It’s something we’ve all had to face, do I spend more on the hotel room and have less to spend on activities or do I spend less on the hotel room and stay somewhere undesirable? Sometimes you can find cheap hotels by looking for packages that combine two services, such as hotel and your flight, or hotel and care hire. The very same hotel stay can be the same price or even more expensive through a “discount” agency than if you booked through the hotel directly.

For example, your car rental agency may offer a free night at a participating hotel. The deal may be a third night free after a two-night stay, but if you’re planning on staying several days anyway, it’s a good deal.

• Booking Hotels Online

Wotif: (Wotif.com). This is a great online site to visit to get cheap hotel rates in Australia and abroad. You can book your cheap hotel room last minute or up to twenty-eight days in advance. Whether your holiday is in Australia, Scotland or Fiji, Wotif can help you book discount hotel rooms, bed and breakfasts, or apartments in thirty-five countries. A sampling of hotels around the world showed that indeed, Wotif provides cheap rates. For a little more ($350) you could stay in a themed castle room. Children stay free of charge.

Smarter Travel: (Smartertravel.com). This is an awesome site to review if you want hotel, flight and car hire information.

• Check with Your Credit Card

This may sound silly, but checking with your credit card could result in cheap hotel rates. For example, the Hilton Latin America and Visa have teamed up to give travelers a discounted rate on a stay at the Hilton hotels across Latin America if using a Visa card to pay.

• Check Directly with the Hotel or Hotel Chain

Sometimes you can get a great deal by calling the hotel directly and asking about cheap hotel rooms.