Sarah Mitchell
Travel Writer
From non-refundable rates to ignoring resort fees — these common mistakes can cost hundreds. Here's what to watch for before you confirm.
Hotel booking looks simple — find a hotel, pick dates, pay. But the details of how you book can save or cost you hundreds of dollars. Here are the five most common mistakes travelers make.
Mistake 1: Booking a non-refundable rate without checking the difference Non-refundable rates are often only 10–20% cheaper than flexible rates. If your plans have any uncertainty at all — a work trip that might get cancelled, a family situation, health — the price difference rarely justifies the risk. Book refundable, and only switch to non-refundable if you're 100% certain about your travel.
*What to do:* Always check the price difference between flexible and non-refundable rates before committing. If it's under 15%, book flexible.
Mistake 2: Not reading the total price including resort fees Resort fees are mandatory daily charges added to your room rate — often $25–$65/night — that cover facilities you may not use (pool towels, gym access, WiFi that's often slow anyway). In the US, Las Vegas and Miami Beach properties are notorious for them; internationally, Hawaii and Cancun are common culprits.
*What to do:* Search for "resort fee" on the hotel's reviews page. Use Google Hotels which shows total price including fees upfront in some markets.
Mistake 3: Ignoring location relative to what you're doing A "central" hotel that's central to the wrong area wastes time and money on transport. A hotel 15 minutes closer to your conference or main attraction can save 30–60 minutes of commuting per day.
*What to do:* Map the hotel against your 3 main destinations for the trip before booking.
Mistake 4: Not checking recent reviews (not just the overall score) A hotel's overall rating is an average of years of reviews. Recent reviews (last 3 months) reveal current conditions — ongoing renovations, a drop in service quality, a new management team that's turned things around.
*What to do:* Filter reviews by "most recent" on TripAdvisor or Booking.com before trusting an overall score.
Mistake 5: Assuming the hotel's direct rate is more expensive Many travelers assume OTAs (Booking.com, Expedia) always have the best rates. In reality, most major hotel chains have a best-rate guarantee and often offer loyalty member rates that beat OTAs — plus benefits like free breakfast, room upgrades, or late checkout.
*What to do:* After finding a hotel on an OTA, check the hotel's own website and join their free loyalty program. You'll often find the same or better rate with additional perks.