25 Secrets to Booking a Luxury Hotel for Cheap

The words luxury travel may conjure images of private jets, upscale hotels, and Michelin star cuisine, but that doesn't mean upscale travel is always out of reach. These 25 secret tips can help you score posh accommodation for much less than you think.

Some luxury properties let you save big by offering a free night with certain packages. The popular Four Seasons brand, which boasts luxury properties worldwide in destinations like Anguilla, Bora Bora, and Nevis, offers a 4th night free deal that can bring the price of these properties within reach.

Groupon Getaways makes it easy to book special package deals including your luxury hotel, airfare, and more. This website frequently negotiates and repackages upscale trips to destinations such as Peru, Italy, and Rome including flights for as little as $699 per person.

Package deals offered through websites like Expedia and Travelocity can also bring the nightly rate at luxury hotels down by half. By booking a vacation package with Expedia.com, for example, you can save "up to $603" when you book your luxury hotel and flight at the same time.

If you're flexible with where you stay, spending a week in someone's timeshare can be a stellar deal. Redweek.com allows timeshare owners to rent out their weeks at an array of resorts worldwide. Properties range from budget to luxury, with the highest end properties available at the biggest discounts.

Another way to use timeshares to your advantage is by sitting through a timeshare presentation in exchange for a free or low-cost trip. There's no requirement to buy and most presentations last two hours or less. High-end resorts in cities like Las Vegas and Orlando are popular for these deals, although you can find them nationwide.

Mexico's Riviera Maya has become one of the world's most popular luxury destinations for budget travelers. The newly remodeled TRS Yucatan Hotel offers posh accommodations, unlimited fine dining, top shelf liquor, and high-end pampering starting at less than $400 per night.

The Hyatt Credit Card lets you earn points good for luxury hotels worldwide. Rack up enough Hyatt points and you could stay at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome, the Park Hyatt Tokyo, the Park Hyatt Sydney, and numerous other high-end hotels for free.

Trivago lets you compare hotel prices on more than 400 booking sites at once. Once you decide on a luxury hotel in any destination worldwide, use this website to compare prices, read reviews, and explore over 175 million aggregated hotel ratings.

Wyndham Rewards make it easy to book luxury hotels worldwide with points. You can even book all-inclusive Wyndham resorts with points, and all of their properties cost just 15,000 Wyndham Rewards points per night.

Believe it or not, you can use travel rewards points to book overwater bungalows in destinations like Bora Bora and the Maldives. One good option is the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island for just 95,000 Hilton Honors points per night.

Priceline.com lets you bid on hotels around the globe, although you won't know which hotel you "win" until the process is complete. To score a luxury hotel on the cheap, bid what you want to pay for a four- or five-star property only.

The Hilton Aspire Card offers 100,000 Hilton Honors points, automatic Hilton Diamond status, a free weekend night upon account opening, and additional perks for new cardholders. Pick up this card for free nights in luxury hotels across six continents.

Off-peak travel is often a lot less expensive, meaning you'll save big on luxury hotels if you can travel outside of breaks from school. By traveling to Europe in March through May or September through November, for example, you can enjoy smaller crowds and lower prices on luxury hotels.

Flexible travel credit cards like the Venture from Capital One let you earn travel credit you can redeem for any travel experience, including a luxury hotel. The Capital One Venture's signup bonus alone is worth $500 off the hotel of your dreams.

Last-minute travel can also be cheaper, and that's especially true when it comes to luxury resorts. Download the Hotel Tonight app to score amazing deals on unsold rooms within "luxe" or "high roller" hotels they offer. The best deals are available for same-day bookings.

If you're angling for a luxury getaway somewhere warm, check out CheapCaribbean.com. This website offers discounted all-inclusive resort deals including airfare to Caribbean destinations like Aruba, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic.

While you may be more familiar with the big hotel brands, don't count out the small boutique hotels. Small Luxury Hotels of the World is a great resource when it comes to finding unique luxury hotels that cost less and sit off the beaten path.

Speaking of the beaten path, don't forget that staying outside the world's most famous cities tends to cost less. Booking a hotel just outside the city center and tucked into a neighborhood is a money-saving strategy that can work almost anywhere.

Developing countries offer a great way to enjoy luxury on the cheap. Consider a Caribbean vacation to Belize or Honduras, for example. Or, book a luxury hotel in a developing country in Asia instead of heading straight to Tokyo or Hong Kong.

Expedia's "deal of the day" section offers yet another avenue to score luxury hotels for cheap. Daily Deals through Expedia are offered to destinations such as Orlando, New York, and Cancun at up to 50 percent off.

While every little girl dreams of staying in a castle, this is one dream that can come true. Many castles in destinations such as England, Scotland, Ireland, and France can be booked for as little as $200 per night.

If you've been dreaming of staying at a specific luxury hotel or with a hotel brand, signing up for their email list is a smart move. By getting on their list, you will be notified for their top sales and deals, many of which are only available to those who sign up.

The Ritz Carlton Credit Card comes with numerous perks including airport lounge access and an annual travel credit. The signup bonus is also worth two nights at a Tier1-4 Ritz Carlton Hotel, which includes resorts like the Ritz Carlton Aruba and the Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch in Avon, Colorado.

While travel rewards are popular for those seeking affordable luxury, you can score a fancy trip with cash-back rewards as well. The Discover it Miles lets you earn 1.5 Miles for each dollar you spend. However, Discover will double what you earn after 12 months. Ultimately, you get 3% back to redeem on any luxury hotel you want.