Perks are an easy thing to fall under the spell of. Dreams of free upgrades and drinks receptions are rampant in the travel world, but those are often misplaced priorities. Here are some of the best perks and promotions hotels can offer you, and why they’re actually valuable for budget travelers.
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Early Check-In and Late Check-Out
Flights don’t always play ball with our schedule. If you’re on a budget opting for the cheaper flight might see you arrive at your destination hours before check-in. And that’s no-man’s land–an often wasted afternoon where you’re too tired or smelly to do much, but can’t get into your room yet. Likewise, a later return flight is often avoided in the hopes of not waiting around all day. Having both of these eliminates that stress and gives you more control of your flight choices.
Free Breakfast
If you’re on a budget, the free breakfast is always valuable. Not because it’s just nice to eat something, but because it can carry you over for longer. Fill up on a big breakfast and you’re less likely to drop tons of money on extra food each day. Of course, if you’re there for the food, this won’t matter as much.
Lounge access (and potential drinks)
If you’re in an expensive city for drinks, find a hotel with a solid lounge or happy hours. When I first started using points and miles, I’d always opt for the DoubleTree on 6th for NYC trips. Why? They had an epic two-hour happy hour. Unlimited cocktails. Younger me was saved a financial hangover on top of a physical one.
Bonus night deals
When booking with points, some hotel brands offer a 4th or 5th night free. These are truly epic offers, and maximize the value of your points. Using the same NYC example as above, I was able to spend 5 nights in that hotel for 150,000 points over Christmas. Use these whenever possible.
What about Upgrades?
Upgrades are amazing. They are. There are few things better. But…they’re not really saving you money. They fall pretty firmly in the experiential value realm, so, if you’re on a budget, it won’t do much for you other than elevate your experience.