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Hotel deals that are actually cheap

Every day we price 4- and 5-star hotels and all-inclusive resorts in 22 popular destinations for the next few weekends and week-long stays, and compare each rate with what similar hotels charge for the same nights. Only the deepest savings that a real seller still offers make it here.

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Low hotel rates, checked

Google Hotels marks some rates as far below a hotel's usual price, and our scans find others far below what similar hotels charge for the same nights. In the last week we checked 225 of them (145 with Google's label, on average claiming 30% off; 80 found only by comparing with similar hotels) against the hotel's own website and the major booking sites. 96 held up: a major seller had the rate and it was at least 40% below what similar hotels cost (or, where there weren't enough similar hotels, below the hotel's usual price). A big "% off" at a pricey hotel doesn't count for more than that. The ones that held up go on to a full check of the room, taxes, fees and cancellation terms before anything is published.

HotelDatesGoogle saidSimilar hotelsBest major sellerHotel's own siteResult
Mayan MonkeyLos Cabos, Mexico · 4-star Nov 22, 5 nights $4225% less than usual $934median of 12 $28Booking.com — Held up; checking in full
ME Cabo by Meliá - Adults OnlyLos Cabos, Mexico · 5-star Nov 22, 5 nights $36629% less than usual $2,129median of 8 $370the hotel's own site $370 Published
Mandalay BayLas Vegas, Nevada · 5-star Nov 20, 2 nights $35019% less than usual $1,577median of 6 $308Marriott Bonvoy $308 Held up; checking in full
Solmar ResortLos Cabos, Mexico · 4-star Dec 6, 5 nights $84no label $463median of 10 $92Agoda $108 Held up; checking in full
Dew Drop Inn Hotel & Lounge - Historic Boutique Hotel in New Orleans LANew Orleans, Louisiana · 4-star Dec 1, 3 nights $91no label $369median of 6 $94Priceline $98 Published
The Fives Oceanfront Riviera Maya - All Inclusive OptionalRiviera Maya, Mexico · 5-star Dec 6, 5 nights $13742% less than usual $339median of 41 all-inclusives $86Trip.com — Published
Kasa El Paseo Miami BeachMiami Beach, Florida · 4-star Dec 1, 3 nights $22420% less than usual $764median of 9 $194Booking.com $208 Held up; checking in full
Solmar ResortLos Cabos, Mexico · 4-star Nov 17, 3 nights $92no label $383median of 9 $100Agoda $123 Published
Hyatt Vacation Club at Sirena del MarLos Cabos, Mexico · 4-star Dec 1, 3 nights $155no label $454median of 9 $131Booking.com — Held up; checking in full
Aquamarina Beach Hotel CancunCancun, Mexico · 4-star Nov 17, 3 nights $7415% less than usual $212median of 11 all-inclusives $67Trip.com — Published
Occidental CaribePunta Cana, Dominican Republic · 4-star Nov 22, 5 nights $15124% less than usual $346median of 46 all-inclusives $109the hotel's own site $109 Published
Scottsdale Camelback ResortScottsdale, Arizona · 4-star Dec 6, 5 nights $141no label $468median of 6 $151Expedia.com — Held up; checking in full
Solmar ResortLos Cabos, Mexico · 4-star Dec 1, 3 nights $90no label $289median of 9 $93Agoda $114 Held up; checking in full
Villa La Estancia Cabo San LucasLos Cabos, Mexico · 5-star Nov 17, 3 nights $465no label $1,411median of 6 $479the hotel's own site $479 Published

Prices are per night for two adults as each seller showed them on the day we checked, usually before taxes. "Similar hotels" are the same type (all-inclusive or room-only), star class and guest rating (within a few tenths), priced for the same nights. "Major seller" means the hotel itself or a large booking site (Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com and the like), not a reseller you've never heard of. Hotel rates change by the hour.

How it works

Why hotels drop

Hotels price by demand. When a weekend isn't filling, a convention cancels or a new competitor opens, rates can fall far below the hotel's normal level for a few days.

Where we find them

Daily Google Hotels price scans for 4- and 5-star hotels in 22 destinations, over a thousand prices a day, flagging rates far below what similar hotels charge or far below that hotel's usual price. New resorts on opening rates show up too, since they don't need a price history.

How we check one

We look at who actually sells the rate. If only an obscure reseller has it, we drop it. Otherwise we check the room, the total with taxes and fees, and the cancellation terms with the seller.

What we compare it with

What similar hotels cost for the same nights: the same type (all-inclusive or room-only), star class and guest rating. A pricey hotel's big markdown only counts as far as it beats those. When there aren't enough similar hotels, we use what the same hotel usually charges.

The usual catches

The cheapest rate is often non-refundable or sold by a third-party site rather than the hotel.
Some hotels add resort or destination fees at check-in; we include them when they're shown.
Hotel prices change by the hour, so a steal can disappear the same day.
The cheapest room is usually the smallest; a bigger room can cost much more.

Each steal lists its own catches, most serious first.

These go fast. Hear first.

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Questions

How do you know a hotel price is unusually low?

We compare it with what similar hotels (same type, star class and guest rating) charge for the same nights, and with its own website for the same dates. A resort that is already good value and runs a modest sale can beat an overpriced one with a huge "% off". We also want a sign of a real drop, or a resort new enough to be on opening rates, so a hotel that's always cheap isn't listed as a steal.

Why not just book the lowest price on Google?

Sometimes you should. But the lowest price can come from a reseller you've never heard of, with strict terms. We check who sells it and what it really costs before we call it a steal.

Which destinations do you watch?

Las Vegas, Orlando, Miami Beach, New York, New Orleans, Nashville, Chicago, San Diego, San Francisco, Washington DC, Boston, Scottsdale, Waikiki, Maui, Key West, Cancun, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Punta Cana, Aruba, the Riviera Maya and Montego Bay.

Gone

Fleur De Lis Mansion Bed and Breakfast in New Orleans, Louisiana: $293, lasted 15 days
Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street, Boston in Boston, Massachusetts: $4,429, lasted 15 days
Holiday Inn Club Vacations Scottsdale Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona: $600, lasted 2 days
Bahia Principe Explore Turquesa in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: $1,363, lasted 12 days
Dreams Puerto Morelos Resort & Spa in Riviera Maya, Mexico: $1,607, lasted 12 days
Hyatt Vacation Club at Sirena del Mar in Los Cabos, Mexico: $1,809, lasted 12 days