Air Ninja Hotel Search

I always try Priceline's name your own price feature.

I have gotten some crazy deals. The best? $52 for a Holiday Inn in downtown Chicago, a savings of over 75%!

How Does It Work?

1. You make a bid. You can't choose the specific hotel, but you choose the dates, area, star level, and price.
2. If a hotel accepts your bid, then your credit card is charged and the room is booked. Congrats!

How to Get a Deal

1. Use our hotel search to get an idea of the going rate for your desired location and dates.
2. Make a bid much lower than the going rate.
3. If your bid was accepted, you saved a bunch of money. Good work!
4. If not, wait 24 hours and try again with a higher bid.

More Info

1. If it's peak season, this might not work. Sorry.
2. I like to bid on 3 star hotels. That way, you'll always get a good place to stay.

Independent hotels are often cheaper than chains, but you usually have to call for prices and reservations.

Kayak is a good resource for seeing the independent hotels in an area.

Are you a senior? An AAA member? A veteran? Ask the hotel if they can give you a discount. Also ask about weekly rates.

If all else fails, negotiate. Most independently-owned hotels will bargain with you over the phone, especially at the last minute. Remember that if they have vacancy, they want to fill it, so don't be embarrassed to start low.

If you are cheap and you aren't picky, consider a hostel.

You can usually get your own room for about $50 or a dorm bed for about $20. Just don't be picky, because there's not going to be a mint on your pillow. Get it?

In my experience, the best site for hostels is HostelBookers.com. They don't have booking fees and they are pretty comprehensive.

Really not picky? Like to meet new people? You might be able to stay for free with Couch Surfing. The name should tell you what that is all about.