Hotel Deals So Good, You'll Want to Wait Until the Last Minute

As the weekend approaches and you remember all the household chores you’ve put off since last Sunday (or the Sunday before that), do you ever think, “What if I just go to a hotel instead? Maybe in Vegas? Or Cabo? Or … Tokyo?"

For the spontaneous traveler who wants to get out of Dodge fast — and isn’t too particular about where to visit — Walmart+ Travel’s Last-Minute Hotel Deals is a handy tool if you’re a Walmart+ member.

You’ll instantly see 12 hotel options (domestic and international) with promotions on two-night stays. If none of the destinations look appealing, click “View More," and 12 new prospects appear with an average advertised discount of nearly 25%.

Walmart+ travelers level up their hotel bookings by receiving an additional 5% back in Walmart Cash, available to spend 30 days after completing a trip. (That’s on top of any travel rewards your credit card offers.)

Other Walmart+ Travel Hotel Hacks

Your discount might fluctuate based on the duration of your stay. For example, we adjusted a proposed stay at the Lively Tokyo Azabujuban from two days to six, which brought the rate down from $315 per night (already a 43% markdown from the normal listed price) to $252 per night. Sometimes it pays to take a longer vacation.

The displayed total price for hotel bookings on Walmart+ Travel includes taxes and fees, by the way, which is great to see upfront. But if you select options like a refundable reservation, your price can go up — along with the amount of Walmart Cash you’ll receive back, as you can see below:

In addition to Last-Minute Hotel Deals, Walmart+ Travel has suggested deals for Hotels By the Water, Family-Friendly Hotels, and the U.S. road trip category Drive, Stay, Play. We found that the family-friendly suggestions weren’t as budget-friendly as the others, focusing instead on extra amenities to entertain the little ones.

Speaking of amenities, you can also filter hotels by whether they have a gym, spa, laundry facility, airport shuttle, free Wi-Fi, etc.:

In major cities, there is an additional option to search hotels near popular locations. For example, in Washington, D.C., you can choose to stay close to either the White House, the National Zoo, or Arlington National Cemetery:

Is Walmart+ the Cheapest Hotel Booking Option?

Honestly, it depends on whether you’ll actually use the 5% back in Walmart Cash.

When comparing the same itinerary across different booking sites, we found that the prices were comparable to Walmart+ Travel’s, although Priceline was sometimes significantly cheaper. (Expedia lists the exact same prices as Walmart+ Travel since the former operates the latter.) And if you belong to a hotel chain’s rewards program, you might need to book through their portal to claim loyalty points.

But if you love shopping at Walmart or Walmart.com, you’re in luck because considering the price of lodging these days, 5% back is a major bonus. Hey, you can even use it to buy a tent and sleeping bag, and spend your next trip in the woods.