Any advice for reducing cost of regular hotel for work?

RivieraKidDan

Hi,

I've got a new job that basically means I'll need to stay away for 2 nights a week every week for the foreseeable future. Does anyone have any advice on how I could keep the costs of this to a minimum? Do any hotel chains offer loyalty discounts or discount for bulk booking? Anyone successfully negotiated a deal with anyone?

FYI, this is not a work expense, its to reduce a long commute I knew about when taking the job.

Thanks.

mebu60

Have you checked out small family-run B&Bs in the locality?

Could also try advertising on the staff notice board once you've been there a couple of weeks or so. Someone might be grateful for the additional income. 

RivieraKidDan

mebu60 said:

Have you checked out small family-run B&Bs in the locality?

Could also try advertising on the staff notice board once you've been there a couple of weeks or so. Someone might be grateful for the additional income. 

Those are both excellent ideas, thank you!

Flugelhorn

agree you are more likely to get a good rate with a regular B&B booking or TBH better still, the idea of someone at work having a spare room that you use a couple of nights a week - also probably much nicer than staying in a hotel and cheaper on the buying food front

Exodi

Having a look on booking.com is another option, though it depends on your standards.

As I have no standards, I have funny memories as a previous sales rep on the road, staying in places that were effectively peoples normal family houses - even joining them for breakfast in the morning or waiting for the shower to be available because their children were brushing their teeth!

Oftentimes these were less than half the cost of the cheapest hotel.

Or even cheaper, you could buy a tent! Naa I'm joking... but now you mention it...

kempiejon

B&B looks a good call. When a mate of mine got a job further away, still had his home in the original area and the commute was too much for daily, he found a convenient Airbnb. After a few weeks he negotiated direct with the property owner for a semi permanent let, they agreed a good rate for Monday - Thursday, he fixed the deal for 3 months, his estimation of how long to sell the old home and move down there. It took him best part of a year to sell in the end but conveniently found a partner and moved in with them before buying together when he finally sold.

DullGreyGuy

RivieraKidDan said:

I've got a new job that basically means I'll need to stay away for 2 nights a week every week for the foreseeable future. Does anyone have any advice on how I could keep the costs of this to a minimum? Do any hotel chains offer loyalty discounts or discount for bulk booking? Anyone successfully negotiated a deal with anyone?

Hotels dont often offer loyalty discounts but the bigger chains offer frequent customer benefits... having spent too much of my life living in Hilton Hotels pay the standard rate when booking but get free breakfast, free room upgrade, free premium wifi, free 2 drinks per guest (sometimes more), free bottled water, free access to the Exec lounge if they have one and sometimes free carpark. 

For work trips its normally staying in very expensive places so the freebies are a sweetner rather than a reason to stay but when driving up north used to stop at the same place that in low season could be £40 room only... take off the cost of breakfast, parking, 4-6 free pints depending on how generous they were being and the room wasnt far off free. 

Booking in advanced normally saves costs, consider how close you want to be to the office; if the office is central then a further away place is likely to be cheaper but then you've got the cost/effort of getting in. 

Have known a few that have been a "weekday lodger" which has the added advantage of being able to leave stuff in the room rather than carting it back and forth. Places found either from talking to new colleagues that were also travelling or looking on places like spare room. 

Have also known many doing long commutes each day as it worked better for them. One chap did 3.5 hours on his motorbike each way every day which is only made more crazy by the fact it had 6+ pints before getting on his bike more than once.

xstacey77

Def explore the air BNB routes and see if they will do you a block booking say for a period of 3 months at a reduced rate?

baser999

If you know precisely when you’re going to be away check out advance prices for Premier Inn, Travelodge etc. 

Marcon

xstacey77 said:

Def explore the air BNB routes and see if they will do you a block booking say for a period of 3 months at a reduced rate?

...but probably wait until you've actually tried out a few local B&Bs before committing. Also be aware that we are now coming up to peak holiday season, so your chances of getting reduced rates over the summer period are much reduced.

saker75

Also consider spareroom.co.uk - I used to let out a room to somebody in your situation, 2-3 nights per week. They could leave stuff in wardrobe etc when not there.