When students or employees are going on a trip and are in need of currency exchange they visit a bank or currency office. Especially if they are planning to stay for several weeks or months because they will need petty cash in the local currency. Often they assume that their only option when it comes to finding somewhere to stay is to rent or sublet an apartment. However, many hotels offer extended stay packages for guests who are staying two weeks or more. If you would like to learn about extended stays and how they can save you some money on your next long vacation or business trip, read on.

So how long is an extended stay? Each hotel sets its own requirements for extended stays, so you'll have to check with the hotel your company has placed your reservation at. Commonly, extended stays are any bookings that are longer than two weeks, but some hotels set their bar as low as one week and others require you to stay three weeks or even a month before you qualify for a special rate. Websites like Trivago.com can help you compare different hotels.

You might ask - what's the difference between an extended stay and a regular hotel booking? Apart from being longer, guests who will be providing guaranteed business for the hotel are rewarded with a special rate which can be as much as 50%-65% less than the normal rack rate for a one night stay in the same hotel. Even an optometrist will appreciate saving that much money. Some hotels have even better deals, especially in the off season, so speak to a representative to see what is best rate they will offer you. Don't just assume you'll get a good rate. Negotiate.

Another difference between an extended stay and a regular stay is that hotels usually have special rooms set aside for extended guests that have more features than a normal room. These rooms usually have kitchenettes so you don't have to eat out for every meal during your stay, access to a laundry service so you don't have to drag all your dirty clothes down to a Laundromat, and unlimited wireless internet so that you can bring your laptop and work just like you would at home.

When you're choosing an extended stay hotel, think not just about what the room rate will be but also of the features the hotel has and how convenient it is to the places you will be frequenting during your stay. It is worth it, for example, to pay five extra dollars per night if it means you don't have to spend 8 bucks on public transit or 20 bucks on a taxi to take you to the spa you're interning at. A hotel near a grocery store is also a major boon.