Budget Travel Tips
For The Frugal Traveller
Budget travel planning has been something both my partner and myself have carried out for years, ever since we no longer had two incomes coming into the home.
Gone are the days of booking the first hotel we come across and usually being ripped off by their over priced rooms and add-ons.
Now we spend a little time planning ahead and discovering that there are plenty of ways to travel in style without paying a fortune. Frugal vacations need not be diffcult to organise.
Of course budget travel planning also sometimes means not going on the usual two-week holiday just because it is something everyone else does. Instead it could also mean planning lots of short weekend breaks and day trips throughout the year.
This can work out a lot cheaper as you can book out of season and gain by taking up all those weekend break deals being offered. It also places less pressure on work and children's schooling commitments.
I used to miss one week at the start of term when I was little because my parents couldn't afford to go on holiday at peak times, it was very difficult to catch up.
Watch out for those hidden extra costs
There are always things that can be easily forgotten when budget travel planning and which can throw the whole expenditure into turmoil if not careful.
Vaccinations - if you are planning to go to a country where lots of vaccinations are required before you go, it is best to check with your doctor if there are any charges for these, especially if you live in a country where the health service is not free.
These vaccination charges can mount up if the whole family need them, so it best to try and build these into your budget travel plan. Of course you could just be very frugal and decide to go somewhere else instead.
Equipment - You may be planning on going on an activity holiday where you will be expected to either have some of your own special equipment or clothing or will be expected to hire them once you are there.
Skiing vacations are a good example of this, where skiing equipment and extra warm clothes costs will be on top of your travelling and accommodation costs.
Even if you do have your own skies and clothes and plan to take them with you, it may cost you extra to travel with them in your luggage due to size and weight. Build all these costs into your frugal budget travel plan.
Luggage - make sure that you do not pack too much when travelling abroad. Too many people have been hit hard at the airport when they have to pay extra weight charges on their luggage. These costs can be high, so always check exactly what your weight allowance is before you go. Be frugal with your packing and ask yourself "do i really need all these clothes"?
Insurances - Always build in insurance costs into your budget travel plans. Lost luggage, double booking and accidents are all good things to insure your self against. Make sure you buy your insurances separate from your holiday seller to ensure you do not may too much. Also it is possible to buy insurance that will cover you for a whole year if you plan to frugal travel more than once, it works out a lot cheaper in the long run.
What types of budget travel vacations are there?
Family vacations - When you have a family your choice of holidays dramatically change from when you were single.
Now instead of wanting to sip cocktails in the moonlight, you now have to make sure that there are plenty of activities to keep the children amused so that you at least get the occasional five minutes to yourself.
Planning a vacation for the family can work out expensive but it is possible to take advantage of many child friendly vacations on offer and by comparing the deals you may even end up saving yourself some money.
Backpacking - For those of you that have the wanderlust in you, backpacking is a great way to see the world on a shoestring if you don't mind roughing it a bit.
There are many offers for student travel available and if you are prepared to work a little on these vacations you may find that accommodation costs are practically nil. Frugal living at it's best.
Working Vacations - These vacations used to be very popular in the UK during the 50's when a lot of families who could not afford holidays would spend two weeks picking hops on farms in the south of England. However these sorts of holidays are still around today and in many different parts of the world.
Whether it is picking fruit, grapes for wine, olives or helping to clear rhododendrons as part of an environmental scheme, they are all great fun, cheap and a good place to make new friends.
Camping - traditionally the cheaper way to go on vacation, where accommodation costs are minimal and experiencing the great outdoors is all part of the joy of the holiday.
Keeping this type of vacation simple and not eating out at restaurants every night but cooking your own food and making the entertainment up yourself will ensure that this holiday will remain a budget travel reality.
Vacations for singles and couples - Even if your dream is of a fairly luxurious and perhaps romantic vacation, it is still possible to make a budget travel plan that will help to keep the costs to a minimum and within your frugal budget. After all every frugal traveller knows that it is possible to still have a great holiday on a budget. You could even decide to take a virtual trip to say somewhere like Las Vegas instead. A little piece of Vegas can be enjoyed via online casinos, just keep within your budget.
MY THOUGHTS
My personal preference would be to save up and really vacation in style. It doesn't have to be the high-end hotels and resorts. But I prefer not to cook not scrimp on food when on holiday. In fact,I wouldn't mind foregoing a vacation for a year so I can enjoy the real deal next year.
Showing posts with label avoiding surcharges. Show all posts
Showing posts with label avoiding surcharges. Show all posts
Friday, April 8, 2011
Friday, August 6, 2010
World's Most Outrageous Hotel Fees
World's Most Outrageous Hotel Fees
More and more hotels are adding fees to room bills. But you can take steps to protect yourself if you look before you book.
By Mark Orwoll
My own distaste for hotel surcharges began years ago on my first business trip, when I ate an entire jar of what appeared to be complimentary macadamia nuts. At checkout I discovered the snack had cost me $12 (not to mention an upset stomach). If anything, the add-ons since then have gotten worse for guests, but much more profitable for the hotels. The lodging industry stands to earn more than $1.75 billion this year in surcharges alone, which means extra fees are likely to be with us for years to come.
In the meantime, here are some tips on sidestepping surcharge surprises:
•Be proactive. Ask when you book if there are any mandatory fees (and taxes) that will be added to your bill. Seasoned travelers know to look for these charges before they book and to complain about them in advance.
•Check your bill carefully before you sign it. It's easier to dispute a charge at checkout than afterward.
•Calmly object if you think a fee is unfair or was not disclosed in advance. Desk clerks often have the authority to remove them.
•If not, ask for the manager.
•Forget it—until the next time you book a hotel. Then go somewhere that charges guests fairly.
Credit Cards
It's unfair of hotels to require a credit card for booking but then to surcharge you for using it at checkout. It can happen anywhere (I've found examples in Switzerland, Vanuatu, Thailand, and elsewhere), but the practice is epidemic in Australia.
Your Cost: Up to 5 percent of your total bill.
Early Check-In
Hotels used to go out of their way to accommodate early-arriving guests. Now you just might have to pay for the privilege, including at some properties under the banners of Hyatt Regency, Hilton, and Kempinski.
Your Cost: Fees average $20–$50.
iStockFitness Center
A good hotel should have a fitness center. And use of the fitness center should be included in the rate you pay. But at some hotels under banners like Hard Rock, Hilton, Crowne Plaza, and Intercontinental, along with many others, you'll have to cough up some extra cash if you want to work out.
Your Cost: $10–$40.
Charitable Donations
Increasingly, hotels are adding charitable donations to your bill. There's even a company that helps hotels do that. The intention may be noble, and the hotels pass along the donation directly to the charity, yet something still feels wrong about this. They'll remove the donation from your bill on request, Mr. Scrooge—but should you really have to ask?
Your Cost: $1–$2.
iStockIn-Room Coffee and Tea
The hotel kindly placed an electric coffeepot on your dresser along with an assortment of tea bags and instant coffee. Watch out. That amenity, which used to be gratis, is becoming a new source of revenue for hotels. So next time you get that wake-up call and instinctively brew up a nice cup of Colombian, you just may find an extra item on your bill.
Your Cost: $2–$5 for a tea bag or a packet of coffee.
Maid Service
Some hotels now charge guests for that most basic of expectations—cleanliness. It may show up in the form of a mandatory gratuity or simply be listed as a housekeeping fee. But whatever they call it, you're paying a separate fee for maid service.
Your Cost: $2–$10 per room per day.
iStockInternet Connection
Why is it that so many budget hotel chains (including Best Western, Comfort Inn, Hampton Inn, and Holiday Inn) routinely offer free Internet connection while so many luxury brands don't? Don't expect that to change. According to iBAHN, which claims to be the world's largest Internet service provider for the lodging industry, "The 'free to guest' model of providing free access in all locations of the hotel at all times to all guests is economically unrealistic given guests' differing bandwidth needs."
Your Cost: $10–$20 (or more) a day.
Mini-Bar Restocking
It's bad enough that you have to pay 10 times or more the normal price for mini-bar items. But what's worse is the growing practice among hotels to add an extra charge to replace items you took. And it gets worse: hotels are increasingly using mini-bars armed with sensors that detect—and charge your room bill—if you so much as move an item.
Your Cost: $3–$5.
Jeff Greenberg / AlamyPackage Delivery
Surcharges for packages or faxes delivered to your room are frequently added to guest bills, but you probably won't find that out until after you've tipped the bellhop who brought it to you in the first place. Some hotels also charge for accepting an express delivery package at their business center—even if you come down to the lobby to collect it yourself.
Your Cost: $3–$5.
Holiday Surcharges
Additional fees added onto your bill for stays during holidays are cropping up, especially in Asia. At the Vinpearl Resort & Spa on Hon Tre Island in Vietnam, you'll pay extra if your booking extends over the Hung Kings' Death Anniversary and other major holidays. In Japan, the Kyoto Hotel Okura adds a surcharge on Saturdays and on the night before a public holiday.
Your Cost: $18–$45 a night.
MY THOUGHTS
i've had my share of chekout woes. it really pays to have everything negotiated before checking in or signing any contract. my job entails booking activites at some hotel or resort 4-6x a year. they will come up with all sorts of surcharges if these are not cleared from the beginning. and never never go for verbal agreements. especially with smaller resorts. they tend to value more the small income they can get rather than a happy customer who will come back or refer them to someone else.
More and more hotels are adding fees to room bills. But you can take steps to protect yourself if you look before you book.
By Mark Orwoll
My own distaste for hotel surcharges began years ago on my first business trip, when I ate an entire jar of what appeared to be complimentary macadamia nuts. At checkout I discovered the snack had cost me $12 (not to mention an upset stomach). If anything, the add-ons since then have gotten worse for guests, but much more profitable for the hotels. The lodging industry stands to earn more than $1.75 billion this year in surcharges alone, which means extra fees are likely to be with us for years to come.
In the meantime, here are some tips on sidestepping surcharge surprises:
•Be proactive. Ask when you book if there are any mandatory fees (and taxes) that will be added to your bill. Seasoned travelers know to look for these charges before they book and to complain about them in advance.
•Check your bill carefully before you sign it. It's easier to dispute a charge at checkout than afterward.
•Calmly object if you think a fee is unfair or was not disclosed in advance. Desk clerks often have the authority to remove them.
•If not, ask for the manager.
•Forget it—until the next time you book a hotel. Then go somewhere that charges guests fairly.
Credit Cards
It's unfair of hotels to require a credit card for booking but then to surcharge you for using it at checkout. It can happen anywhere (I've found examples in Switzerland, Vanuatu, Thailand, and elsewhere), but the practice is epidemic in Australia.
Your Cost: Up to 5 percent of your total bill.
Early Check-In
Hotels used to go out of their way to accommodate early-arriving guests. Now you just might have to pay for the privilege, including at some properties under the banners of Hyatt Regency, Hilton, and Kempinski.
Your Cost: Fees average $20–$50.
iStockFitness Center
A good hotel should have a fitness center. And use of the fitness center should be included in the rate you pay. But at some hotels under banners like Hard Rock, Hilton, Crowne Plaza, and Intercontinental, along with many others, you'll have to cough up some extra cash if you want to work out.
Your Cost: $10–$40.
Charitable Donations
Increasingly, hotels are adding charitable donations to your bill. There's even a company that helps hotels do that. The intention may be noble, and the hotels pass along the donation directly to the charity, yet something still feels wrong about this. They'll remove the donation from your bill on request, Mr. Scrooge—but should you really have to ask?
Your Cost: $1–$2.
iStockIn-Room Coffee and Tea
The hotel kindly placed an electric coffeepot on your dresser along with an assortment of tea bags and instant coffee. Watch out. That amenity, which used to be gratis, is becoming a new source of revenue for hotels. So next time you get that wake-up call and instinctively brew up a nice cup of Colombian, you just may find an extra item on your bill.
Your Cost: $2–$5 for a tea bag or a packet of coffee.
Maid Service
Some hotels now charge guests for that most basic of expectations—cleanliness. It may show up in the form of a mandatory gratuity or simply be listed as a housekeeping fee. But whatever they call it, you're paying a separate fee for maid service.
Your Cost: $2–$10 per room per day.
iStockInternet Connection
Why is it that so many budget hotel chains (including Best Western, Comfort Inn, Hampton Inn, and Holiday Inn) routinely offer free Internet connection while so many luxury brands don't? Don't expect that to change. According to iBAHN, which claims to be the world's largest Internet service provider for the lodging industry, "The 'free to guest' model of providing free access in all locations of the hotel at all times to all guests is economically unrealistic given guests' differing bandwidth needs."
Your Cost: $10–$20 (or more) a day.
Mini-Bar Restocking
It's bad enough that you have to pay 10 times or more the normal price for mini-bar items. But what's worse is the growing practice among hotels to add an extra charge to replace items you took. And it gets worse: hotels are increasingly using mini-bars armed with sensors that detect—and charge your room bill—if you so much as move an item.
Your Cost: $3–$5.
Jeff Greenberg / AlamyPackage Delivery
Surcharges for packages or faxes delivered to your room are frequently added to guest bills, but you probably won't find that out until after you've tipped the bellhop who brought it to you in the first place. Some hotels also charge for accepting an express delivery package at their business center—even if you come down to the lobby to collect it yourself.
Your Cost: $3–$5.
Holiday Surcharges
Additional fees added onto your bill for stays during holidays are cropping up, especially in Asia. At the Vinpearl Resort & Spa on Hon Tre Island in Vietnam, you'll pay extra if your booking extends over the Hung Kings' Death Anniversary and other major holidays. In Japan, the Kyoto Hotel Okura adds a surcharge on Saturdays and on the night before a public holiday.
Your Cost: $18–$45 a night.
MY THOUGHTS
i've had my share of chekout woes. it really pays to have everything negotiated before checking in or signing any contract. my job entails booking activites at some hotel or resort 4-6x a year. they will come up with all sorts of surcharges if these are not cleared from the beginning. and never never go for verbal agreements. especially with smaller resorts. they tend to value more the small income they can get rather than a happy customer who will come back or refer them to someone else.
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