A third-night-free deal at the Four Seasons Jackson Hole puts the room rate at $233 per day.

by Wendy Perrin

Some hotel industry analysts predict that this fall and winter may see a decline in hotel occupancy greater than what we saw after the terrorist attacks seven years ago today.  Why the current trouble filling rooms? You can blame the 10% to 15% cut in domestic airline flights (that's 180,000 fewer airline seats daily!) combined with a glut of new hotel rooms and a sluggish economy. 

All those empty hotel rooms are, of course, great news for the consumer looking for bargains! Check my posts of yesterday and the day before for my first six tips on how to get the most value for your dollar at luxe properties this fall and winter. Here are the final five:

*Before booking a hotel package that includes free extras, do the math.
Add up the monetary value of the free components that you know you will use (meal credits, spa treatments, activities, etc.). Packages that include additional free nights usually represent some of the best opportunities to save. Any package that comes with a club floor upgrade can represent a substantial savings too--especially if you're traveling with children. At Ritz-Carlton properties, for instance, staying on the club floor--which normally costs a premium of $100 to $200 per day--means access to perks including a club lounge that serves meals, snacks, and drinks all day and well into the evening. There's no reason why a family of four can't stay on the club floor without ever having to eat in a restaurant. Whatever package inclusions a hotel promises, "make sure the value is worth it," warns Joe Brancatelli, publisher of JoeSentMe and business travel columnist for Portfolio.com.  "On top of a lot of good deals, we'll see a lot of bad deals masquerading as good deals."

*Don't hesitate to negotiate. Consider which components of your stay matter to you, and when you're on the phone with the reservations staff (click here for why you should phone), request them. "If you don't like what's included in a package, ask the hotel to substitute something else," advises Vivian Deuschl, Ritz-Carlton's vice president of public relations.  "There's no harm in asking if you can substitute a tennis session for a spa treatment. The worst that can happen is they'll say no."  Sean Hennessey, CEO of Lodging Investment Advisors, points out that hotels will also be "more willing to waive extra fees if you make an argument to the front desk." For instance?  "You could say, 'I don't want to pay a resort fee for towels and use of the spa because I didn't use the towels or the spa."

*If you're celebrating a special occasion, say so. Don't be shy about letting the reservations manager know ahead of time if it's your honeymoon, an anniversary, a birthday, or any other special milestone. Hoteliers want to make such occasions memorable so you'll return someday--and so you'll tell your friends and they'll come too.