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Most people shatter their traveling dreams simply because they can’t afford. No doubt, hotels are expensive and you might need to save for a whole year or more to get to one of your destinations. Before you even book accommodation, plane tickets will scare you off.
However, not everyone who travels spends as much. You need to learn some tricks to save money and even stay for free. Yes, you can spend several nights at a 5-star hotel without any payments. Whether your trip is domestic or international, you can enjoy free stays in hotels.
Here are some tips:
Refer a friend
Most of the 5-star hotels have programs to attract customers. The referral is one of the techniques you should explore and surprise yourself with a free night. In this case, you let your friends and colleagues do the work and you enjoy the benefits, kind of entrepreneurial spirit.
Only that the benefits are not profits. You can sign up on a hotel’s portal, usually under referral programs and let your friends know why they should choose the specific hotel. It is about positive reviews.
Every successful referral will count. If you want a free night in hotels like Ritz Carlton or any other Marriott hotel you can use Refer a friend program.
Promotions
Just like other business industries, hotels run promotions on a regular basis. It can be as simple as earning points by following them on social media.
The same platforms can be used for referrals to earn you a free night. Some hotels create a challenge like a person with the most comments or likes earns a given number of points equivalent to a free night.
Follow travel blogs and social media accounts for specific hotels to make use of such opportunities.
Loyalty programs
Most major hotels have a loyalty program. Find out a preferred hotel and sign up on for the program. Be sure to book your stay through the logins.
Any time you are visiting the region, be sure to check in at the hotel. Even if it is a business trip, make use of it to increase your points and chances of any upcoming offers.
Of course, this depends on your company policies, if they allow you to book as an individual. In the Indian context, OYO has a loyalty rewards program called OYO Wizard. (Read about OYO Wizard Program )
Reward cards
Every hotel with a loyalty program certainly has reward credit cards. Reward cards make more sense after signing up on loyalty programs. The points earned depending on a number of nights you stay at the hotel are linked to this card.
Signing up as a member of the hotel automatically qualifies you to own a reward card. You will enjoy more benefits of this card if the hotel has established internationally.
Travel portals
The primary function of these companies is advertising on behalf of the hotels. The travel portals are often the same people issuing reward and credit cards. It is not only easier but also cheaper to book hotels through these portals.
In fact, you have higher chances of earning a free night when you are active on travel portals. In the Indian context, MakeMyTrip has a reward program (Read MakeMyTrip Rewards )for its loyal customers primarily based on points. In the international context, if you collect 10 nights in Hotels.com, you will get 1 free night through the Hotels.com rewards program.
Hotels.com also have silver and gold membership. You will need to collect 10 nights to become a silver member and 30 nights to become a gold member. Gold membership will help you access premium services like VIP access, priority customer service and more.
Online travel agencies
This is probably the easiest way to earn free nights at a hotel of your choice. If you are a frequent traveler, make use of these agencies. Find a reliable one and be consistent with your bookings.
In most cases, they calculate your total expenditure over a certain number of days and associate it with a reward. Either you earn cash back or free nights. Reward points are redeemable. ( Read 5 benefits of using a travel agent )
Hotel credit cards
A hotel credit card guarantees you a free night ( Read 10 Easy Ways To Free Hotel Night ) after given intervals depending on the hotel’s policy. Such credit cards are associated with referrals that determine the kind of rewards.
While you may have to pay an annual fee for a credit card, you will be sure for a free night certificate at least every year. It can more frequent depending on your bookings.
Cash back
Cashback might not be directly linked to a free hotel night but will certainly pay for your hotel nights. Cash back credit cards mean you earn money for paying using a credit card.
Whether you make payment at a restaurant or gas station, there will be a plus in your bank account. Consistently using such credit can amount to costs of several nights in a hotel of your choice. This is technically free.
Flexible reward cards
This is different from traditional reward cards. In this case, you can redeem the points for cash back, a free night or transfer the points to another reward program.
Different reward programs have different benefits, you can transfer these points and earn you several free nights on a preferred package. The flexible reward card allows you to access more travel benefits.
Work for a hotel
If traveling is your lifestyle, you can get a part-time job at a hotel and in exchange for accommodation. Hotels allow this for as long as you wish. You can go and explore the city when you are off duty but make sure you are on time for work.
To earn a free night at a 5-star hotel might require lots of points. Find out the number of points in each of your credit cards and maximize on them.
Read Ways To Make Luxury Travel More Affordable
Read 9 Travel Hacks That Will Change The Way You Travel
