By Sarah Williams (TMFKojo)
June 29, 2000

It's family vacation season. But rising gas prices and expensive airfares can really put a damper on what should otherwise be a relaxing family event. Where can a Fool save a buck or two in order to make that dream vacation more affordable? Our Foolish article on finding cheap airfare is certainly a good start. But what about lodging? Read on, Fool. You'll find some great resources for saving money on hotels, and a few lodging alternatives, too.

Online Booking Services
I picked three favorite U.S. vacation destinations, and used the Web to find the most economical rooms possible. Pile the kids in the car -- we're headed to Washington, D.C., Disney World, and Yellowstone National Park!

Since most vacation spots have dozens of hotels nearby, I tried to level the playing field as much as possible. I shopped for an average family (two adults, two kids) for seven nights. When possible I requested a pool and a non-smoking room. Additionally, I tried to find hotels within five miles of the town's main attraction.

One thing I discovered (other than I should pick another weekend to go to Yellowstone) is that prices vary quite a bit, so it is worthwhile to try several sites before settling on one place. Also, several of the booking services are more than happy to give you a room in a city, but it is much harder to find accommodations in more rural areas.

Another caveat: Some websites will do a bait and switch. They will claim that they have rooms for "$29 and up!" but the "and up" prices are all that you can find. Depending on how dedicated you are, you can always try calling the website's support line and get their customer service to help you find the lowest rate. Sometimes this works.

One final suggestion: Always check the website of the hotel you may be staying at. For instance, when I stayed in Las Vegas over Mother's Day I found several low-cost hotels through booking agencies, but the lowest price I found (which included breakfast and other goodies) was a special linked directly from a resort's home page.

Cheaper Alternatives -- Hostels, B&B's, Home Trading
You may have noticed that the last entry on the table above has incredibly low rates. That is because they are quotes for local hostels. For those of you who aren't familiar with hostels, they're a wonderful low-cost alternative to traditional hotels. Hostels usually provide dormitory-style accommodations with separate quarters for males and females, but many have private/family rooms that can be reserved in advance.

Many people who have heard about hostels believe that they are only for students or are not the sort of place any self-respecting traveler would want to stay. Not true. I often stay at hostels and usually meet interesting folks (both students and families) and the inhabitants often have great budget tips for the local area!

Another alternative to the hotel is the bed and breakfast (B&B). There you're provided a room in a host's home and breakfast the next day. In some B&B's you have to share the bathroom with other guests, or pay extra for a private bath. There are usually a few bed and breakfasts in any area that you might want to vacation. Many B&B's welcome children (and pets!) and are often less expensive than a hotel chain.

The only drawback to bed and breakfasts is that there is no central directory for them on the Internet. The easiest way to find them is to use a search engine such as Yahoo! or Google and enter the name of the city and the words "bed and breakfast." Another resource (though not comprehensive) is www.bbonline.com. You can also check published directories available at most bookshops and on Amazon.com.

One final alternative for cheap housing is to borrow someone else's home. Sites such as trading-homes.com and gatewayexchange.com charge a nominal fee to list your house on their site. Another interested family can contact you about trading homes for a short time and if you are interested in where they live, you can arrange to swap houses. Just be sure your homeowner's insurance is up to date!

Discounts From Other Sources
Most everyone knows that AAA will pick you up if you get a flat tire, but did you know they offer travel discounts? Some of them are quite substantial. In addition, they have their own online booking services. Most major hotel chains offer discounts through AAA.

Another favorite acronym in the travel world is AARP. The American Association of Retired Persons is a powerhouse for discounts of all sorts. In the hotel arena, you can earn 10% to 50% off the published rates when you stay at most major chains. The only bummer about this one is you have to be over 50 (or married to someone who is).

A final source for travel discounts is to wait until the last minute. I certainly don't suggest this approach for a two-week family vacation, but if you are looking for a weekend away from home, sites like www.smarterliving.com and www.lastminutetravel.com specialize in last-minute accommodations that often turn out to be great bargains.

This article is by no means exhaustive, and you may know of other websites or discounts. If you want to share them, please post them here. Happy travels!

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