Chelsea Dickenson, Holiday Expert, has teamed up with TravelSupermarket and revealed the easy booking trick that most Brits miss – but it could save you around £285 on a holiday
When it comes to booking hotels, we all have a few key things we look for; a good location, great facilities and a decent rating.
However, according to travel insiders the latter could actually be costing you extra, not to mention you could be missing out on some brilliant hotels.
In fact, research from TravelSupermarket has revealed that swapping a 4-star hotel for a 2-star could save the average holidaymaker around £285 per person on a 7-night break. According to Chelsea Dickenson, Holiday Expert, that doesn’t mean you need to compromise on quality either.
“I think most people assume that dropping hotel stars means massively compromising on quality – but actually, what this data really shows is how much money people can save simply by being a little more open minded with hotel ratings,” Chelsea said.
“Because the reality is that hotel star ratings are often based much more on facilities than things travellers actually care about most, like cleanliness, comfort, style or service. So whilst yes, a lower star hotel might not have a huge pool, room service or a 24 hour reception, it absolutely doesn’t mean it can’t still be a beautiful hotel in a fantastic location.”
TravelSupermarket’s study also showed that you don’t need to make drastic swaps. For example, moving from a 4-star to a 3-star could save you around £200pp, while going from 3-star to 2-star saves around £75pp.
Chelsea added: “What’s really interesting to me is that many travellers automatically filter out 2 and 3 star hotels entirely when searching for holidays, without realising they could potentially be saving hundreds of pounds per person by simply checking the reviews and photos first. For lots of travellers – especially people booking city breaks, boutique stays or shorter holidays – those extra facilities often aren’t even things they’ll use anyway.”
To put the theory to the test, Chelsea booked a 2-star hotel in Mykonos – Boho Suites – for a stay with her partner James, who she describes as preferring the “finer things in life.” The hotel had decent reviews, and Chelsea was impressed with the photos, so she made the decision to give it a try, without telling her partner about the rating.
When they arrived, it was clear she’d made a great choice. She explained: “His initial reaction was that he was impressed – I think he thought I’d booked him into a hostel! And he was quick to note the huge space, big bed, double wardrobes, rainfall shower, minibar fridge and a terrace with a sea view. However, the moment that really blew his mind was when we stepped out onto a final terrace and he spotted the outdoor jacuzzi!
“Having taken this all in, I asked him what star rating he thought the place was and without a moment’s hesitation, he confidently stated that it had to be a 4 star hotel. And – I got it. This place was spacious, stylish, and had a real wow factor. I don’t think many would punt that this was only a 2 star property.”
If you’re feeling inspired to book a Greek getaway on a budget, it’s also worth taking a look at Skyscanner where you can find cheap flights to Mykonos starting from £48 each way.
Have you got a holiday story to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com
