In the second of his two-part look, Jeffrey Strain explains how you can knock 50% off your overseas hotel tab with half-price hotel programs


Illustration by Marco Mancini

The half-price hotel programs are best utilized in the US with choices in European cities also being adequate. Unfortunately, hotels listed in Asia are virtually non-existent, with the largest program offering only about 150 for all of Asia and the South Pacific. All the programs accept Visa and MasterCard for phone orders.

It only takes a night or two before you can recoup your initial investment from these programs. If you plan to visit one or two specific cities, Entertainment Publications offers single city directories for $28 to $53 plus shipping. These are fantastic deals because they include numerous restaurant savings, as well as the 50% hotel discounts, which can save you tens of thousands of yen on your next vacation. In fact, many people who live in the cities covered by these local discount books purchase them because of their great local dining and entertainment values.

For those who will be travelling to a number of countries within a short period of time, Entertainment Publications has introduced a scaled down version of their international program's half-price hotel book. Called the International Hotel Directory ($10), it's the least expensive half-price option for international lodging. This directory focuses on larger hotels with 100 or more rooms which they claim are at least "three star" or above, so you give up the chance of finding the smaller hotels with a family-oriented ambiance. The book lists over 1800 hotels in 400 cities around the world.

Another option, especially if you'll be travelling in Asia, is to contact a wholesale agency. These are tour operators which guarantee hotels a certain volume of bookings in exchange for discounted rates. Their rates are usually about 35% off regular rates, but can be more.

To arrange a room, you tell the agency where you'll be travelling, your price range and any hotel preferences you have, and they'll tell you which hotels they have available. A big drawback is that these agencies usually don't accept credit cards, so you must pre-pay with a $US check. Some will accept $US traveller's checks and international money orders, but ask in advance to make sure.

As with all pre-paid lodging, once you pass the cancellation deadlines, you can't get your money back. You should therefore only consider using a wholesale agency if your plans are firm and you're familiar with the location and the hotel where you'll be staying.

If you find yourself travelling at the last minute or to a city which your program doesn't cover, all still might not be lost. When you arrive at the airport, look for the information desk and ask if they have a welcome magazine or newspaper for the city. These magazines often carry coupons with hotel discounts, and although they rarely offer a 50% discount, 15% to 25% is common. These publications will also usually include local attraction and dining discounts, as well as give you valuable information about the city you're visiting.

Reproduced with permission of Kansai Time Out.