| When you get off the bus in the Andean Mountain | | | | and motels that are in their system. I just did a search |
| resort town of Banos, Ecuador, you'll see several | | | | for Tucson, Arizona, for example, on several sites. |
| people quickly moving towards you. Some of them will | | | | One or two of the sites found decent prices on certain |
| be the actual owners of the hotels in town, and others | | | | hotels, but I know of several nice motels in Tucson that |
| are working on commission. They'll all claim to have the | | | | are $15 cheaper than the cheapest rate they found. |
| nicest and the cheapest hotel.This onslaught of | | | | Use the internet as a place to start, or when you can't |
| salesmen may annoy you at first, until you realize what | | | | get any other information.Get coupon books at gas |
| it means. There are vacant rooms tonight, and there is | | | | stations along the highways. We've often found good |
| real competition! They have tipped their hands, and you | | | | deals using these, and it's rare that a manager won't |
| are in charge now. Let the contest begin!When my | | | | honor them. Usually only if they're absolutely full will |
| wife and I were in Banos recently, we let an older | | | | they refuse. Read the fine print, however, because |
| woman drag us off from the bus station. She showed | | | | they often charge more for certain dates, or for two |
| us two hotels she owned, and we preferred the | | | | people.There are promotions done where if you |
| second. We were told the room would be $12. It was | | | | "mention this ad" or just use the right words, you get |
| clean, with cable T.V. and lots of hot water. We | | | | up to 70% discount. Talk, talk, talk. Tell them if you're a |
| offered $6 per night, paying for four nights in advance. | | | | member of the AARP, AAA or whatever. Tell the |
| She agreed.The lesson is clear if you want the | | | | person on the phone that you saw an ad in the |
| cheapest hotel room: Negotiate! The owner knew we | | | | "Times," or whatever big paper they might have |
| were ready to walk away, and that there were others | | | | advertised in.Get the receptionist to help you. Try |
| waiting for our business. Unfortunately, most owners | | | | asking what the magic words are. Some receptionists |
| here in the U.S. would rather let you drive away than | | | | will tell you. You might also ask "What do I have to say |
| knock five bucks off the room rate. Even here, | | | | to get the cheapest rate?" They will sometimes tell |
| however, we have negotiated decent discounts by | | | | you, or suggest other options. Ask about the hotel too, |
| paying for several nights in advance. Of course we let | | | | of course. You don't want ANY room. You want the |
| them know that we'll be looking elsewhere if they say | | | | cheapest hotel that has nice rooms.Steve Gillman hit |
| no.The Cheapest Hotel Rooms - More TipsYou can | | | | the road at sixteen, and traveled the U.S. and Mexico |
| use the travel web sites to find cheap hotel rooms, but | | | | alone at 17. Now 42, he travels with his wife Ana, |
| remember that they only give you rates for the hotels | | | | whom he met in Ecuador. |