AARP Membership Yields Senior Hotel Discounts

Senior citizens qualify for a number of discounts when booking a room at a hotel. Many times this is a flat ten percent reduction in rates. While this type of program does reduce the overall tab for lodging on your vacations, there may better deals available if you will only shop around. Do be aware that the percentages of discounts offered change frequently. The deals listed below were accurate at the time of the writing of this article.

One of the best vacations for a senior citizen is at Sheraton hotels. These hotels usually offer a 50 percent discount to people 60 years old and older. During peak business times, the hotels may need to withhold the discount. The program that offers half off is for AARP members and is called "AARP Preferred Plus." Joining AARP can activate a number of travel and lodging discounts helpful for reducing the costs of your vacations.

The Marriott hotel family doesn't require AARP membership to access the senior discounts on lodging. But, they offer 15 percent or more off room rates for people 62 and over. There is no minimum or maximum number of days that you must stay, and you can't reserve more than two rooms at a time. So, this discount won't work for a group of seniors taking their vacations together as a group. Individually, you can get the discount. The discount only applies when there is space available in the hotel.

A Radisson hotel offers a 25 percent discount for travelers on pleasure vacations over the age of 65. This discount applies to lodging in a standard room and applies seven days a week at any Radisson hotel worldwide. A valid ID is required to access this great deal. The program is called "Senior Breaks."

The Choice hotel family offers ten percent off on lodging to mature travelers of 50 years old or older. (In Australia, the discounts start at the age of 60.) Sixty plus seniors receive even more savings, getting 20 to 30 percent off. Advance reservations need to be made to get the discounts. If you are a member of AARP, you get 15 percent off, along with a free continental breakfast and free local calls. These discounts apply at thousands of hotels worldwide including the brands Comfort Inn, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Econo Lodge, and Rodeway Inn.

Hyatt hotels offer senior citizen discounts of up to 50 percent on lodging. Discounts are for people aged 62 and up. Wyndham is another hotel brand that offers senior discounts better than ten percent. AARP members can obtain lodging for 35 to 40 percent off the regular cost.

Of course, from time to time special deals are available on rooms at many different hotels not just seniors. It pays to check those out, too.

AARP is the leading senior citizens organization and is open for anyone over 50 to join, as well as to those who are married to members, even if they are younger. In addition to hotel lodging, AARP negotiates saving on products and services from car insurance to airline fares. ...