Booking a hotel room online before is a pretty straightforward and quick process. In fact, it’s so simple that many travelers overlook a few crucial aspects before booking, which ends up costing more time and money. What’s even worse is that a seemingly-minor misstep can spoil your entire vacation. If you want the best deals and make the most out of your trip, here are some common hotel booking mistakes you must absolutely avoid. Booking at an inopportune time When you book a hotel at the wrong time, you often end up paying a lot more. “Wrong” here means you’re booking too early or late. That being said, there’s no single best time to book, but you must consider the popularity and seasonality of your destination and monitor rates for a few days before booking. Assuming there’s no better deal Nearly every booking website claims to offer the best online hotel deals. But taking their word would be unwise. Compare prices across different sites and check if they’re offering promotions. Sometimes, the lowest prices are available on a hotel’s official website, so you might want to check that too. Not paying with a credit card Always use credit cards for hotel bookings.