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Common Challenges of Umrah & How to Deal With Them
14 November 2024
When it comes to Umrah hotel booking, who wants to pay more than the pilgrim in the next room? No one - and with our booking tips, you can find the best Umrah hotels in Makkah. From booking in advance to how to avail of last-minute deals, we have covered all the hacks for you to get the finest hotels for Umrah. Also, learn how solo females can book a room conveniently at the end. Enough talk - let’s get to the nuts and bolts of this topic:
One of the top hacks to get the best deals on hotels is to book in advance. As per our research, we have found that 66% of the time, you would get the cheaper rooms, if you book 15 days out, compared to 4 months or 6 months in advance. However, this doesn’t nullify the aspect that you may get better rates on premium bundles like Umrah in Ramadan packages if you go for early booking.
But why do companies offer cheap hotel prices for advance booking? The reason is simple - they want to secure as many customers as they can. Further, a low demand in the early days also encourages better rates. Other perks of availing of early bird discounts are that you get wide choices to suit your needs as well as the peace of mind of having a room in your hand.
The goal of Umrah is to have Allah’s blessings and as many rewards as one can. Having rooms with a Kaaba view is one of the best ways to achieve this feat. The following are some hotels that offer a Kaaba sighting in your room:
A quick tip for reserving the rooms with your desired view is to confirm with your travel agent in advance. Or if you are going with DIY booking, ensure that you have clarified everything from the agent on your behalf. The perks of having a room with a Kaaba-side view are that it increases spirituality and also allows you to have a bespoke experience.
Having hotels within walking distance from Kaaba can greatly enhance your Umrah experience. There are various ways you can find such a residence, as mentioned below:
While selecting hotels near Kaaba, mind that most of the options are expensive and fall in the premium category. Therefore, you have to avail yourself of luxury Umrah packages to book a room for you, which may cost a fortune. Some of the best hotels that are within walking distance of Kaaba include Jabal Omar Hyatt Regency Makkah, Elaf Kinda Hotel, and Makkah Clock Royal Tower, A Fairmont Hotel.
Since lodgings near Kaaba could be expensive; therefore, going with distant options can be worth it only if they offer a free shuttle service. Since most of the affordable lodgings are almost 2 - 6 miles away from Kaaba, having accessible transport is a must. This will not only easily locate you to Haram but also save some of your precious bucks on transport.
To find such Cheap hotels in Makkah for Umrah, you can search online or get help from your trusted agency. A few of the best affordable Umrah hotels with free shuttle service are M Hotel Makkah by Millennium, Millenium Makkah Al Naseem, and Copthorne Makkah Al Naseem Hotel.
Nusuk is an official app, released by the Saudi administration to help out pilgrims in their Umrah and Hajj journey. The perk of this app is that it can handle all the processes from booking to the Umrah pilgrimage. The perk of getting Umrah hotel packages from this app is that it is highly trustworthy as there are verified lodgings here. On top of that, Nusuk provides various deals such as VIP or economy packages that come inclusive of hotels.
To find suitable bundles, direct to its homepage to find the “Packages” tab on the top right bar. Click on it and choose the deal that best fits your interests. Remember that packages on this app are often expensive and you should only consider it if you are looking for a premium experience.
This is a lesser-known fact that showing flexibility can get you better deals. Sometimes, a pilgrim needs to book a room in an emergency and you can leave your spot for them. In order to compensate you, the travel agency often offers you discounts. Apart from that, being flexible in dates can also give you better rates. For example, you have made a reservation in advance. However, the prices of the hotel drop after a few days - you can cancel your previous booking and avail of a new one. Mind that this option can only be utilised if your selected hotel has a free cancellation policy. Apart from that, some booking sites have price promises. It means if you can present them with another site or agency that offers cheap rates - they will give you a refund and, in some cases, free booking.
This is not a hack - but a necessitating fact. Before going with any hotel reservation, you need to read the online reviews. This will help you in gauging the quantity of the hotel and its service. Various sites such as Trustpilot have forums where customers share their experiences regarding a specific hotel. All you need to do is go to the site, enter the name of your hotel and read what the public is saying about it. Prefer the reviews that are latest as they can offer more insights about the place you are staying in.
To find the best hotel deals, you can do an online comparison. You can find various online tools that can compare the prices. Skyscanner and Trivago are a few of them. To leverage these sites, redirect to them and search the name of your desired hotel. These tools work by comparing the prices offered by different companies and presenting you with the best match. An added perk is that they can also suggest similar lodgings that have the same rates and fall in the same budget category.
To save your money on Umrah hotel booking, one of the best ways is to find the secret deals. The easiest way for this is to avoid the on-peak seasons such as Ramadan and travel when there is no high demand. Sometimes, direct booking can also save you some budget. For this, you have to keep a check on the rates offered by the official sites and third-party sites.
Other than that, you can play detective and uncover the deals that are hard to find online. Some online tools that can help the UK pilgrims are lastminute.com and Hotwire.com. On these tools, enter the name of the hotel and they can find you hidden deals. Further, many sites also release last-minute deals which you can book for great rates.
Don’t forget to check sites that offer cashback. Top options include Quidco and Topcashback, providing up to 11% cashback for UK nationals. Mind that you have to read their T&Cs before booking as there could be hidden caveats.
Since the Saudi government has allowed female pilgrims over 18 to perform solo Umrah, there has been a surge of women in Haram for this minor pilgrimage. In order to be on the safe side and have a smooth booking process, we often advise them to get a hotel near the ladies' section of haram. You can find them near gates 88, 98, and 99 of Masjid Haram. Ask your travel agent to find hotels that are closer to these gates. Apart from that, prioritise the lodgings that offer female-friendly amenities such as female-reserved praying rooms, floors, and transit options.
If you are struggling to find a suitable option that best fits your needs, contact Muslims Holy Travel. Our seasoned experts can help you find lodgings that not only resonate with your budget but also have top-notch amenities. Avail of our tailored packages to get cheap hotels in Makkah for Umrah.
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