Family hotel prices can feel like a moving target, especially when you need space, breakfast, and the small mercies that make bedtime less of a battle. One travel blogger has turned that chaos into a repeatable system, shaving serious money off stays while unlocking upgrades, credits and guaranteed connecting rooms. Not magic. Just timing, stacking and a few emails sent at the right moment.
I met her in a Lisbon lobby at 11.04am, the kind of bright, echoing space where toddlers discover the acoustic joy of their own squeals. Parents flicked between maps and snack bribes. She flicked between tabs. *The magic starts long before you roll your suitcase into the lobby.* Two emails sent the night before had tucked free breakfast into the booking, and a quiet corner table was waiting with crayons that didn’t come from a gift shop. She ordered a coffee and smiled at a notification. The loophole was hiding in plain sight.
How a travel blogger slices hotel bills for families
She told me the rate you see first is rarely the rate you should pay. Hotels run member-only prices, private sales and soft benefits they won’t shout about on an OTA. Families miss it because bedtime waits for nobody and research feels endless. We’ve all had that moment when the cheapest option looks like the one that won’t ruin the trip. Prices move like tides, not like bricks. Catch them at the right hour and you shift your budget from “bare bones” to “we actually slept.”
Her case study was half-term in Lisbon: two connecting rooms for four nights near the river. The public rate sat at £219 per room, per night. She joined the brand for free, saw a member sale at £182, then stacked 10% cashback via a portal and a card offer that quietly rebated £75 after checkout. Breakfast came through a partner advisor rate on the same price, worth around £60 a day for the four of them. She emailed the hotel to confirm the connecting door and got a waived rollaway fee. All in, it wasn’t a miracle—just roughly £420 more to spend on pasteis and trams.
Her logic is disarmingly simple: the cheapest cash rate isn’t the best value if it kills breakfast and flexibility. Algorithms push “lowest now”, while hotels reward direct or advisor-led bookings with upgrades, credits and room placement that don’t show in a price grid. OTAs sometimes undercut, which is why she loves a Best Rate Guarantee—get the hotel to match the lower price and add a sweetener like extra points or an extra 10% off. Hotels want families who don’t cancel. They’re happy to compete for you when you ask the right way.
The booking playbook you can copy tonight
Start with three hotels you’d be happy to sleep in, not one dream you cling to. Check five places in 15 minutes: the hotel’s member rate, the app-only price on one OTA, Google Hotels for the monthly rate calendar, a cashback portal you actually get paid by, and a trusted travel advisor programme offering breakfast and credits on the flexible rate. Then send a single, polite email to your top choice asking for connecting rooms, breakfast and any family perks on the best rate you’ve found. Email beats algorithms.
Don’t chase a £9 saving if it trades away breakfast for four. Read the child policy like it’s the last biscuit in the tin. Many brands let under‑12s stay or eat free, but it can hinge on room category or the number of adults. Watch taxes and resort fees that sneak in late. Non‑refundable looks tempting until someone gets a fever at 3am. Split long stays into two bookings if a sale drops mid‑week so you can rebook the cheaper nights. Let’s be honest: nobody does this every day. You just need a simple drill you’ll actually follow.
Here’s how she frames it: ask for value, not favours. She keeps a notes app template and never pretends to have a corporate code. A tidy, real‑world ask often beats haggling.
“I’m travelling with two kids under 7. Do you have a member rate with breakfast on these dates, and can you confirm a connecting set? Happy to book direct if we can lock that in.”
- Join the hotel’s free membership before you search.
- Screenshot any lower OTA rate with same room, dates and cancellation.
- Check if advisor bookings add breakfast/credits on the same flexible price.
- Stack one cashback portal and one card offer, not five.
- Ask 72 hours before arrival for early check‑in and a quiet room.
What sticks with you after the checkout
You won’t win every time. Some dates are hot, some cities fight over conferences, and some sales are more sizzle than steak. Book with a cancellation window so you can pounce if the price dips, then set a calendar reminder to check two weeks out and again three days before arrival. Say yes to extras that matter to your kids and no to the noise. Status is just leverage, not a lifestyle.
The best part isn’t the discount—it’s the calm. When breakfast is sorted and the door between rooms actually exists, you travel like the parent you wanted to be. The blogger swears by one last thing: leave space for serendipity. A reasonable rate, a friendly email, and a small reserve of kindness for the person on the other end of the inbox. That’s where upgrades begin, and where a long day turns into a good night.
| Key points | Details | Interest for reader |
|---|---|---|
| Stack value, not just price | Combine member rates, cashback, and advisor perks like breakfast and credits on a flexible rate. | Lower out‑of‑pocket costs and better on‑property treatment without chasing risky coupons. |
| Time and hold | Use monthly calendars, avoid peak school nights, and place cancellable holds while you compare. | Catch dips and protect availability for connecting rooms while you think. |
| Ask smart, in writing | Short email for connecting rooms, breakfast and fees; attach screenshots for price matches. | Turn “maybe” perks into confirmed benefits before you arrive. |
FAQ :
- When is the best time to book a family hotel?Look 6–8 weeks out for city breaks and earlier for school holidays. Mid‑week arrivals price softer than Fridays. Recheck two weeks and three days before your stay for drops.
- How do I guarantee connecting rooms?Book brands that show “Confirmed Connecting Rooms” online or get the hotel to confirm a specific pair by email. Add ages and arrival time. Follow up 72 hours before arrival.
- Should I book direct or via an OTA?For perks, direct or advisor bookings usually win. If an OTA is cheaper, use a Best Rate Guarantee to match it and keep benefits on the hotel’s side.
- Can I get free breakfast without elite status?Yes—many advisor programmes include breakfast on the flexible rate, and some family offers include “kids eat free”. Packages beat chasing a tiny room‑only discount.
- Is a flexible rate worth it with kids?Usually. Plans change. Flexible lets you rebook if the price dips or illness strikes. Pair it with cashback or a card offer to narrow the gap.
Didn’t think a single polite email could score breakfast and a quiet room—“Email beats algorithms” indeed. Trying this for our Paris trip next month 🙂
BRG sounds great on paper, but what’s the real sucess rate? I’ve had hotels deny a “like‑for‑like” match over tiny policy diffs. Any tips on wording the claim or screenshots they can’t wiggle out of? Also, do you ever book OTA first, then ask the hotel to adopt the booking, or is that a dead end? My wallet wants the guaruntee, my sanity wants the perks.