Chances are you became a travel nurse because you wanted a job where you could help people in need and see the country (or the world). But along with the rewards of traveling comes the responsibility of securing travel nurse housing and hotels. Travel Nurse housing can get expensive. Figuring out where and how to save money on hotels and housing while traveling is always a challenge.
5 Tips to Save Money on Travel Nurse Housing:
1. Use a hotel booking site for Healthcare Travelers like Hotel Engine
Hotel Engine offers rates that frequently beat Kayak. As one of the first members-only hotel booking platforms, they can offer lower rates than leading travel sites. And you’ll be pleased to know that membership is free.
2. Search for apartments for long-term stays
You could go with the accommodations provided by your travel nursing agency, or you can select housing on your own. And if you can find a rate lower than the stipend you are being offered, that means extra money in your pocket!
Furnished Finder is a great option for your travel nursing housing needs.
3. Choose an Extended-Stay Hotel
Extended-stay hotels feel a little bit more like home than regular hotels, but they often have amenities that more apartment-style accommodations don’t. For example, many Residence Inns by Marriott provides free hot breakfast every day as well as light dinners (with beer and wine included) a couple of nights each week. For long assignments, many travel nurses find that extended-stay hotels strike a nice balance between the comforts of home (e.g., a kitchen so you can cook for yourself) and the conveniences of a hotel (someone still cleans your room every day). You can book extended stays via plenty of sites like Priceline, Hotel Engine, or Kayak.
4. Join Loyalty Programs
With the myriad choices available today, hotels are competing hard for repeat customers, and even budget hotels are getting into the loyalty rewards game. But most of the really excellent perks don’t kick in until you become an elite member. As a travel nurse who spends many nights per year in a hotel room, you can reach the elite levels very quickly, which means discounts, upgrades, freebies, and more. Many hotel loyalty programs also let you redeem your points for other types of travel, shopping, and dining. You name it.
When it comes to rewards programs, we recommend a nice mixture of the best cards, the best hotels, and the best booking site.
5. Call the Hotel Directly
With the amazing convenience of online booking, most people never even think to call the hotel directly. But many hotels are able to offer deals to individual customers over the phone that they could never offer publicly online. So, if you are looking for a place to stay for several weeks and don’t see a price you like, try calling directly. Anecdotal reports from traveling nurses around the Web suggest you can save up to about $7 a day this way.
The trick to saving on hotels during your travel assignments is to book smart. These tips will help you find a great rate on a great room, meaning you have extra money to enjoy exploring wherever you are! Do you have tips for finding great deals on Hotels & Housing? Please share them in the comments below.
