Due to many factors – not least the cost of living crisis – travellers are looking to cut costs and find efficiencies when booking travel. But this shouldn’t mean that you have to accept a lower standard of living when you’re travelling than you’re used to. The savviest travellers are instead looking to get more for less.
One way to do that is to look at how you’re paying for your accommodation, and how that gives you an opportunity to cut costs while still getting the same high standard that you are used to. Clever travellers are booking accommodation and making an international payment to get the best rates on exchange, of course loading up a currency card to take with them.
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Booking the right way
One way to save money is by speaking directly to a hotel or Airbnb host to work out the best deal for the both of you. By bypassing the middle man like booking.com, you can often broker more favourable deals since the hotel doesn’t have to hand over a percentage of their profit to a third-party booking site.
The exception to this is when booking a package holiday, where you end up paying more for the convenience – but you know that you are taken care of from door to door. But when booking your own flights and accommodation, third party sites rarely offer additional benefits to you or the hotel.
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Checking the exchange rate
Another way to save money is by making sure that the exchange rate that you’re getting is as favourable as possible. You also want to make sure that you’re not getting hit with unnecessary fees. Using Caxton, you can pay for your accommodation abroad using either your Caxton Card or our International Payments (IP) service.
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Using the Caxton card
Using your Caxton Card, you can bypass unfavourable exchange rates and instead make sure you’re getting a rate that benefits you. When booking directly with a hotel, the price will most often be displayed in the local currency, so by paying directly in that currency, you have a much better chance at getting the best price. If you didn’t know, you should always pay in the local currency when you’re abroad – and that starts with booking your accommodation.
In order to pay on your Caxton Card, simply load the correct amount onto your card and use it to pay via the online booking system, as you would with a credit or debit card. And if you’re really keen for a good deal, start by setting up a rate watch alert to get notified when the exchange rate is in your favour.
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Using our IP service
If you are booking accommodation for a large group, or for a long time, you may feel more comfortable using our dedicated IP service. You can do this either by logging into the Caxton platform or by calling one of our expert advisors.
In order to pay via the Caxton IP service, you’ll need to ask the accommodation for their banking details. You will also need to ask them for a unique reference to make it easier to trace your payment and confirm that it has been successful. Finally, you will need to know the exact amount the accommodation is expecting to receive from you.
Once you have these details, you can either log onto the Caxton platform to complete the payment in just a few simple steps. Or, if you’d prefer, you can call one of our trusted expert advisors on 03331231815 (or +442072353435 outside the UK).
We may require some documentation before completing the payment, in order to keep your money safe, so it is a good idea to keep your email confirmation or similar documentation to hand.
So if you are looking to book accommodation for your next trip, remember to consider creative ways that you can get more for your money, so you have more left over for your trip. And when you’re ready to book, Caxton is here for you.
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Travel With Caxton
Heading on holiday soon? Make sure that you’re getting the best rates and fee-free spending abroad by using your Caxton currency card. Apply for yours today, or top up your existing card.
For more tips and tricks when you're abroad check out the Caxton Travel Money Blog: where you can find our travel advice, travel inspiration or our travel money guides so you can enjoy the best holiday for less. If you're going abroad this summer then have a look over our Summer Essential Checklist before you leave.
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