Single Travelers Don't Have to Pay Double

ONE ISN'T THE loneliest number when you're on the road. That's because solo travelers often have a constant — and annoying — companion: so-called single supplement fees.

Pick the right destination

Solo travelers can save more in some countries than in others. "Price-friendly places for solo travelers are almost always going to be English-speaking countries with a strong hosteling culture," says Anne Banas, executive editor for SmarterTravel.com. That's not to say you need to stay in a hostel — just that local travel companies are more used to people visiting on their own. That makes for fewer single-supplement fees and more negotiating leverage on per-room rates. Banas's top picks: the U.S., United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

Steer clear of singles tours

If the goal of your trip is alone time, signing up for a tour that caters to single people or solo travelers is one of the worst things you can do, says Teresa Rodriguez Williamson, author of "Fly Solo." You'll pay less, sure, but at the cost of sharing a room with one or more complete strangers. (Tours often pack as many as four people in a two-bed room.) Keep in mind that you'll be sharing a bathroom with these folks as well.

Play travel agent

Skirting single supplements is more feasible when you have freedom of choice, says David Lytle, editorial director for Frommers.com. A little price comparing on any major travel site can help you find a low rate in your desired destination. An Expedia search for four-star hotels in Rome in September, for example, turns up the Colonna Palace Hotel, which has single rooms for $144 a night, much cheaper than its double room rate of $311.

Shop big-name tour groups

Standard bulk-buying agreements with travel suppliers enable big-name tour operators to keep single supplements small — if they exist at all, says Lytle. (For starters, try Gate 1, Contiki and Abercrombie & Kent.)

Book late

Single supplements are the first fee to be waived when hotels, cruises and tours are scrambling to fill leftover vacancies, says Lytle. Luxury cruise liner The Eclipse, has already cut its single-supplement rates on December Galapagos cruises in half for state rooms. Travelers will pay an additional $800, instead of $1,600, on the per-person rate of $3,200 for the seven-night cruise.

Ask for discounts

If the rate is per-room rather than per-person, it never hurts to ask for a solo traveler discount, says Williamson. But don't bother calling major hotels' toll-free numbers. "Cut out as many of the middle men as possible," she advises. A B&B owner or hotel manager is more likely to cut you a break.

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