It’s come to that time of time of year where the travel agents of the high street try and entice all of those consumers with the 9 to 5 blues.  Just like David Dickson’s Real Deal, knowing where to go for the best hotel deals to save money on your holiday can leave you confused.   But relax, there are ways to ensure you can compete with the antique dealer’s mahogany glow tan whilst maintaining the Dickinson purchase methodologies to keep things ‘as cheap as chips.’

So what makes a cheap holiday

When it comes down to it, planning you holiday should be an enjoyable experience and it becomes especially fun when you know that you have made a saving.  Ultimately, if you are like the vast majority of consumers, you want to find somewhere nice to stay without snapping the purse strings.

Here are some top tips the top tips to save money on your holiday;

• Book as far in advance as possible.  The majority of hotels offer great early bird deals.  The more availability they have, the cheaper the rates will be.  As you move closer to the day, availability for rooms will become less and less and so their best available rates will increase.  However, if you have the flexibility of being able to go away the next day, there are some last minute deals to be had if the hotel is to fill its occupancy levels.  When you are in that position, be mindful that the majority of hotels would rather have their occupancy levels up to drive their food and beverage spend, rather than charge top rates of their rooms.  This will not work in peak season though.

• Which moves me nicely on to my next point.  Travel in the off season.  Do your research into the typical climate conditions in the off season.  Popular destinations, such as the Canary Islands, have year round sun.  So, if you are looking to get some quiet relaxing time to top up the tan you’ll not only get an overall better deal on your holiday, but you’ll find that the attractions will be cheaper too.

• Book a package.  Many consumers today think that they will get a better deal if they book the accommodation and the flights separately.  This is not the case.  On most occasions, you will end up paying two sets of admin fees and, in any case, your travel agent should be able to find you a package that combines those costs.  A top tip choosing a travel agent is to look at the independently owned agency.  Smaller agencies, though they do not have as much clout in the industry, will take the time to find you the best deal.  If you can book through an ABTA bonded travel agent, that’s even better.  In this case you will be safer against unexpected cancellation.  Nevertheless, I would always recommend purchasing travel insurance up to the value of £1500.

• Travel through the week.  Remember, that the busiest time for most hotels is on a weekend.  Regardless of how early you book, most in-house reservationists will be expecting to fill on a weekend.  City breaks though are an exception to the rule, as they see more corporate traffic.  To get the best deal on city breaks, take a chance and book as late as possible.

• If you’re planning on being out and about, on the beach or in the town, think carefully about the location of your accommodation.  Is it really that important to have that sea view?  How much time are you going to spend in the hotel room?  Sure, if you are planning on spending the holiday with you partner and the soft tunes of Barry White, then yes, a view across the coast can really set the mood for a night in with room service is essential.  But don’t waste money on a luxury that you don’t mind going without.

• Finally, if you can overcome the language barrier, speaking to your hotel reservationists directly can prove very beneficial.  Third party agents base their marketing campaigns around being able to offer the cheapest rates available.  But the reality is that the hotel itself has the flexibility to offer whatever they want to.  They make the pricing, not the agencies.  More often than not, if they do not give you a reduction in price, a complimentary upgrade may well be on the cards.

Take these tips on board and you might find that you’ll enjoy your holiday more in the knowledge that you have saved yourself a pretty penny.