Hotel room and board options

Depending on the hotel, you'll usually have a choice of rooms:

• A single room  is for solo guests, however in many hotels a single room is the same as a double room but with sole occupancy
• A double or kingsize room  accommodates two guests sharing the same bed
• A twin room  has two separate beds, either singles or doubles
• A triple room  has three separate single beds or one double plus a single or sofa bed
• A quad room  is designed to accommodate four or more people
• A suite  has apartment style accommodation with multiple rooms or zones

Hotels may also offer different classes of room, such as 'standard', 'superior', 'executive' and 'deluxe'. The better the class of room the more space you'll typically have; although a premium may also be charged if the room has a sea view, for example.

You may also be able to bundle selected meals in with your room price.

• Bed and breakfast  (B&B) includes the morning meal
• Half board  includes breakfast and one other meal, usually dinner
• Full board  includes breakfast, lunch and dinner
• All inclusive  includes all meals and drinks. Your choice of drinks will be from a set selection rather than having free run of the bar

Our top tips to help you save money on your hotel booking

As a starting point, set a budget based on the sum you are willing to pay per night for each night of your stay then stick to it. If you do break the bank on a hotel that's over budget, it may compromise your ability to finance and enjoy the rest of your trip such as eating out and visiting attractions etc.

Equally, consider your reason for taking the trip and pay some thought to how you plan to spend your time. If you’re taking a city break, you may simply want somewhere to stay after a long day seeing the sights and sampling the nightlife - meaning basic comforts will suffice. If so, there's little point in paying a premium price for a room you'll spend hardly any time in. However, if you are planning a honeymoon or romantic weekend break, then you'll probably want to spend more time in your room or make full use of the hotel’s facilities, such as the spa. In which case, it makes sense to have a bigger budget.

You should also choose your travel dates carefully; if possible, try to avoid peak travel times such as school holidays, Easter, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Depending on their location, some hotels will raise their room rates from Monday through to Friday due to high demand from the business market, meaning rates for leisure travellers are lower of a weekend. Other hotels, such as those in tourist hotspots, will offer cheaper room rates during the week when they are quieter. Do your research and compare prices for different days of the week to work out when you can save the more flexible you are then the better chance you have of saving money.

If you are travelling outside of peak holiday periods, then booking at the last minute can mean big discounts as hotels try to fill empty rooms. You might just get a bargain!

Solo travellers should look out for 'per room per night' rates rather than 'per person per night' rates. That way you'll avoid the single occupancy supplement.

Overall, the key to saving money is to compare hotels online. Not only can you compare prices, but you'll also be able to compare facilities and location too - meaning you can find the hotel that's right for you.

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