How this little-known trick saved me $50 on a 2-night hotel booking
There's a straightforward trick that a lot of people overlook when they're booking hotel rooms. While it only applies to bookings of two nights or longer, I've had it result in a cheaper rate 90% of the time. I'm referring to booking separate hotel nights. How does this work? It's simple.
How this works
The rate you pay for a hotel room varies depending on demand.
Sometimes that means which day of the week you're booking. For example, pre-pandemic in most cities, rates were cheaper on weekends than weekdays because business travel occurred during the week, driving up room rates, while demand dropped off Friday through Sunday night. When I made a reservation that included both a weekend and weekday night, the hotel quoted the higher weekday price for the entire stay.
The same goes for room availability. If a hotel doesn't have a standard room for an entire stay, you'll only see availability for premium rooms for the entire stay.
By splitting up your reservation, you can take advantage of cheaper rates. And if you don't mind switching rooms, you might save quite a bit by booking a standard-priced room for part of your stay and a premium-priced one for the remainder.
I've come across searches where a standard room was available for three out of the four nights I needed, with a remaining night being in a suite. When I searched for a four-night stay, the only room option I got was a suite, which cost significantly more.
In situations like these, I've either shortened my stay in order to book a reasonably-priced standard room or I've made two separate reservations -- three nights in a standard room and one in a suite -- so I could stay at the same hotel without shelling out extra cash for a suite on all four nights.
Related: Best hotel credit cards of 2021
How I saved $50 on a two-night stay
During a recent visit to New York, I needed a hotel for two nights. Hyatt's 18 Manhattan properties ranged from $100 to $700 per night, but I really liked the location of the Hyatt Union Square. At $220 per night, it was priced relatively high compared to properties like the Hotel Bowery 50, where rooms start at around $119 a night.
Even though both nights were on a weekday, I decided to search for rooms on separate nights. It paid off because while the first night was priced higher at $238, the second one came in at just $149. Before taxes and fees, that amounted to $53 in total savings.
The best part is that it took maybe five minutes of extra effort to search and book two separate nights instead of one. It was easily worth the $53 discount.
Related: How to spend a million Marriott points for an epic post-pandemic trip
Bottom line
The next time you're searching for a room on a two-night stay or longer, give this trick a shot. It takes just a few extra minutes of work and can save you a significant amount of money. The only inconvenience is that if the front desk agent cannot merge your reservation, you might have to check in twice and get a new key.
I have a horrible habit of misplacing my keys anyway, so going to the lobby to get a replacement is nothing new. Plus, many hotels are now offering mobile keys and check-in, so you may not have to deal with this mild hassle after all.
All screenshots courtesy of Hyatt.com
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.