Canadian hotels and Canadian motels offer the full experiential range from five-star high rises to student hostels to rustic bed and breakfast inns. Regardless of your choice, saving money on hotel and motel accommodations in Canada is not difficult. Canada hotels are just different enough from American hotels to be a fun foreign experience without a great deal of travel.

For Americans, there are AAA Tour books that cover hotels and motels in nearly every Canadian city. Canada hotel prices and Canada motel prices are covered in these books. For the business traveler, Canada hotel business accommodations offer the usual business center and wireless Internet amenities. Canadian hotel franchises offer consistency across the Great White North.

1. Compare Canada hotel rates that are published in print and online.

2. Take virtual tours of hotels in Canada to see for yourself if a particular establishment offers what you want.

3. Saving money on hotel and motel accommodations in Canada is best with no-frills accommodations, especially for one night when you're on a road trip just passing through.

Action Steps
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Take virtual tours of Canadian hotels online in the cities you want to visit

Just because you are saving money doesn't mean you can't have luxury. Even the very best hotels subscribe to online services to fill empty rooms on slow nights. Virtual tours will show you first-hand the amenities offered by a particular hotel and let you compare and contrast to get the very best value.

I recommend: The Discount Hotels site offers virtual tours of hotels in six Canadian Provinces allowing you to evaluate every aspect of the hotel. This site also offers price comparisons and simplifies Canada hotel booking and Canada motel booking. Expedia offers virtual tours of various Canadian attractions as well as hotels and motels in Canada. You can also make reservations on this site, often at a substantial discount.

Compare rates for Canadian hotels and make price a primary decision factor

If you don't have access to AAA books, you can go online to compare prices of any hotel Canada or motels Canada. Online price comparisons are often more accurate because they are more easily updated. Comparing price is the most direct way to save money on hotel and motel accommodations in Canada.

I recommend: The Hotel Compare Rate site allows you to enter the city and dates you're interested in and quickly compare the available rates. If you are committed to the low-price option, you can find it here. Virgin Media offers a virtual travel supermarket allowing the savvy traveler to compare prices on thousands of hotels and motels in Canada.

Review the offerings of business hotels to make sure you can work and rest in one place

Canada hotel business accommodations vary depending upon how close the hotel is to major business or government cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Montreal. There is a lot of wilderness in Canada, and the hotels that support those regions are more likely to have fishing lures available in the lobby than wireless Internet access.

I recommend: Businesstravel.com offers a comprehensive guide to business travel and business hotels in Canada, from an American point of view. If your taste runs to the best of the best, then Travel and Leisure has a list of the very best business hotels in Canada. Rates are available at both sites in case the boss asks if you took price into account.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Canada motel booking is best handled online and completed well in advance of your stay. The longer ahead you reserve your accommodations, the better price your likely to secure.

Canadian hotel franchises know what every business traveler knows: comfort matters. If you find yourself traveling the vast, scenic countryside of Canada on a frequent, or even infrequent, basis, your Canada hotel reservations are best made in an extended stay hotel. While you may not get the frilly, all-for-show amenities of a five-star hotel, you will get space, comfort and quality customer service.

Canadian motels and hotels that specialize in long-term stay are more suited to offer the creature comforts of home. So even if you're only staying the night, you might find yourself a lot happier in an extended stay. Here's why:

1. Most extended stay motels in Canada have larger rooms with kitchenettes, large work areas, and oftentimes multi-room suites.

2. Complimentary breakfast and, in some places, dinner are common at extended stay Canadian hotels.

3. In Canada hotel prices for extended stays are affordable because they don't offer the unnecessary five-star amenities.

4. The Guest Service staff at extended stay hotels tend to be more caring and accommodating because they're used to dealing with familiar faces on a long-term basis.

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Compare Canadian hotels for price, quality and comfort

Canada hotels that specialize in extended stay are located throughout the country. As a rule, they offer larger rooms at cheaper rates than a traditional Canadian hotels or Canadian motels. But how do you know which one to choose?

I recommend: CNN recently posted an informative piece on the benefits of using extended stay brands. Also, the Homeward Suites offer a general round-up of their services, which is on the whole representative of the entire extended stay concept.

Secure hotel and motel accommodations in Canada with the right amenities

For extended stay hotels and motels Canada has ample choices. If price and location are equal, how do you choose between your many options? Having access to WiFi is important, as is the difference between free and charged access to wireless internet service. Breakfast and evening social hours are common but differ from brand to brand. It is important to be clear about what specific amenities are more important to you, the customer.

I recommend: The Extended Stay Hotels company offers a helpful comparison between its 4 major brands and their varied amenities. Studio 6 and the Residence Inn by Marriott are both well-respected and easy to find hotels in Canada, and both of them feature a broad array of amenities.

Investigate the local area when booking Canada hotel reservations

If dining and nightlife are important considerations when booking motels, Canada is flush with options. Depending on where you book your Canada hotels, you can generally find dining and entertainment options to suit your every need. The guest service staff at your extended stay lodging ought to be very helpful in pointing out the hot new restaurant or the local favorite.

I recommend: Restaurants in Canada is a nationwide search engine with information and reviews of hundreds of Canadian restaurants. Eat Across Canada is another national search site with a vast array of dining options.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be sure to make use of the evening social hours most extended stay brands provide at least 4 nights a week. Its a great way to chat up the hotel staff and get the inside info on local attractions.

For business travelers or those who are planning a weekend getaway, the ability to find and use advice and ratings for Canadian hotels and motels can ensure finding the kinds of accommodations needed. There are listings of hotels and motels which feature information that compares Canada motel prices and services along with descriptions of the various services available to guests. Business travelers can compare ratings and services before making a Canada motel booking or speak with a travel agent to find advice on the best accommodations.

If you're looking for something in the city to attend business meetings or a skiing package for your next family vacation, you can use advice and ratings to find accommodations at a price you can afford. Here are some additional things to consider about using advice and ratings on hotel and motel accommodations in Canada:

1. Compare the ratings of Canadian hotels to find the kinds of accommodations you seek.

2. Use the websites of Canadian motels and hotel franchises to find rooms in various Canadian cities and territories.

3. Utilize advice from travel agents and customer ratings of Canada hotel business accommodations before you plan your next business trip.

Action Steps
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Compare ratings information for Canada hotels to find the accommodations that are right for you

There are many websites that offer ratings information for hotels and motels in Canada. Many cities offer Canada motel and hotel pricing, services and rooming information so that travelers can find accommodations including accessibility to tourist destinations, wireless services and fitness facilities.

I recommend: Use the ratings and reviews at Canadian Hotel Guide to find information about lodging, rates and services for hotels in Canada. Use the customer reviews at HolidayWatchdog.com before making Canada hotel reservations. Scroll through the listings of Canadian hotels to learn about the accommodations and services at Real Travel.

Gather ratings information about Canadian hotel and motel franchise services with customer reviews

Before you make a Canada hotel booking for your next trip, visit the websites of hotel and motel franchises. Many franchises offer information about the different kinds of pricing and services they feature, as well as give detailed descriptions of their accommodations in various cities. This is a great way to compare Canada hotel prices and rates so that you can find affordable rooms and accommodations no matter where you travel throughout Canada.

I recommend: Read ratings about Hilton hotels in Canada and other Canadian hotel franchises at TravBuddy. Use the customer reviews and Canada hotel rates of franchise hotels like the Hampton Inn & Suites at Hotel Travel.

Get advice from travel agents and use guest ratings to find business lodgings in Canadian hotels

For business travelers, hotels and motels Canada offer many choices, so getting advice from a travel agent or using ratings given by previous guests is a great way to find the kinds of accommodations needed when traveling to Canada. A travel agent can provide information about the kinds of services a traveler needs and then provide advice about which hotels and motels are best. Guest ratings are another great resource to find out about hotels and motels in Canada.

I recommend: Read the article from Canada.com to receive advice about hotels and other information that is important to business travelers. Do a search of Canadian hotels and motels and then read the guest ratings and reviews at Trip Advisor to find information about features and services when you plan your next business trip.

Travel to Canada is often very similar to travel in the United States, with many of the same hotel and motel franchises in both countries. Many brand name hotel chains can be found in most major cities across Canada. However, there are a few differences in hotel and motel accommodations in Canada that are helpful to know about when researching where to stay in Canada. Learning some key terms for hotel and motel accommodations in Canada can help you get a better understanding of the rating system and discounts available.

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Canada Select

Canada Select is the national rating system used in Canada for hotel and motel accommodations. The rating system is a consumer-based evaluation system about the services, amenities and facilities of an accommodation.

I recommend: Learn more about the organization at the Canada Select site.

Hotel Association of Canada

The Hotel Association of Canada is a membership organization for hotel companies, resorts and lodging associations. It provides education and marketing strategies to the hotel industry in Canada.

I recommend: The Hotel Association of Canada website details programs for members.

Canadian dollar (CAD)

All hotel and motel rates and prices are quoted in Canadian (CAD) dollars. This is important to know when you are making your hotel/motel reservations and planning your travel budget.

I recommend: The Coinmill.com currency converter can help you with converting Canadian dollars.

Access Canada

Access Canada is a staff training and property accessibility rating and certification program for hotels. Hotels that participate in Access Canada are deemed accessible to seniors and persons with disabilities.

I recommend: The Access Canada website has more information on this program.

CAA/AAA (Canadian Automobile Association/American Automobile Association) discounts

The Canadian Automobile Association and the American Automobile Association have partnerships with some hotels and motels to offer discounts to their members. If you are a member of either of these associations, check with the hotel or motel to see if it offers discounts.

I recommend: For an example of a CAA/AAA discount, see the Choice Hotels Canada website.

Green Key

Green Key is an eco-rating program for hotels, motels and resorts that are helping the environment in a variety of ways. Canadian hotels and motels who participate in this program are audited and assessed in areas such as waste management, energy and waste conservation and air quality. Hotels are given a green key rating based on this assessment.

I recommend: Visit the Green Key website for more detailed information about this program.