You should know as much about hotels as possible. Hotels are often very expensive. This article will help you make a good decision about hotels. Keep reading to find out all you need to know.
Prior to reserving a room at a hotel, look on the Internet for reviews. One great site is TripAdvisor. These websites have reviews and comments from people who have recent experience with their stay. Reading other people’s reviews of the hotels you’re considering can really help you decide which one to choose.
Make use of the room safe to ensure the safety of your electronics when you are not in your room. You can use it to store your tablet and other expensive items to keep them secure.
Check with any membership programs for deals. Some of them may provide discounts on hotel stays. It is easy to forget about the discounts. This is a good discount that only gets better the longer you stay in a hotel. That can give you close to a completely free night when it adds up.
Make use of the various hotel search websites on the Internet. You can use such websites to discover great deals with ease and speed. They display the average rates of hotels so that you can see if the deal you are getting is good. On top of that, they can help you determine the cheapest destinations.
Take advantage of online hotel searching tools. Any of those types of sites will help you get a great discount. You can see the average price of the rooms, and you can check to see how those rates stack up to the rates you’re being offered now. The websites can also help you decide the best time to take a trip and where you can eat, shop or sight-see.
Prior to making a hotel reservation, do some research online in order to discover the best deals. Hotels don’t usually advertise their lowest rates, so you may have to ask. This is why you should look for discounts yourself. Use websites such as Jetsetter, SniqueAway or RueLaLaTravel.
Prior to booking your hotel room, search the Internet for deals. Most of the time, people you speak with over the phone won’t mention any discounts possibly available to you. That’s why it’s always your duty to search the web for better deals whenever you are booking a hotel room. Check out websites such as Jetsetter, RueLaLaTravel, and SniqueAway.
Inspect the room before unpacking. Is the room mildew-free and otherwise clean? Do a quick check to ensure that the shower, sink and toilet are all in proper working order. Count how many linens and towels you were given and make sure there are enough for everyone traveling with you. If you notice any deficiencies in your room, immediately call the front desk so you can resolve these issues, or if the problems are too severe, move you to another room.
Inspect the room before unpacking. Is it clean and free of mold and mildew? Are the toilet, shower and sink functioning properly? Does your room feature the linens and towels you require? If you spot any problems, immediately notify the hotel staff so they can fix it or move you to another room.
If you need to have a pet stay with you in your hotel room, do a few things ahead of time. You want to ensure you’ve chosen a pet-friendly hotel. In addition, you will need numerous plastic bags and cleaning supplies so that you can make sure you clean up any messes your pet makes. Ask for a corner room so that your pets’ noise doesn’t bother anyone else.
Know when check-in time is. Sometimes there are people that don’t know when the room will be ready and so they aren’t sure of what to do with the extra time they have since they can’t check in. If you anticipate arriving before check-in time, make a call to the hotel and inquire if you can arrive early.
To ensure that you and your special someone get the right couples massage during your stay, book your appointment as early ahead of time as you can. The best practitioners go fast, so make your reservation early and book by name where possible.
Be sure to consult AAA to help you make excellent plans for your entire vacation. You might be surprised to learn that your membership to the auto club also includes discounts on hotels. You can save five percent or more on certain hotels. This can add up on a long trip.
Frequent travelers can benefit from loyalty programs offered by many hotels. These are exceptional benefits reserved for customers who frequently use a particular chain of hotels. The rewards can include free room upgrades, free meals and movie or show tickets tickets. The points can add up.
Take your GPS watch with you on vacation and some running clothes. Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you should skip on your daily running regimen. Go for a jog every morning. Spending time on the road with your own two feet will give you a perspective that you’ll never get while riding in a car.
Sign up for AAA to ensure easier hotel arrangements when traveling. Members of AAA receive many travel benefits including reduced hotel rates and lower car rental rates. It’s great to know that you can count on both of these things.
It may be wise to look into loyalty programs that your favorite hotels offer. They provide benefits to travelers who regularly stay in the same hotel chain. Rewards can include free hotel stays, upgrades and late check-out times if you save up enough points.
Steer clear of long distance calls while in a hotel. Using the Internet is a better option. You will probably find that your hotel has Wi-Fi and Skype. Take advantage of these options to keep in touch with family, friends and coworkers rather than incurring high costs by using the hotel’s phone system.
Going green is a growing trend so it is no surprise that hotels are going green as well. Luckily, many hotels are around these days for you to choose from. Green certification is something some of the newly built hotels are quite proud of promoting. Older hotels can go green by making environmentally friendly choices in energy use. Request the help of the travel agent in identifying hotels that are environmentally friendly.
Working Order
Timing matters when booking a hotel room. Availability dictates the prices of hotel rooms. When possible, you can often get a good price if you book a room at the very last minute. You’ll end up with a great deal this way. Hotels would rather discount the price because an empty room does not earn them any money.
Call the hotel before you arrive to make sure the swimming pool is in working order. Showing up at your hotel and finding out the pool isn’t in working order can ruin an otherwise great trip.
In order to avoid any surprise charges, inquire about hotel transfers prior to booking. Hidden transfer costs can really make a room not worth it. You will save more by asking about such a thing in advance.
If you wish to see if a hotel room has bed bugs, check out the bathroom. Bedbugs are least likely to live here. This makes it an ideal spot to put your luggage as you check out the rest of your room for bedbugs. It is a good place for pets or children to wait for a couple minutes as well.
Sign up as an AAA member to make hotel arrangements easier when you are traveling. AAA members not only get discounts at many hotel chains, it will also make it much easier to rent a car. Those with youngsters will be grateful for the free car seats.
Before making a hotel reservation, learn the hotel’s policy on smoking. If cigarette smoke bothers you, look for a hotel that doesn’t have smoking rooms. Even if you reserve a non-smoking room, the smell of smoke can circulate through the hotel’s air vents and cause your clothes to pick up the odor. Also, people may rent a non-smoking room and smoke in it. If you don’t want to smell like cigarettes, consider staying at a hotel that’s non-smoking.
Try not to make long distance calls from your hotel room. You can use the Internet to make these types of calls. A lot of hotels offer wi-fi, making it possible for you to use Skype. Use these connections to keep in touch instead of costly long distance calls.
Determine what the policy on smoking is if you smoke. Many hotels still offer smoking rooms. If you smoke, you should make a specific reservation for this type of room. Otherwise, you might find yourself paying a high fee for smoking in a room that is designated as non-smoking.
Make sure that your family enjoys their stay by calling ahead to ensure the hotel’s swimming pool is working, Nothing is quite as frustrating as arriving at a hotel with children clamoring to jump in the pool only to find that it is closed.
Early Check
Is your room non-smoking or not? If you are not a smoker, you probably want to avoid staying in a smoking room. Even in a non-smoking room, the smoke from other rooms is in the air and might infiltrate your clothing. Sometimes, smokers rent non-smoking rooms because that is all that is available, and then they smoke in them anyway. Request a non-smoking room if you do not want to smell like cigarettes.
Remember, that early check-ins are a rarity in most hotels. Plan your time accordingly unless you want to wait in the lobby for hours. Hotels need the time to clean your room so it is ready for you to check in. You can request an early check-in ahead of time, but it may cost more.
Be sure you understand your hotel’s smoking policy if you smoke. Certain hotels provide rooms that are specifically for people who smoke. Ask for those rooms if you are a smoker. Some hotels charge large penalties if they find that smoking occured in a room not designated for it, so make sure you follow the hotel’s smoking rules.
If you are concerned about good hygiene, do not use the bedspread given to you by the hotel. The bedspread usually isn’t washed like the linens are. That means it could harbor contaminants you don’t want to be in contact with. Remove the bedspread and use your own travel blanket or comforter, instead.
You should be aware whether or not the hotel permits guests to have pets in the rooms. If you fear pets or have allergies it may be best to make reservations at hotels which do not have a pet-friendly policy. Not to mention, you’ll definitely notice unwanted smells in the floor or in the linens if you don’t own a pet yourself. Depending on the hotel, you may be expected to pay extra for keeping a pet, but it isn’t usually a large sum. It does take extra effort and expense to take care of pets issues and some hotels do not take the time necessary.
When your hotel attempts to “walk” you, don’t stand for it! Hotels sometimes overbook, which means you discover that your reservation is unavailable. In these situations, the hotel may try to book you at another hotel, or “walk” you. Avoid getting “walked” whenever you can, but if you have to switch hotels, be certain that your reservation there is equivalent or even an upgrade.
If your requirements include a roll-away bed or a crib, you should call ahead to reserve them. Not every hotel will have these things, and if they do they may not have many. Sometimes, they cost extra, too. Avoid difficulties by making these arrangements in advance.
At this point you have gained an awareness of the things you must look for in a good hotel. Make sure the information provided resonates with you so that you can make the right choices. Enjoy your hotel stay more when you use the advice in the article above.
If it all possible, never check out before your scheduled departure date. An early departure charge may be added to your bill if you leave sooner. When you make your reservation, the hotel can’t offer the room to someone else, so they lose money if you leave early. To earn back this money they will lose, they charge you an additional departure fee.
