Where to Find the Best Hotel Deals in 2026

Want to save money on your next trip? The best hotel deals aren’t hidden in brochures or travel agents-they’re out there if you know where to look. Most people book hotels the same way: open an app, pick the first one that looks nice, and pay full price. But that’s not how the smart travelers do it. The real savings come from timing, tools, and knowing where to click before the room vanishes.

Book Direct on Hotel Websites

It sounds backwards, but booking straight from the hotel’s own website often gives you the best rate. Why? Hotels pay up to 20% commission to third-party sites like Booking.com or Expedia. To cut costs, they offer exclusive discounts to guests who book directly. You’ll find perks like free breakfast, room upgrades, or late checkout that aren’t listed anywhere else.

Look for a “Member Rate” or “Direct Booking Discount” banner. Some chains like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt even give you bonus points or loyalty perks only when you book on their site. A 2025 survey by Hotel News Now found that 63% of direct bookings came with at least one added benefit not available on aggregators.

Use Price Comparison Tools-But Don’t Stop There

Google Hotels, Trivago, and Kayak are great for scanning dozens of sites at once. They show you prices from Booking.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, and even the hotel’s own site side by side. But here’s the catch: they don’t always show every deal.

Some hotels hide special rates on their site for local travelers, corporate clients, or loyalty members. That’s why you should always check the hotel’s official website after you find a low price elsewhere. A 2026 test by a travel blogger in Wellington found that 4 out of 10 hotels had lower rates on their own site-even after taxes and fees.

Set up price alerts on Google Hotels. Pick your dates, click “Track Prices,” and you’ll get an email if the rate drops. It’s free, and it works. One user in Christchurch saved $117 on a three-night stay just by waiting three days after setting an alert.

Try Last-Minute Apps

If you’re flexible with your travel dates, last-minute apps can drop your hotel bill by 40% or more. Apps like HotelTonight and LastMinute.com specialize in unsold rooms from the same day. Hotels don’t want empty beds, so they slash prices after 4 p.m. to fill rooms.

It’s not magic-it’s math. A hotel in Queenstown with 50 rooms might sell 42 by noon. The remaining eight? They’re priced to move by 6 p.m. You can score a $200-a-night room for $80 if you’re willing to book at 5:30 p.m. on the day you want to stay.

Works best for city breaks or weekend trips. Don’t use it for holidays or peak season unless you’re okay with limited choices. But for spontaneous trips? It’s the cheapest way to stay in a decent hotel.

Join Hotel Loyalty Programs-Even If You Don’t Travel Often

You don’t need to be a frequent flyer to benefit from hotel loyalty programs. Signing up for free gives you access to members-only rates, early access to sales, and bonus points that can be redeemed for free nights.

Marriott Bonvoy, IHG One Rewards, and Accor Live Limitless all let you join in under a minute. Even if you only stay once a year, you’ll get a 10-15% discount on your next booking. Some programs also offer “Member Rates” that are lower than public rates on every booking, not just special promotions.

One traveler in Auckland joined Hilton Honors on a whim and saved $68 on a one-night stay two months later. That’s free money just for giving them your email.

Book During Off-Peak Times

Hotel prices swing wildly based on when you book and when you stay. The cheapest days to book? Tuesday and Wednesday. The cheapest days to stay? Sunday through Wednesday. Weekend stays-especially Friday and Saturday-cost 30-50% more.

Why? Business travelers book midweek. Tourists fill up the weekends. Hotels raise prices to match demand. If you can shift your trip to a Tuesday night, you’ll often pay less than half the weekend rate.

Also avoid holidays and big events. A hotel in Rotorua that costs $120 on a normal Tuesday might jump to $280 during the Rotorua Hot Springs Festival. Check local event calendars before you book. Sometimes skipping a weekend by two days saves you more than any coupon ever could.

Use Cashback and Reward Sites

Platforms like Rakuten, TopCashback, and Honey give you cash back when you book through their links. It’s not a discount at checkout-it’s money returned to your account after your stay. Rates vary, but you can get 5-10% back on most hotel bookings.

Stack it with other deals. Book a $200 room through Rakuten, use a hotel’s member rate, and you’re paying $180 before cashback. Then you get $18 back. That’s a 27% total saving.

Install the Honey browser extension. It automatically tests coupon codes at checkout and applies the best one. You don’t have to search for them. It just works.

Check Local Tourism Sites and Regional Deals

Many towns and regions offer their own hotel deals to attract visitors. Check the official tourism website for the place you’re visiting. In New Zealand, sites like Visit New Zealand or regional councils like Bay of Islands Tourism often run seasonal promotions.

Last year, a promotion in Nelson offered free wine tasting with any hotel booking over two nights. In Dunedin, a three-night stay came with a free bus pass. These aren’t on Booking.com. They’re only listed on local tourism pages.

Even small towns have deals. A B&B in Kaikoura offered a 15% discount to anyone who mentioned the local whale-watching tour website. It’s not a big discount-but it’s free, and you get something extra.

Watch for Hidden Fees

A $99 room sounds great until you see the $25 resort fee, $10 parking charge, and $12 breakfast add-on. Many budget sites list low base rates but bury fees in fine print.

Always check the total price before you click “Book.” Look for line items like:

• Resort fees
• Destination fees
• Wi-Fi charges
• Breakfast costs
• Early check-in or late checkout fees

Some hotels include all of these in the room rate. Others charge extra. Compare the final price-not the headline number. A $120 room with no fees is cheaper than a $95 room with $40 in hidden charges.

What to Avoid

Don’t book too early. Hotels don’t release their lowest rates until 6-8 weeks before arrival. Booking six months ahead often locks you into a higher price.

Avoid “non-refundable” deals unless you’re 100% sure of your plans. If something changes, you lose everything. Look for “free cancellation” options instead-even if they’re $10 more. That $10 is insurance.

And don’t trust “limited time offer” banners. They’re everywhere. A “48-hour sale” on Expedia might be running for six months. Use price tracking tools to see if the rate is actually dropping-or just pretending to.

The best hotel deals aren’t about being lucky. They’re about being smart. Know where to look. Know when to book. Know what to ignore. And always check the hotel’s own site last-because that’s where the real savings hide.