Best Budget Travel Hacks Around The World

Want more for your money? Silly question – who doesn’t? Our travel experts have served up just the ticket when it comes to reserving more moolah for great food and drinks…

Each of us could do with a little more money in our pocket, especially when we travel. So it pays – literally – to have a few cash-saving hacks up our sleeve to get the most from our bank balance when it truly matters… when we’re abroad.

1. The Rockies in shoulder season

Consider travelling in the shoulder seasons of where you want to go. Not only are prices generally lower, but locations are quieter, staff have more time to dedicate to guests and there are often unexpected benefits like different wildlife or weather. Travelling through the Canadian Rockies in early May means that you catch the bears waking up, the days are long and sunny, and you get the mountain towns practically to yourself!

Fiona Watson, managing director, sales, Asia Pacific, Rocky Mountaineer

2. Particularly local in Cuba

A wise man (me) once wrote, live as and eat what the locals do. To save a fistful of pesos in Cuba, bunk down at a casa particular, grand-value genuine home-stays that pre-date Airbnb but can now be booked on it (and other dedicated websites), at a fraction of the price of generic Havana hotels. They can be a touch noisy and a pinch rustic, but the characters you’ll meet and the culture you drink in is well worth it. The best part is, you get to practise your kindergarten Spanish to a captive audience. The owners will rustle up a brekkie for next to nix, and often will recommend a buen amigo’s ‘paladar’, a private-home restaurant for dinner, where you may be able to pay with local currency (CUP) instead of the official tourist currency (CUC).

Steve Madgwick, occasional gringo, travel writer and editor

3. Al fresco drinking

A novelty of any holiday for an Australian is public drinking, or known everywhere else as simply: drinking. The Beer Bay is a small shopfront on Hong Kong’s central piers with a good bottle list and rotating taps to suit any casual TGIFer or nerdy connoisseur. On weekends the stall next door grills meat on sticks as a perfect accompaniment for these responsible adults consuming alcohol. There are buskers everywhere, public stairs as seats and a wonderful view of the harbour, the perfect setting to drink drinks with friends outside. At home there’s a hefty price attached to having a friendly drink with waterside views, but not here.

Alana Dimou, food, lifestyle and travel photographer

4. Galleries for less

I’m a big fan of the late afternoon discount entry ticket, especially when you have children: many headlining galleries and museums around the world offer discounted entry tickets one to two hours before closing time, which is about as long as most children want to spend being dragged around looking at art, so it makes perfect sense.

Leigh-Ann Pow, editorial director, International Traveller

5. Consider off season

Often, travelling off season can be a great option. If you’re braced for the weather, you can enjoy places with half the number of other tourists and, if you time things right, you can generally avoid rain/too much sun etc. As a rule, you’ll get better priced hotels, the best guides, and you’ll be more likely to be able to secure nice upgrades at hotels.

Lucy Jackson Walsh, co-founder and director, Lightfoot Travel

6. Email ahead

Try emailing the concierge or reception desk of your hotel a couple days ahead of your arrival, letting them know some of your personal preferences – a favourite drink, for example, a regular exercise routine, or a cultural interest. Maybe they’ll welcome you with a favourite cocktail, if you’re a yogi, put a mat in your room, or leave a book or list of cultural recommendations.

Guy Heywood, COO, Alila Hotels and Resorts

7. When to book and fly

“Be strategic with the days you book and travel for your flight – avoiding business travellers is key; it can save you hundreds", says Expedia travel expert Lisa Perkovic. “Broadly, for international travel book Saturday and fly on a Thursday." And Ryan Bennett of Bentours & Hurtigruten suggests flying early in the week: “a lot of the time, Mondays or Tuesdays can mean cheaper fares, better chances of an upgrade and fewer people on board."

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8. The one block rule

Surrounding any famous attraction will be the overpriced restaurants and souvenir shops taking full advantage of their prime location. It’s hot, you’re bothered, but if you’re on a budget, you don’t have to be a sitting Peking duck. The proximity of the attraction attracts other businesses too, which is why it pays to employ the One Block Rule. Walk one block back from the main strip, and watch prices fall dramatically. Two blocks back, even more. There are enough One Block people to ensure plenty of business to go around, and rest easy knowing your hard-earned buck can jump a little further.

Robin Esrock, author (The Great Global Bucket List, The Great Australian Bucket List) and co-host of the National Geographic television series World Travels

9. Bargain Beaujolais and cheap chablis

Fancy some wine to end the day, but not keen to pay a hefty €20-plus for it? Wine lovers can rejoice in Europe! Head to the nearest supermarket, where you can pick up a nice bottle for less than €10, plus some fresh bread and cheese. The only problem you’ll face now will be choosing the perfect picnic spot to enjoy your très European supper.

Kachina Dimmock, content and social media specialist, Globus

10. When it comes to hotels, consider going micro and look out for freebies

For those travelling to big cities, consider staying at micro-hotels, particularly in places like NYC. Aussies who are willing to stay small in a micro hotel can save big on accommodation costs; on average, travellers can save around $90 a night, which goes a long way in the Big Apple. Also look out for bonus free extras. If you can get things like free breakfast, free spa treatment or free meals, that’s a great way to reduce your on-the-ground costs. I only book hotels with breakfast included – on a two-week holiday I estimate I’m saving around $350.

Lisa Perkovic, travel expert, Expedia

Check out more of the best 100 tips, tricks and hacks from travel insiders by category

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

100 tips, tricks and hacks from travel insiders – More for less