
2. Be flexible with your travel dates
Flexibility can save you serious money.
Accommodation prices can change dramatically depending on the day of the week, season, holidays, local events, and overall demand. Before locking yourself into specific dates, see what happens if you move your trip around a little.
What if you arrive Tuesday instead of Friday? What about one week earlier or later?
This is one of the advantages of solo travel. If you don’t have to coordinate schedules with several other people, you may have more freedom to choose the dates that work best for your budget.
Use that freedom to your advantage.
3. Travel during the shoulder season
Everyone wants to visit a destination when the weather is perfect. Unfortunately, hotels know that.
Instead, consider traveling during shoulder season, the period between a destination’s peak and off-season. Depending on where you’re going, you may find lower accommodation prices, smaller crowds, and still-pretty-good weather.
And honestly? I’ll happily take slightly less-than-perfect weather if it means paying significantly less and not fighting through enormous crowds everywhere I go.
4. Look beyond the tourist center
Location matters. A lot.
Hotels directly beside major attractions usually charge accordingly, so look a few neighborhoods away. You may find significantly cheaper accommodations while still being able to reach everything you want to see by public transportation.
But don’t choose based on price alone. Check the public transportation options, how late they operate, transportation costs, neighborhood reviews, and how you’ll get back to your accommodation at night.
Saving $30 on a hotel isn’t much of a victory if you’re spending $40 every day getting into the city.
5. Consider hostels—even if you’re not 21
Hear me out.
Hostels aren’t just for broke college students backpacking across Europe.
I’ve stayed in quite a few hostels during my travels, and some of them have honestly been some of my favorite places to stay. Galway City Hostel is still one of the best hostels I’ve stayed in, and I’ve also had great experiences with St. Christopher’s hostels in Amsterdam, Edinburgh, London, and Barcelona, as well as TOC Hostel in Málaga.
A good hostel can be especially great when you’re traveling solo. Besides usually being more affordable than a hotel, hostels can give you opportunities to meet other travelers without forcing you to spend your entire trip with them. Many also offer private rooms if sharing a dorm isn’t your thing.
That said, not every hostel experience is a great one. Abbey Court Hostel in Dublin was my least favorite of the hostels I’ve stayed in, which is why I always recommend reading recent reviews instead of assuming every conveniently located hostel will be right for you.
Pay attention to location, security, cleanliness, room setup, lockers, bathrooms, and overall atmosphere. I also like checking hostel booking sites for recent traveler reviews and photos before deciding. Some hostels are basically one giant party. Others are surprisingly quiet.
Choose what works for you.
6. Don’t automatically rule out hotels
Budget travel doesn’t mean you have to sleep in a hostel every night.
Some of my favorite stays have actually been hotels. I’ve had especially good experiences at Maldron hotels in Limerick and Glasgow.
If a hotel gives me a comfortable room, convenient location, and amenities that make my trip easier, I’m willing to compare the overall value instead of automatically choosing whichever option has the lowest nightly rate.
Sometimes spending a little more gives you considerably more.
7. Consider a vacation rental
Hotels aren’t always the cheapest option.
Depending on your destination, length of stay, and number of people traveling, a vacation rental may offer better value. Having a kitchen can also save money because you won’t need to eat every meal at a restaurant.
But again: Check the final price.
Cleaning fees and other charges can turn what initially looks like a bargain into something considerably less exciting.
8. Pay attention to what’s included
The cheapest room isn’t always the cheapest stay.
Look at what you’re getting for the price. Breakfast, Wi-Fi, parking, kitchen facilities, laundry, airport transportation, and nearby public transit can all affect how much you ultimately spend.
Parking is especially important if you’re taking a road trip. A cheap downtown hotel with expensive overnight parking could easily cost more than another hotel with a slightly higher nightly rate.
Free breakfast can make a surprisingly big difference too. Never underestimate the power of free food. If two hotels cost roughly the same and one includes breakfast, I’ll take the breakfast.
Neither option is glamorous. Neither is paying $17 for eggs every morning. Choose your battle.
9. A kitchen can save you more than you think
This is particularly useful on longer trips.
Apartment-style hotels, vacation rentals, hostels with communal kitchens, and extended-stay properties can make it easier to cut down on food expenses.
You don’t have to cook elaborate meals on vacation. Buy some breakfast foods. Make sandwiches. Keep drinks and snacks in the refrigerator. Cook dinner occasionally.
Eating is one of my favorite parts of traveling, so I’m definitely not suggesting you eliminate restaurants. Just don’t feel like every meal needs to cost $30.
10. Compare refundable and non-refundable rates carefully
You may see a lower rate if you agree to a non-refundable reservation. That can save money. It can also cost you money if your plans change.
Before choosing the cheapest option, think about how certain you are about the trip. Sometimes paying a little more for flexibility is worth it. Cheap travel isn’t just about finding the lowest possible number. It’s about finding good value.
11. Check for longer-stay discounts
Planning to stay awhile?
Check whether the property offers weekly, monthly, or extended-stay discounts. Some accommodations reduce the nightly rate when you stay longer.
This can be particularly useful for slow travelers or anyone spending several weeks in one destination and staying longer has another benefit: You actually get to experience the place instead of racing through it.
12. Read the recent reviews
Please don’t skip this step.
A suspiciously cheap hotel might be an incredible deal or there might be a reason it’s suspiciously cheap. Read recent reviews and look for patterns. One person complaining doesn’t necessarily mean much. Twenty people mentioning the same problem? Pay attention.
For solo female travelers especially, I look closely at what people say about the neighborhood, transportation, staff, cleanliness, security, lighting around the property, and what it’s like getting back at night.
Saving money matters. Feeling comfortable where you’re staying matters more!
13. Don’t sacrifice safety for a bargain
This deserves its own section.
I’ve traveled on a budget, and I love saving money as much as anyone. But there is a point where cheaper isn’t better. If an accommodation or neighborhood makes you uncomfortable, don’t book it simply because it’s $20 less.
For solo travelers, where you stay can have a major impact on how comfortable you feel during the entire trip. I’d rather spend slightly more for a location where I feel comfortable returning after dinner than save money and spend every evening worrying about getting back to my room.
Budget-conscious does not have to mean cheapest at all costs.
14. Book early—but keep checking
Booking ahead can give you more choices, particularly for popular destinations or busy travel periods. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you should book something and never look again.
If you’ve reserved a refundable rate, occasionally check prices before your trip. If the same room—or a better option—drops significantly in price, you may be able to change your reservation.
Just make absolutely sure you understand the cancellation terms before touching an existing booking.
15. Figure out what the accommodation will really cost you
Imagine you find two hotels.
Hotel A: $70 per night
Hotel B: $95 per night
Hotel A looks like the obvious winner.
But then you discover Hotel A charges for breakfast, requires expensive transportation into town, and has terrible reviews.
Hotel B includes breakfast, is beside a metro station, and is within walking distance of several places you want to visit.
Suddenly that $25 difference doesn’t look quite the same.
When I’m comparing accommodations, the question I really want answered is: What will this place actually cost me during the entire stay? That’s the number that matters.
Cheap Travel Accommodations Don’t Have to Mean Bad Accommodations
Traveling on a budget is about making smarter choices, not making yourself miserable.
Be flexible. Compare your options. Look at hostels, hotels, and vacation rentals. Check transportation. Pay attention to amenities. Read recent reviews. And don’t sacrifice your safety or comfort just so you can say you found the cheapest room.
The money you save on accommodations can go toward the things you’re actually traveling for:
Experiences. Food. Activities. Another destination. Or maybe just another trip.
And I’m definitely voting for another trip!