Odds are you’ll find a Holiday Inn in almost any decent size town around the world, particularly in the United States. The iconic motel chain is one of the largest in the world with over 3,400 locations and is a favorite among budget travelers due to its low prices and respectable accommodations.
Staying at Holiday Inn is usually comparatively affordable regardless of whether you get an extra discount, but those extra discounts can still make a big difference on the bottom line.
Check out five ways to get discounts at Holiday Inn:
Holiday Inn is now part of the InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG). IHG comprises nine lodging brands, four of which are related to Holiday Inn (also included is Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Resorts and Holiday Inn Club Vacations). The IHG Rewards Club is free to sign up for and is a loyalty program that applies to all nine IHG brands. By registering for the Rewards Club you can get discount offers, especially the more you stay.
Currently, IHG has partnered with Coca-Cola to create the “Share Forever” promotion that ties in with the Rewards Club. Basically, if you stay at any IHG hotel through September 7, 2015, you’ll earn points and free nights that you can either keep or share with friends and family. Even if you don’t plan to use your Rewards Club membership much, it doesn’t hurt to sign up since it’s free.
If you aren’t familiar, AAA stands for the American Automobile Association. AAA offers roadside assistance and a variety of other car services, but it also provides members significant travel discounts. Holiday Inn is among the many hotels that give discounts to AAA members.
This is a great way to get a quick discount at Holiday Inn if you don’t have much time and are making a last-minute booking. You can even score this discount if you book directly at the location the day of your stay, a rarity when it comes to travel discounts.
All hotels prefer to fill up as much as possible as far out as possible. Last-minute stays are extremely unpredictable and difficult to count on financially, so long-term reservations are ideal.
In an effort to encourage guests to book way in advance, Holiday Inn offers savings of up to 30% off regular rates. It’s called the “Book Early and Save” rate. If you are in a position to plan ahead, this discount might be among the best you can find.
One of the best ways to get a steep hotel discount is to shop at one of the many discount hotel sites online. Hotels.com is one of the industry leaders and does have excellent prices (and promo codes) that are tough to beat, but others such as Booking.com are worth checking out as well. There are also mobile apps such as Hotel Tonight that merit a look.
The good thing about Holiday Inn is that it’s such a famous brand it shows up on just about all of the aforementioned discount sites. Do always remember to compare the “discount” price you find on these other sites against Holiday Inn’s regular price, however, as sometimes they aren’t any better or could potentially be even more expensive.
Sometimes a good old-fashioned face-to-face meeting will do the trick. With everything now automated, some locations might be more hesitant than others to make a deal with prospective lodgers, but you might be able to cut a deal if the timing is right. For example, if the Holiday Inn you visit is nearly empty and needs to improve its vacancy rates, the manager might be more inclined to negotiate rates.
You can also use certain tactics to your advantage when discussing price with the hotel manager. Smoking rooms or older rooms at a location that has been partially renovated or rooms facing a less desirable direction are harder to fill and you might be able to nab a discount if you are willing to stay in one of them.
