How To Get Discounted Hotel Room Rates At Last Minute?

Generally, last-minute bookings cost more, but if you plan your trip with a travel club, you might get good deals. How? Let’s find out in this blog.

Why Is Last-Minute Hotel Booking Expensive?

Have you ever wondered why last-minute hotel bookings are always expensive? And why do experts recommend planning your trip and booking hotels months in advance? One reason is limited room availability, since most people make reservations in advance. The other reasons are mentioned below:

• High Demand: Whether it's a hotel booking or a flight booking, last-minute reservations cost more. Many believe hotels or the aviation industry try to fill empty seats and offer lower prices. This may be true, but in most cases, high demand means you have to pay more to hold a spot. 

• Limited Availability: As mentioned, limited hotel availability usually increases prices. Last-minute bookers must pay higher prices when demand is high, and rooms are limited. Even with travel credits, you can’t expect to get hotel rooms at the discounted rate. 

• Holiday Season: Any booking made during the holiday or peak season costs more. Expecting a lower price at the last minute is making a fool of yourself. During this time, even a bad hotel charges a high price. This drives demand up and availability down.

The above pointers show why last-minute booking is expensive. Now the question is: how can anyone get discounted hotel room rates at the last minute? Scroll down to learn about it.

How To Get Discounted Hotel Rates At The Last Minute?

Have you ever considered joining a travel club? If not, then you should; a travel club membership can help you get hotel rooms at a discounted rate. How?

Below are the reasons:

• Closed-user-group Rates: Whether you’re booking hotels months in advance or at the last minute, you can easily get discounted rates. As is known, travel clubs offer lower prices to their closed-user group even when the booking is made at the last minute. The reason is simple: the club offers discounted rates to its members, which are hidden from the general public. To view this listing, an active membership login is required. 

• Members-Only Discounts: Even after getting close-to-user-group rates, travel clubs like Crest Travel Club offer additional members-only discounts. In each membership plan, from entry to premium, discounts apply across all categories. The only difference is that higher memberships unlock more discounts and premium perks. 

• High-tier Membership: With a high-tier membership plan, you can easily book a hotel at discounted rates even at the last minute. Several travel clubs, including Crest Travel Club, often unlock priority inventory and provide dedicated concierge services to their higher-tier members. They also run special flash sales that offer even deeper discounts on hotel bookings.

How Can I Get Last-Minute Hotel Discounts At Crest Travel Club?

If you’re a Crest Travel Club member and wondering how you can get discounts on last-minute bookings, below are the steps you need to take:

• Log in to your Crest account using your credentials.

• Look for the members-only search portal.

• Enter your desired destination and immediate check-in dates.

• A list of rates will be displayed. (Only accessible if you have an active membership plan)

• Now enter your membership’s allocated Room Coins to see how much you’re saving. 

• Check side-by-side price differences and click on the one you want.

• Complete the purchase and wait to get a confirmation email.