Whether you're after a quick weekend getaway or a long-haul adventure, scoring a great deal on accommodation is always top of mind. The trick is knowing where to look. Skyscanner taps into price data from millions of hotels and travel sellers worldwide, giving you a genuinely comprehensive picture of what's out there.

To help you travel smarter, Skyscanner's data science team has crunched the numbers and put together five straightforward tips to keep your accommodation costs down and your travel budget in check.

1. Check out the cheapest summer spots to save on hotels

Skyscanner can reveal the cheapest destinations for 3, 4 and 5-star hotel stays, so you can find a more affordable hotel this summer. Not only will these insights help you save money, but it also makes travel planning that little bit easier.

Average nightly rate based on Skyscanner data in 2024

See a destination you like? Set up a Price Alert to make sure you find a flight deal that's as great as your hotel.

2. Be savvy to this summer’s best value destinations for cheaper hotel rates

Being openminded about your travel plans can really help you save money on your next trip. Here are the destinations that’ve seen the biggest price drop compared to summer 2023.

Add these destinations to your Skyscanner Saved list, where you can see all your top travel picks in one place.

3. Compare your options: self-catering vs hotels

Comparing all your options is the best way to cut costs on accommodation. And we’ve done some of the leg work for you. Based on Skyscanner’s most popular destinations, self-catering wins in London. Whereas hotels are cheaper in Melbourne, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur and Gold Coast.

*Data as of August 2024

Want to city hop? By clicking ‘multi-city’, you can travel to more than one destination with just one booking. Learn how book multi-city flights with Skyscanner here.

4. Consider one of these Skyscanner-recommended hostels

We know what you’re thinking. But we’re happy to tell you that hostels are no longer exclusively for backpacking students. The new wave of hostels offer aesthetic interiors, high-quality local cuisine and most importantly, fun.

These hostel recommendations have come straight from Skyscanner’s in-house experts:

Bambuda Lodge, Panama

The Bambuda Lodge has something for every type of traveller. Guests can take a rejuvenating yoga class, enjoy a trek through the jungle, or go snorkelling in the nearby coral reef. And don’t even get us started on the Insta-worthy food; it really does taste as good as it looks.

Hostel Celica, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Transformed from a military prison to an art hostel, travellers can spend the night in a unique prison cell. Each ‘cell’ is a work of art in itself and they’re designed by artists from all over the world. The hostel also boasts its own art gallery and they host weekly music concerts throughout the summer.

Firefly Eco Lodge, Bali

A stay at the Firefly Eco Lodge offers a genuinely unique experience. Guests can stay at a locally constructed birds-nest pod or in a tree house that’s surrounded by lush rice fields and dense tropical forests. It’s not for the faint-hearted, though. You’ll need to climb up a steep bamboo ladder to get there- but the spectacular views more than make up for it.

The Millenials Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan

With a superb location in the heart of the city, this capsule hostel is perfect for tech-savvy travellers. The compact rooms are equipped with smart features, including an electric bed that can adjusted to various positions via a smartphone app. Plus, there’s free beer on tap!

Tropical Temple Resort, Siargao, Philippines

The reception of this hostel goes down as the most aesthetic hostels we’ve ever come across. As the name suggests, travellers can expect to stay in a tropical haven in a boutique resort that blends traditional Filipino design with modern comforts.

Next House Copenhagen, Denmark

Known for its minimalist Scandi design, Next House Copenhagen has spacious rooms equipped with modern amenities and thoughtful touches like organic toiletries. It’s positioned in the heart of the city centre and boasts a rooftop bar, a yoga studio, a cinema and even sports stadium!

Los Patios Hostel, Medellin, Colombia

With an onsite Spanish school and salsa academy, this hostel showcases the best of Colombian culture. It’s the perfect choice for travellers seeking a lively and community-oriented experience in the heart of the city’s trendy El Poblado neighbourhood.

The Nunnery, Melbourne, Australia

This charming and whimsical hostel is set in a converted 19th-century convent. The Nunnery offers a range of accommodations from shared forms to private rooms which are all uniquely decorated with a mix of antique and contemporary furnishings. Located in the coffee-loving Fitzroy neighbourhood, this hostel is an ideal base for exploring the area.

5. Learn from Gen Z travellers and get food delivered to your room

We already knew that food is such an important part of travel. 14% of Australian travellers have booked a destination purely on a specific restaurant they want to visit.

However, we recently discovered that searches for ‘Can I order food to a hotel?’ increased by 44% globally year on year*. So, we dug a little deeper to find out that 1 in 2 18-24 year olds in the UK say they’re likely to use a food delivery service whilst on holiday abroad. However, this drops dramatically to 1 in 10 65+ year olds.

* Data source: Mangools Keyword Finder. Looking at Google searches for ‘can I order food to a hotel?’ from Jan to May 2024 vs 2023.

Want more travel inspiration? Whether you're dreaming of staying in one of the world's most opulent 7-star hotels or looking to explore the latest trend of sleep tourism, Skyscanner has you covered. Set up price alerts to snag the best airfares, keep an eye out for last-minute flight deals, and make sure you're booking on the cheapest days to fly, every little saving adds up.