Starting

• Get a baseline for motel costs by browsing a site like TripAdvisor.com. Enter the city name and dates of travel to reveal a list of accommodations and prices, which you can narrow by cost, neighborhood, amenities and ratings. Naturally, the lower the rating and the fewer the amenities, the cheaper the nightly rate. Candid reviews explain the high and low points of each property.
  
  Whenever possible, book your room when you buy your airline tickets or rent your cars. Many travel providers such as airlines have access to special rates because of their wholesale buying power. You'll be able to get your lodging for far less than if you bought it individually.
  
  

Research

• Use your favorite search engine to scour the web for any price cuts on the motel of your choice. Enter the name of the facility and the words "discount" or "special." You may find a code that gives you a price cut simply by entering it into the property home page.
  
  Visit the motel's website to see if specials or discounts are available, which are not normally listed on travel sites. Bear in mind that downtown properties are typically cheaper during the weekend, when their business clientele are not in town. Conversely, motels near resort and tourist areas are less costly during the weekdays, when vacationers have not arrived.
  
  

Negotiating

• Armed with both the information from the travel website and the motel home page, you can now negotiate for a better price directly with the property. Avoid calling the toll-free number of a large motel chain.. Instead, call the individual motel directly and ask to speak to the manager, who is the only one with the power to cut prices.
  
  Ask him what their best prices are for your travel dates and if they offer any discounts for business customers or members of associations such as the Auto Club. See whether savings are available if you avoid using the amenities, skip the free breakfast or pay in cash. If the price is right, book the room. Otherwise, don't be afraid to call back closer to your departure date. You risk running out of bookable space for popular motels but may gain bigger discounts if they want you in just to fill an empty room.