Negotiating the best hotel room rate is an art—and a game of finesse.

How and when you play the game are the keys to how much you can save.

For example, a number of major chain hotels will discount a room’s price as much as 20 percent if you pay your bill in full a week or two in advance.

One possible catch: it’s nonrefundable, so plan accordingly.

Also, there’s the last-minute game, with sites like Hotel Tonight and Jetsetter offering last-minute deals.

But my “almost always” fail safe plan is to look at a city’s transportation system map.

Then plan your stay near major subways or bus stops to save real money.

In Washington, D.C., a night at many hotels in the heart of the district averages $252.

But just jump across the Potomac to Arlington, Virginia and the average nightly rate drops more than $120. It’s just a ten-minute subway ride away from most places you’d need to go.

This also works well in Brooklyn, instead of Midtown Manhattan, and in the suburbs of Chicago.

For more information about hotels and accommodations, check out:

• Using the Art of Conversation While Booking a Hotel Room
• Major U.S. Cities to Add 33,000 Hotel Rooms
• Micro Hotels Offer Small Rooms at an Affordable Rate

Keep reading for more travel tips.