How to Save Money on Best Western Hotel Stays

Hotel Tips

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Best Western International, headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, owns Best Western Hotels and Resorts, which features 4,200 properties worldwide. When you’re looking to save money on Best Western hotel stays, knowing the best time to make a reservation is key, especially if your options are flexible. In addition, there are several ways to get a discount at a Best Western hotel, especially if you belong to a qualifying group.

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When to book

The optimal booking period for any hotel is 1-2 weeks before travel, and Best Western Hotels are no exception. Rates tend to decrease during this window and increase once it closes. If you have to book in the week before traveling, however, you may be able to find some good last minute prices on unsold rooms, especially if the chain offers specific last minute deals, as Best Western does.

Best days to book

In general, hotel stays beginning on Mondays are the cheapest. Exceptions abound – for some dates and locations, Wednesdays or Fridays might be cheaper. Since more people travel on weekends, Saturdays and Sundays tend to be more expensive than weekdays. As always, when you’re looking for travel deals, the more flexible you are, the more money you’ll be able to save.



Check for promotions or special offers

One of the best ways to get a discount on Best Western hotel stays is to look for coupons or special offers. These deals, often seasonal, can provide substantial discounts on rooms.

Use a club or association discount

If you’re a member of a club or association like AAA or AARP, you can get a discount on Best Western room rates. If you are a member of AAA, AARP, or CAA, you get a free upgrade to elite Gold status when you join Best Western Rewards.

Best Western offers AAA and CAA members up to 15% off regular rates, while AARP members save between 5% and 15% on every stay.

Check for employer discounts

Many corporations have contracted rates with Best Western. Check with your HR department or whoever administers benefits at your company to see if this perk is available and how to use it.

Government and military discounts

If you’re in the military or work for the state or federal government, either in the US or Canada, you qualify for the Best Western government / military discount for official or leisure travel. This includes public hospital and university personnel as well as government contractors. Government workers and military personnel who join the Best Western Rewards loyalty program get a free upgrade to Gold status and earn a 10% bonus on each stay.



Senior discount

You don’t need to be an AARP member to receive the Best Western senior discount and get up to 15% off your stay, plus free breakfast and wi-fi. This discount is available to guests 55 and over.

Join Best Western Rewards

Best Western Rewards loyalty program members receive exclusive room rates, earn points good toward free nights, and get access to members-only exclusive offers. If you have elite status with another hotel loyalty program, Best Western Rewards will match your status for free.

You can increase your points earnings with the Best Western Rewards Mastercard, with which you can earn up to 7 free nights and get automatic Platinum status. Another way to earn bonus Best Western Rewards points is to shop with Best Western’s retail partners and earn up to 12,500 bonus points when you shop online with retailers like Vinesse Wines, Teleflora, and Diners Club.

Certain Best Western hotels offer double, tripe, or quadruple bonus points for stays. These offers can be found at selected Best Western properties worldwide. To search for bonus point offers, visit the Best Western Rewards page and scroll to the bottom to find participating hotels.

Free wi-fi

Best Western Hotels offer free wi-fi to guests.

Free breakfast

Most Best Western Hotel stays include complimentary breakfast.



Compare rates on other websites

You may be able to find better Best Western rates on sites like Expedia, Hotels.com, Booking.com, or other similar sites. If you do find a better deal, Best Western offers a low rate guarantee – in a nutshell, they’ll honor the lower rate and give you a $100 Best Western gift card.

If you do book a Best Western hotel stay through a third-party site, here are some tips:

  • Take care to distinguish between refundable and non-refundable rates. This is not always immediately clear on a third-party booking site.
  • When you check in, provide your Best Western Rewards number. You won’t earn points from stays booked with third-party sites but you can still get some of the member perks like free wi-fi or complimentary breakfast available at the selected property.

Refundable vs. non-refundable rates

Like most hotels, Best Western offers different room rates depending on the terms of the transaction. Non-refundable reservations are cheaper, while reservations that allow cancellation at least 24 hours in advance tend to cost a bit more.

Unless the price difference is huge and/ or you’re absolutely sure you’re going to go, we always recommend reserving the room at the refundable rate. In the event something unforeseen happens, as long as you’re able to cancel 24 hours before the reservation was due to start, you won’t be out any money.

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