Reader TTS

Booking direct also helps you avoid the pitfalls of blind booking sites such as Hotwire and Priceline, which offer steep initial discounts but come with potentially serious setbacks. You

won’t know where you’re staying until after you pay, for one, and special requests (such as a late check-in or non-smoking room) may not be guaranteed.  4. PLAN AHEAD AND FIND ANY HIDDEN

FEES. Just as you can set up fare alerts for airline tickets, you can do the same for hotels on the site HotelsCombined or with the app Hopper, which analyzes prices to tell you whether to

book now or wait for a better discount. Also look for 15 to 20 percent discounts from both hotels and booking sites for non-refundable rooms booked in advance. But no matter how you book,

don’t commit until you know exactly what’s included. WiFi? Breakfast? Taxes? The cost of extras and hidden fees can add up quickly.   5. TIME IT RIGHT. If you can plan your trip for the

off-peak or “shoulder” season (like a beach town in the fall), you’ll enjoy lower hotel prices, and maybe even savings on airfare. This also applies to the days of the week you decide to

visit: City hotels that cater to business travelers may have better prices on the weekends, while resort destinations geared to weekend stays may be more affordable during the week.  As for

when to book: Friday is probably your best bet. Expedia’s 2019 Travel Pricing Outlook found that average daily rates are lowest on Fridays (and highest on Sundays), while a 2018 KAYAK report

showed that rates for hotels at home and abroad peaked Monday through Wednesday before falling on Friday and Saturday.  _Editor's note: This article was originally published on March

21, 2019. It has been updated with the AARP Top Tips video._