In a discussion about secrets and how they pertain to the travel industry, it is no secret that everyone wants to save money wherever they can. This is certainly the case with the big push in the industry to help uncover major last-minute hotel deals. Finding a place to stay can, in many cases, make or break our trips. Whether it is for business or for pleasure, if you happen to have a bad experience with a hotel, it taints the trip. If you just also happened to have paid a bit too much for the bad experience, it really gets the blood boiling.

The travel industry, as a whole, has been changing for the better part of the last three decades. According to travel experts, there once was a time when much of the travel industry was regulated by travel agents & agencies. While they did great work & were a reflection of their times, today’s travel industry is all about many options, low-cost, flexibility, and choice. The consumer-driven travel industry has made it to where even travelers waiting until the last-minute can actually book some tremendous savings that may not have even been possible about ten years ago.

Here are a few secrets travel gurus recommend if you’re looking to score big savings at the last-minute when booking a hotel room:

1. Combination Deals – If you’re looking to stay in a hotel, you probably need to travel. While some trips can work best if you drive, many people would rather fly to their destination & rent a car to move around town. Some of the best savings you can get group all of these options into one travel package, greatly bringing down the price. You do have to be persistent in searching for these deals, but they are out there.

2. Travel Websites – Part of the persistence needed to find great combo deals includes checking websites that specialize in travel savings. These sites put together the best deals from all over the internet, thereby saving you time, and ultimately money. You can also sign-up for email reminders & alerts for new deals coming through.

3. App Mania – Whether you work with iOS or Android, you are certainly familiar with the growing number of apps available to do just about anything. Look a little further, and you’ll find apps that are specific to finding incredible hotel booking deals especially for the procrastinator in all of us. With the right combination of alerts & having our mobile devices handy, finding a last-minute deal just got really easy.

4. Midweek Travel – Most travelers try to book on the weekends, which means they contend with everyone else trying to book during the weekend. Hotel industry insiders agree that by shifting your booking to during the week, you’re very likely to secure some serious savings on your hotel booking simply because hotels want to be sure to fill their rooms even if at a discount.

5. Off-Season Travel – In the same vein of traveling midweek, choosing to travel during a time of year when others aren’t can make for some big savings. This goes not only for hotel room reservations, but for just about all other modes of travel. This can be huge for those looking at combo deals.

Last-minute hotel deals are easy to come by than you think, but it’s important to note that as much as you’re playing the procrastinator, you also need to think critically in terms of how best to get the deals you want. With all of the options you have, casting a wide net & using technology to your benefit may be the best approach to getting the savings you want next time you book a hotel.