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Family travel is one of life's great joys. But it can come with…
A serious cost attached.
Hotel prices are one of the leading travel expenses putting pressure on family budgets right now. In fact, 38% of Americans claim hotel costs are dictating their future travel decisions in 2025. Nearly 4 in 10 families won't book until they know hotel costs have gone down.
Fortunately, there are smarter ways to cut hotel costs without sacrificing quality.
Here's how to save money on hotels every time when traveling with your family:
What's On The Agenda:
Why You Should Prioritize Hotel Discounts for Family Travel
When to Book a Hotel for Cheap
Sign up to Hotel Loyalty Programs
Use Discount Codes and Third Party Booking Sites
Compare Hotel Booking Sites Often
Think Beyond Budget Hotels
Why You Should Prioritize Hotel Discounts for Family Travel
Family travel spending is on the rise.
Preliminary data shows that families spent an average of $8,052 on travel in 2024. That's 20% higher than they spent in 2023.
And a large chunk of that will go on accommodation.
Booking multiple rooms for your family can get expensive. And hunting around for a suite that comfortably sleeps everyone isn't cheap either. Add those nightly rates together for a week or more and families quickly find themselves over budget.
Hotel discounts should be a top priority.
There's a smarter way to approach hotel booking when traveling with your family. Not a cheaper way. A smarter way. That allows you to pay less for a great hotel, instead of settling for a cheap one that makes you want to chuck your TV at the babysitter.
When to Book a Hotel for Cheap
Booking at the right time can make or break your hotel budget.
Choosing the wrong dates is the single biggest reason families pay too much for hotels.
A few proven strategies:
Book early for busy travel periods. Summer vacation, school holidays, and Christmas are always going to be popular -- and more expensive. Booking 3-6 months in advance lets you secure lower rates before prices escalate due to demand.
Book late for low season stays. Hotels would rather offer a 'last minute deal' than lose you as a customer. If your travel dates are flexible, wait as long as possible before booking. You could grab a significant bargain.
Midweek savings. There's always a price gap between checking in on Thursday vs. Friday night. Swap your dates by just a day where possible to access cheaper rates at most hotels.
Don't book hastily. Running your travel dates through a couple of different booking windows allows you to see who has the best prices. Takes 5 minutes and can save you money.
Sign up to Hotel Loyalty Programs
I can't stress this one enough.
Over 40% of families say they're already using travel reward points or savings accounts to offset travel costs. But a huge portion of families are not taking advantage of hotel loyalty programs.
Hotel loyalty programs are free to join. And they're a serious money saver if used consistently.
Every paid hotel stay earns you points that can be redeemed for:
Free hotel stays
Room upgrades
Access to member-exclusive rates
Once again. This only works if you stick to the same hotel brand every time you can. It doesn't matter if you have ten hotels in your 'preferred program'. If you bounce between them randomly you'll never earn enough points to make a dent.
Pretty brilliant.
Use Discount Codes and Third Party Booking Sites
Here's where families can slash their hotel bills.
Booking through a third party site then hitting up a discount code website is one of the easiest ways to save money on hotels. It's also one of the habits happiest families never forget once they try it.
Here's the process. Before booking anywhere, quickly search for available discount codes for that website.
Let's say you're looking to book through Hotels.com. Take 30 seconds to find a Hotels.com discount code that could give you a % off or flat discount on your stay. You'll find codes change all the time -- and they can be applied on top of existing promotions.
Always use a discount code site before booking
Booking third party sites means you can access dozens of hotel discounts that don't exist elsewhere. Honing the habit of visiting a discount code site before every booking is how families take the biggest chunk out of hotel prices.
Look out for third party bundles
Many third party booking sites offer bundled flight + hotel packages for a lower price than booking independently. If you have flexibility in your travel plans, these can offer great value.
Flash sales and member pricing
Third party sites also frequently offer limited-time rate discounts on family-friendly properties. Enabling you to stay somewhere you might not have otherwise. Logging in or creating a user account can also unlock member prices.
Compare Hotel Booking Sites Often
Open multiple hotel websites on separate tabs.
Did that first price check you did make that site look good? Hotels now charge literally millions for the same room. Compare prices across different sites to find the real deals.
Here's how:
Check the hotel's own website first.
Search two or three other major hotel booking platforms.
See if there are any discount codes you can use on that site.
Compare the total cost, including fees and taxes. Don't get tricked by low nightly rates only to find hidden fees at checkout.
Comparing hotel booking sites is a great habit to build as a family traveler. Prices change all the time too. So, checking multiple sites will ensure you always get the best deal possible.
Think Beyond Budget Hotels
Sorry. Hotels aren't created equally.
And when traveling with your family, price is only one part of the puzzle.
For example, a slightly pricier hotel that offers breakfast as part of the room will likely save you money over a budget option that charges per meal. Hotels with kitchenette facilities mean you can cook at least one meal a day. Which saves money on longer holidays.
Keep an eye out for hotels that offer:
Free kids stay/eat deals. This is a genuine money saver when traveling with young children.
Connecting rooms. Cheaper than two separate standard rooms. And way more convenient with kids in tow.
Inclusive packages. Fantastic for fixing your daily hotel budget. And removing the guesswork.
The hotel type you choose can massively impact your overall budget when traveling with kids.
…and there we have it.
Family hotel discounts aren't difficult to come by. If you know where to look.
Just remember these tips:
Book during optimal timeframes to take advantage of highs and lows in demand.
Use hotel loyalty programs. They're free.
Look for a discount code before you confirm any hotel booking.
Compare total prices across multiple booking sites.
Consider alternative hotel types that suit your family's needs.
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