Hotel Sales Slash the cost of hotel stays using discount codes and cashback deals
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Hotels are slashing rates to entice customers. If you know where to look, it’s possible to grab five star places at a fraction of the cost.
This is a full check-list of one-off promotions, yet for a step-by-step guide to permanently getting the cheapest hotel prices, see the Cheap Hotels guide.
Includes...
Important! Ensure you know how to shop safely before trying these deals
Tips for shopping safely
Whether it's a retailer or restaurateur, airline or air-conditioner seller, computer shop or car rental company, there are always two main risks: either it's a dodgy company, or it's a legit company that has financial problems and goes bust.
The aim of these tips is to help you minimise the risks.
What happens if a company goes bust?
Quite simply, its customers are immediately transformed into creditors.
This hits hardest if you've ordered goods or tickets from them, and not had delivery, as then you are simply one of a line of people trying to get your money back out of the company's assets, and you usually get back much less than you paid in.
Even if you've had delivery, if the company you bought from goes under and there's a problem with the goods, it can mean you've no comeback.
While MoneySavingExpert.com endeavours to check deals are valid, we don't check companies' finances - even huge names like MFI and Woolies have folded - so it's very important you use the right strategies to stay protected where possible...
DO: Pay by credit card for goods over £100
Pay by credit card for something over £100, eg, flights, kitchens, sofas, and Section 75 laws super-charge your consumer rights.
Unlike debit cards, cheques & cash, pay in full or part (even just £1) on a credit card and by law the lender's jointly liable with the retailer. This means you have exactly the same rights with the card company as you do with the retailer, so if it goes bust, you can simply take your complaints there instead and get money back if no delivery.
Yet it's important you ALWAYS REPAY IN FULL each month, so there's no interest cost. See the Section 75 guide for a full guide and Cashback Credit Cards for how to earn cash on top too.
DO: Protect purchases under £100
Section 75 doesn't apply to purchases under £100, but there's still an option which can help. It's not a legal protection, just Visa rules, but it's a good secondary back up.
Spend on a Visa credit or debit card and, if the goods don't appear within 120 days, you can ask your bank to reclaim the cash from the seller’s bank. See the Visa Chargeback part of the Section 75 guide for full details.
DON'T: Use unfamiliar sites without checking
Bogus websites are often set up to cash in on popular products like Ugg boots and Tiffany necklaces, so be wary if it's an unfamiliar site. And don't think that because it appears on a reputable search engine, that makes it a reputable site - always check.
DO: Check the site's legit
Most folks know to look for a security padlock on a website's bottom right, but that doesn't mean the site's legit, just that payment's secure.
To find out who registered the site and when, search the Whois database. Reputable firms should also appear on the Companies House site, the UK Govt's official companies register. Be very wary of businesses with just a PO BOX or email address.
Study the site's worldwide web ranking on Alexa. Anything in the top 100,000 means it's reasonably big - a good, though not foolproof, indication of legitimacy. Do a quick Google search for other shoppers’ experiences.
DON'T: Let your anti-virus run out
Crucially, ensure your security's up-to-date - free software can be downloaded to your computer in five mins. Full details in the Free Anti-Virus Software guide.
DO: Know your distance selling rights
Many people are surprised to learn you've MORE rights buying online (or telephone/catalogue) due to the Distance Selling Regulations.
This gives a legal right to send most goods back within a week for a full refund (including outward delivery costs), even if there’s no fault. You'll usually need to pay for the return delivery. Read Consumer Rights for a full guide.
However, of course this is balanced by the fact that, order online, and that automatically means a time gap between ordering and delivering - when the company has your money. So if it goes bust in that time, the distance selling rights don't help.
DO: Understand sometimes there's no protection.
Ultimately, there is always a risk that a company can go bust. If the above routes don't apply, then you have to make a decision about whether you're willing to take the risk of parting with your cash.
Don't be overly scared of this: every day we all make transactions based on trust, and this is part of that, but do balance up the amount you're spending against the risk. Don't give large amounts of money to a company you're not sure of.
ClosePremier Inn: £19 room saleOnline
What: £19 room sale | When: 11 Feb - 11 March '12 | |
How: Book via Premier Inn* | Hotel type: Budget Plus | |
Ends: 27 January | Where: UK nationwide | |
Restrictions: Two night minimum stay. Must book 14 days in advance. |
Hotel chain Premier Inn* is selling 20,000 rooms at £19 per night for stays 10 Feb to 11 March 2012. The room sale starts on Friday 20 Jan, and as an example of the savings, Premier Inn rooms normally cost from £50 to £100.
- When can I go? You can stay 10 February to 11 March 2012, including Valentine's Day. There is a two-night minimum stay, and rooms must be booked at least 14 days in advance.
- How do I get it? Book from 6am Friday 20 January via the Premier Inn* homepage when the sale starts.
- How many hotels are taking part? 466 out of Premier Inn's 600 UK hotels are taking part, including Birmingham, Liverpool and London.
- What are the rooms like? While marketed as a 'no frills' hotel chain, we hear good things from MoneySavers. It also won 2011 Best Business Hotel & Best Leisure Hotel in the British Travel Awards.
Etap hotels: £18 room sale
What: £18 rooms | When: 19 Dec '11 - 29 Feb '12 | |
How: Book online at Accor | Hotel type: Budget | |
Ends: When all the sale rooms go | Where: Nationwide | |
Restrictions:Limited bank holiday availability |
Budget Hotel group Etap is offering 32,000 rooms at £18 for stays between 19 December 2011 and 29 February 2012.
- How to book? Book via this specific Accor hotels page (Etap is owned by the Accor hotels chain.) The sale will end when all the cheap rooms are sold.
- When can I go? The sale rooms are available for stays from 19 December 2011 - 29 February 2012. Rooms are available over the Xmas and New Year period at most hotels. You can book as many nights as you like.
- Where can I go? 13 of Etap's 17 hotels are taking part, including Cardiff, Manchester and Leeds. Rooms normally cost about £35-£40.
- What are the hotels like? Etap are smartish budget hotels - do read reviews on Tripadvisor.
Found a cheaper deal?
Let us know in the Hotel Sales Discussion
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