Compare and compare

There are so many travel sites out there; it's difficult to know where to start. One common misconception is that all these sites have the same deals; it's not true. One site can have drastically different prices than another. From hotels.com and Priceline to Orbitz and Travelocity, there are tons of sites out there to research through to find the best hotel deals. Sound too daunting? Try using sites like BookingBuddy.com or Kayak.com. These sites filter through all the above mentioned sites and more to find customers cheap hotel deals out there.

Visit hotel home pages for cheap hotels

Although it may sound obvious, travelers often forget to check hotel Web sites for deals. No matter which online booking service you use, check the hotel's Web site first to see if they offer any deals or discounts. These hotel deals won't be found on sites like Travelocity or Orbitz.

Check out package deals

Look into package deals with your hotel reservations and/or car rentals. Combined, it is possible to save hundreds of dollars when purchasing package deals. However, before you do purchase a package deal, check on your own to see what the prices would be to purchase each separately.

TravelPost.com's Hotel matcher

TravelPost's hotel matching tool is another easy and great way to find cheap hotels that offers everything you need, but also match your budget. The tool lets you find hotels within a specific price range, hotel type, hotel brand and city. Plus, each hotel that comes up is coupled with relevant and unbiased hotel reviews. Here are a few sample searches:

Los Angeles hotels

Leisure travelers, ages 31-45 looking for $100-200 rooms in L.A. will find 21 matches, including the top-rated Luxe Summit Hotel Bel Air and the Loews Beverly Hills Hotel

Atlanta hotels

Travelers under 30 who are heading to Atlanta for fun and leisure and want to spend less than $100 will find the Country Inn and Suites by Carlson and the Crowne Plaza Powers Ferry getting high ratings from TravelPosters within their age and budget range.

To make your own hotel matches, visit TravelPost.com's hotel reviews page, choose the state you wish to visit, and then choose your preferred city. A green box with 7 personalization options appears at the top of every city page. Make your selections, and you're good to go. Want to try it out now? Click one of the cities listed above to get started.

There's no reason you should have to stay in a low-budget hotel just because your budget is low. Simply knowing where to look online for cheap hotel deals can help you get a far nicer hotel than you thought your budget allowed. Just follow TravelPost's tips and you'll be in a four-star luxury hotel at a two-star price.