Top Sites and Apps for Cheap Last-Minute Hotel Deals

Booking a room on short notice can be stressful, particularly when money is tight. The good news is that discounted last-minute rooms are available online, as long as you know which sites to check.

When a vacation comes together at the eleventh hour, finding an affordably priced hotel can be a challenge. A number of inventive websites and apps can help. Here are the best options for landing a cheap last-minute stay.

Sites That Let You Name Your Price or Buy Unsold Inventory

Priceline

Priceline.com is an easy-to-use booking site covering hotels, flights, and car rentals. Its "Name Your Own Price" bidding system lets you state how much you want to pay. After you place a bid, Priceline looks for lodging that fits both your budget and your criteria. When it finds a match, it sends the booking details so you can lock in the price.

Hotwire

Hotwire.com has competitive rates on hotels, flights, and rental cars. It partners with travel providers to sell rooms and seats that would otherwise go unsold, which makes it a natural fit for last-minute trips. Anyone who needs more than a room can look at the "Bundle + Save" options for added savings.

HotelTonight

HotelTonight.com carries the motto "a life less planned," which suits spontaneous travelers well. Hotels list their open rooms on the app, so users can find strong deals in hundreds of cities.

Comparison Tools

Trivago

Trivago.com makes it simple to compare hotel prices and find the cheapest reservation. Enter your travel dates and destination in the search engine, then review the results. Filters help narrow the list to hotels that meet your needs, and once you have a shortlist, you can compare prices to pick the best deal.

Kayak

Kayak.com checks prices across hundreds of travel sites at once, so there is no need to research on several different pages. It covers hotels, flights, cruises, rental cars, and travel bundles. The "Price Alert" feature signals when prices fall, and travelers with flexible plans can try the "Explore" feature to find destinations that fit a modest budget.

Large Booking Platforms

Hotels.com

Hotels.com provides sizable discounts on rooms around the world. Type in a destination and the site returns a list of deals on suitable accommodations. Results can be filtered by price range, star rating, and distance to landmarks, which helps you zero in on the right hotel.

Booking.com

Booking.com is another solid choice for affordable rooms. Its lodging options span more than 226 countries, and the service is offered in over 40 languages, so language barriers are less of a worry.

Package Deals and Price Guarantees

SellOffVacations.com

SellOffVacations.com offers discounted travel packages that can save hundreds of dollars on a trip. Deals include flights, hotel rooms, cruises, and car rentals, and all-inclusive bundles can add to the savings.

Red Tag

RedTag.ca is a Canadian travel company with low hotel prices worldwide. Its "Last Minute" section offers up to 50% off the cost of a vacation. The company also backs a Best Price Guarantee: if the same hotel turns up at a lower price elsewhere after booking through Red Tag, it promises to match that price, so travelers aren't left out of pocket.

Tips for Getting the Lowest Price

With so many options, cheap last-minute reservations are well within reach. To land the best deal possible:

• Use comparison websites and research every available option.
• Look for eligible discounts, such as AAA and military discounts.
• Sign up for email offers, which may unlock additional savings.