by: Catherine Lawson

Looking to bag a bargain on Orlando accommodation? With so many hotel and condo businesses out there, competing for your trade, it's much easier than you might think.

First you need to decide if you want to stay in a hotel or, condo or villa. If you're renting a car, a villa may be a better option.

If you decide on a hotel, you will need to search for hotels near to the attractions you will be visiting most. If you're going to be spending a lot of time at Disney world, you need to look at hotels in the Lake Buena Vista area. There's also some great non-disney hotels in Downtown Disney, or you might opt for a Walt Disney World hotel.

If you're going to be spending more time at other Orlando attractions on your vacation, such as Universal, you will be better of staying in the International Drive area.

The time of year you choose to go is going to be an important factor in getting the best deal in Orlando. Avoid popular vacation times, such as Christmas, and Easter if you can. Walt Disney World and Universal get extremely crowded at this times and because it gets so busy, there are fewer deals on accommodations.

Search the major travel companies on the web, such as www.travelocity.com and www.expedia.com to see if you can get a deal on a place you like. If you can be flexible, try searching different dates, as prices can vary a lot. Remember to check in the hotel description whether there are any extras not included in the price. Some hotels charge for shuttles to Disney World and Universal, and some have a resort charge, which includes things such as parking and newspapers.

If you find an Orlando hotel you like using these resources, but the price isn't quite low enough, try calling a travel agent, give them the quote you've got, and ask them if they can come up with a better price.

You could also try calling the hotel directly and ask if they have any discounts or managers specials for your travel dates.

If you're not too fussy about where you stay, and just want a really low price, try bidding on an Orlando hotel room at www.priceline.com. Do read the guidelines before bidding, and realise that once you've won a bid, you can't cancel.

For villa rentals in Orlando, Florida, you're sure to get a good deal, as the competition is huge. Try to rent direct from an owner. An excellent resource for doing this is: www.vrbo.com. Remember to check what is and is not included in the rental price. You don't want to be landed with an unexpected bill for air conditioning and pool heating at the end. Timeshare rental may be another option to consider. www.tug2.net is a good resource for finding timeshare rentals in Orlando. Don't be afraid to negotiate. Often these people need to rent out their vacation homes to cover a second mortgage, or timeshare dues, and because the competition is fierce, they may agree to lower the price.

Orlando, Florida, is the vacation capital of the world. With so much competition out there, it's easy to steal a deal on accommodation if you look hard enough.

If you're looking for a deal inside the Walt Disney World Resort, try this related article: http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/article.cfm?articleid=80343&wherefrom=RESULTS