For most people, one of the most important parts of planning a trip is booking accommodation and, if possible, saving money while doing so. There are usually a million accommodations available, a dozen websites where we can search for information and we can easily get lost! But it doesn’t have to be that hard… it is true that booking an accommodation requires some time and patience, but I leave you some of my tips!

At the end of the post, you can also find some additional tips to save money when choosing accommodation!

My favourite site for booking accommodation is, without a doubt, Booking.com. The site is very complete when it comes to searching and in a few steps we can book our accommodation.

In addition, it is the best-known accommodation booking platform, so the offer is simply unbeatable: more than 1 million accommodation options available worldwide. The offer is also very diverse: from top hotels to hostels or even flats. In addition, Booking.com also has a lifetime Loyalty Programme with some benefits (e.g. discounts of 10-15%, late check-out, breakfast included).

However, for those who travel more frequently, Hotels.com has a very interesting loyalty programme. In most hotels you can collect stamps for each night, and after 10 nights you will get 1 free night.

Sometimes, in some destinations where accommodation is more expensive, Airbnb can also be a good option to find a cheaper rate 😊

Start by entering your destination and dates in the search engine.

Next, in order to reduce the number of accommodations right from the start, we must filter. This part is different for everyone 😊 However, these are some of the filters I use the most: property type, comments score of 8 or more and distance from the centre in more urban locations. This is where you can also select if you want to search for accommodations with free cancellation (very useful in some situations).

If the list is large, it may make sense to sort it. Some of the most interesting sorting criteria include: distance from the city centre, price, comments score. Another relevant option in places with less offer is the map view, where we can visualize the location of each accommodation more clearly.

As you go through the various options, you can save your favourites by clicking on the heart icon.

Now that you have your list of options narrowed down, we start the choosing process. Besides viewing the photos, the most important part is to read the comments as well as the additional information available about the accommodation. Some accommodations mention specific policies (e.g. deposit payment at check-in) only in this section – you should read it to avoid being surprised. In the reviews, you can also filter by the type of travellers (e.g. single traveller, family, couple, …) but also search for something specific (e.g. parking, air conditioning, …).

💡 EXTRA TIP: It is important to search for accommodation that is highly rated by users. However, it is also important to pay attention to the number of ratings available. In my opinion, an accommodation with a slightly lower score but many comments is preferable to one with an excellent score but few comments. The probability of being misled in a situation with few comments is, as you can calculate, higher.

You have already chosen the accommodation, and now all that’s left is to book it! Select the type of accommodation you want (there is usually more than one option available) – here you can see more details (e.g. room size, photos, information on free cancellation, …). After choosing your option, all you have to do is click on “I’ll reserve”, enter your personal details and, if necessary, your banking details. In some cases, you won’t even have to provide the banking information, opting to pay at the accommodation instead.

Enter the destination and dates in the initial search engine.

If you want an entire place for yourself, one of the most important filters is “Entire Place”. “Super Host” is another interesting filter that gives more security as we know we are booking accommodation with a host recommended by several users.

Select your preferred accommodation in this quicker search so that you can return to it later

Visit the list you created with your favourite accommodations and take a closer look at each one. Take the opportunity to evaluate the location in more detail, read more details about the place and, most important of all, read the comments of previous guests.

After choosing the accommodation, the usual booking process is followed by the introduction of personal and banking details. Many accommodations offer interesting conditions in terms of cancellation, so it is advisable to check carefully before booking.

In summary, I leave you with the pros and cons of each one of the booking platforms mentioned in this post:

» Booking.com

– pros: offer variety + ease of research + Genius loyalty programme + number of comments available
– cons: accommodations can sell out faster as it is a better known platform

» Hotels.com

– pros: loyalty programme with 1 night reward offer after 10 nights
– cons: less offer of accommodation + higher prices (sometimes) + less reviews

» Airbnb

– pros: cheaper options + ease of searching
– cons: we do not know the location of the accommodation before booking + there are often cleaning fees that are not included in the price shown in the initial search

There are some factors that we can take into consideration in order to save some extra money when looking for accommodation. Here are some tips for you:

Hotel breakfasts are, most of the time, quite expensive. In most cases (especially in more urban areas), there are some cafés close to the accommodation where you can have breakfast for a few euros (or even less). Use heavily TripAdvisor to check nearby cafes/restaurants. Alternatively, save even more and opt for accommodation with breakfast included (this is also one of the filters that Booking.com has available when searching).

Before booking the accommodation, please read carefully all the additional information. Sometimes accommodations “hide” some details in this area (e.g. requirement to pay a deposit upon check-in, extra fee for late check-in).

Are you travelling by car? Often parking at the hotel is quite expensive and/or there is no parking near the accommodation or the one that exists is expensive. When searching for accommodation, you can also see if the accommodation offers parking. This little research beforehand can help you save many euros.

If you’re doing a roadtrip by car, opt for changing hotels throughout the trip. It is true that it is less comfortable (you will have to pack/unpack more often) but you will save time (less need to travel to and from your unique accommodation) and you will also save money on petrol since you will cover fewer kilometres.

Is it really necessary to stay in the city centre of the place you are visiting? It is true that centrally located accommodation is more comfortable, but it is also much more expensive. Choose accommodation that is a little further away and that is well served by public transports. At Booking.com you can quickly see the distance from the accommodation to the main points of interest in the city and how close it is to certain public transport stops. For more details, it’s always best to double-check on Google Maps.

Finally, keep an eye on the Deals area which often has fantastic opportunities. Also, if you choose to book accommodation with free cancellation, it is always worth checking to see if a more advantageous offer appears until the date when you can cancel for free.

💡 EXTRA TIP: When you travel to a country with a different currency, I suggest using Revolut to avoid paying extra taxes for paying in a different currency. Find out more about Revolut here.

Happy travels 😊