Booking a hotel can feel like the “responsible adult” moment of trip planning. You compare a few options, pick the one that makes the most sense, lock it in… and then mentally check it off your list. Lodging: handled. But there’s one small problem with treating a hotel reservation like it’s final: hotel prices aren’t final.
Most of us know flight prices can swing all over the place. Hotel rates do it too—sometimes quietly, and sometimes enough that you’d be annoyed if you knew.
So here’s the one thing you should always do after booking a hotel (and again before you travel): go back and check the price like you’re booking it for the first time.
Our rate dropped (and it was an easy “fix”)
We’ve got an upcoming one-night stay booked. Initially, I booked it at $200 plus taxes and fees. A rate that seemed solid at the time. Then I did what most people do: I stopped looking. But when I checked again later, the price had dropped. For the same room. Same date. Same hotel. Just cheaper.
When I clicked into the pricing details, the updated numbers were clear:
- 1 night stay: $167.58
- Taxes & fees: $24.53
- Total cost per room: $192.11
That’s real money back in our pocket for doing… basically nothing besides checking.
This is also why I hate prepay rates
This is exactly why I’m not a fan of prepaid hotel bookings unless the savings are truly meaningful. I’ve written before about whether advance purchase rates are really worth it, and situations like this are a perfect example of why I usually skip them.
Prepay rates usually come with strings attached—no changes, no refunds, no easy cancellations. And if the price drops later, you’re stuck watching the cheaper rate wave at you from the hotel’s website while your non-refundable booking laughs quietly in your inbox.
Meanwhile, with a flexible booking, you can often do the simple swap:
- Check current rates for your same room and dates
- If it’s cheaper, book the new rate (or modify the existing reservation, if the site allows it cleanly)
- Then cancel the old reservation (after confirming the new one is locked in)
It’s not complicated—but the ability to do it depends on not having boxed yourself into a prepaid rate “deal” that wasn’t much of a deal after all.
How often should you check?
You don’t need to obsess over it. I usually do a quick re-check:
- Once a week or two after booking (especially if it’s far out)
- Again, a week or so before the trip
- And once more before the free-cancellation deadline
If you catch a better rate, great. If not, you’ve lost about 90 seconds.
Final thought
Hotel prices change all the time, and you don’t get rewarded for loyalty to your original booking. If your reservation is cancellable, it’s worth checking for a price drop—because sometimes the easiest travel “hack” is simply paying attention.
And if a prepaid rate is only saving you a few bucks? That’s usually not enough for me to give up the ability to rebook when the price inevitably shifts.
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