5 killer tips on how to find cheap accommodation

Finding cheap accommodation is vital for budget-conscious travellers, but not everyone knows the best tips and tricks when it comes to finding a cheap place to stay.

As someone who has been traveling budget for years, I’ve found a number of ways to find cheap deals and drive down my costs. Read on to find some of my favorite tips for finding cheap accommodation on your travels.

1. Using hotel comparison sites

There are a plethora of hotel comparison sites that offer a variety of deals on different hotels, hostels and other accommodation options. One of my favorite ways to find excellent and cheap accommodation during my travels is to look at these hotel comparison sites regularly. Depending on your budget, you will find a range of options from hotels to hostels and even apartments. On some of the website, you’ll be able to subscribe to price and deal alerts so that you are sent a notification when appropriate deals are found.

2. Apartment and room rentals

If you have intentions of staying in one destination for a long time, then it is highly recommended that you go for an apartment or a room rental as opposed to a hotel. This is because staying in a hotel for a long time is relatively expensive compared to staying in a room or an apartment for a similar period. Besides, staying in a room rental or an apartment will give you the conveniences you usually have back at your home, some of which may never be available in hotel rooms. With sites such as Accommodation.co.uk, finding a cheap apartment and room rentals has never been easier.

3. Couchsurfing

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Couchsurfing is a concept that has been around for a while and was mostly used backpackers who traveled on budget. When it comes to couchsurfing, all you have to do is make arrangements with a host in your desired destination, and you stay with them for free, while interaction and quality time are typically seen as currency. The beauty of couchsurfing is that you not only save money during your travels, but also you get to interact with the locals, helping you to gain a greater understanding and appreciation of their culture.

4. Finding offline accommodation

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Though the prominence of the internet across the globe has made it possible for thousands of business to be online, there is a still a many players in the hospitality industry that are still offline or are utilise the traditional methods of marketing.

However, one thing worth noting about these options is that they are relatively cheap since they are still not as popular. If you are heading to destinations in South East Asia or South America, you should try keeping an eye out for them. Ask around in forums on websites such as TripAdvisor and Lonely Planet about the unique accommodation in the destinations that you are travelling to.

5. Homestays

The other great way to find cheap accommodation or stay for completely free is through homestays. With homestays, all you have to do is use a service such as Homestay.com to help you connect to guests who are willing to open their homes to travellers. Depending on your destination, you may not find very many options, but the few you find could be absolute gems. Just like with couchsurfing, using homestays will give you a good chance to connect with the locals and stay in comfortable accommodation, in addition to saving a lot of money.