I want to stay in a decent hotel for my summer vacation, but I am on a tight budget. What tips can you offer me?

Staying in great, comfortable lodgings while on a summer vacation doesn?t necessarily mean that you have to spend a lot of money.

There are plenty of options, but you may have to compromise on travel dates and on how far from the action you want to be. For example, it may be a good idea to avoid such holidays as July 4th, when hotels in popular destinations hike up rates. Also, don?t disregard such alternatives as apartment- or house-swapping. Of course, if you live in rural Ohio, you may be hard pressed to have someone switch with you.

Above all, be aggressive _ and creative, says Nancy Dunnan, editor and publisher of TravelSmart, considered the nation?s oldest consumer travel newsletter.

?Discounts do not just apply to low-end hotels. They are available throughout the industry,?? she said. ?It is important to be an active traveller, not a passive traveller.?? She added: ?You should not accept the original room price. Ask for a special discount.?? Here are some tips when hunting for lodging that will help you keep to your budget:

l If you?re heading for a big city such as New York or Chicago, stay over on Friday, Saturday and/or Sunday nights. In cities that attract a lot of business clients, many of the local hotels lower their weekend rates, according to Dunnan.

Brad Tuttle, senior editor at Arthur Frommer?s Budget Travel magazine, said that you may be able to negotiate a good price at a four-star hotel in a city during the weekend if the hotel hasn?t been able to fill the rooms. Check out websites such as priceline.com, which offer discounts on hotels.

Find accommodations that are an extra 10 minutes or so from the nearest tourist attraction. Close-by hotels, resorts and inns usually cost more than those further away, according to Dunnan. She estimates that lodging on the outskirts can be as much as 25 percent to 30 percent lower.

Travel off-season. A week in the Caribbean in May, the start of its rainy season, should be less expensive than going during the height of tourist season. Of course, you?re running the risk of walking around in the rain, instead of tanning on the beach.

l Try to avoid travelling over July 4th and Labour Day weekends, when resort destinations step up rates.

Book very late or very early. Dunnan notes that the further you book the better deal you can get. But if you book late, you can also get a discount.

l Compare services. Hotel X may have a higher price tag per room than Hotel Y, but you may be better off staying at the former. That all depends on the type of free services you get. Check to see if the hotel serves free breakfasts and offers free shuttle services to tourist spots.

l Lastly, for those who want to swap apartments or do time shares, there are plenty of sites that can be checked out. For swapping, there?s homeexchange.com, which has an annual membership fee of $49.95 and gives you access to more than 6,000 listings of homes worldwide.

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