Have you ever been dissatisfied with your hotel room? If you answered yes, you are aware of what it can do to your trip. However, it doesn’t mean you should spend a small fortune on a four star hotel. Read on to learn some valuable tips that will help you find a great room at a great price.
When leaving your hotel room, keep any electronics you have secure by putting them in the room’s safe. Your iPad, watch, and other smaller, expensive items can be placed into the safe, then you can rest assured at their safety as you head out for a fun-filled day.
Online travel sites like Expedia or Orbitz can help you get the best price for rooms at the hotel you would like to stay at. If you’re a member of a loyalty program of a hotel, make sure you input that data when checking out rates. Additionally, there may be other price breaks for you through various organizations, like AAA or other exclusive clubs.
Check in on the organizations you belong to. Many of these places will give you cheaper hotel prices. People frequently forget these discounts are available, and they can be 10 percent or more. These discounts can save you quite a bit of cash, particularly if your stay involves several nights. It may equate to one whole free night.
If you are hungry when you get to your hotel and do not want to leave, consider ordering room service. This service comes at a premium, but you can stay comfortable in your room while enjoying you eats.
When booking a hotel, you need to establish what you need and what you would ideally like from your stay. You should look at the price, but you should also look at the location that is most convenient for what you want to do. For example, you might want a room that is in walking distance to gym, or a hotel that has free Wi-Fi. Try to get a room that fits your needs, then start shopping by price.
There are some things you have to do before taking your pet on a trip. Be sure that this hotel will be friendly to pets. It is also a great idea to bring along some plastic bags to clean up when your pet makes a mess. You should also see if you can get a room near the end part of the hallway to make sure other guests don’t have to put up with pet noise.
When you get to your hotel room, look over the room before unpacking. Make sure there is no mold or mildew anywhere in the room. Do the plumbing fixtures function properly? Are there enough of the right linens? Any problems that you notice should be reported to front desk staff right away. That way, they can be rectified or you can change rooms.
Always see if your AAA membership can get you a discount on the hotel you intend to stay at. You may not have known that, but it’s true. You can save 5 percent or even more on hotels around the country. The more nights you stay, the more you will save.
Plan your trip in advance for the best rates. If you book one or two months in advance, you can often receive a discount. Some of the most popular hotel chains can end up giving you up to 50 percent in savings.
If you want to keep your regular running routine, pack your GPS and running clothes. Get up early and dress for a jog in the early morning. Even if you’re running down the city streets of roads, it will give you a new perspective of the city that you’re visiting.
Book any massage appointments you make early. Most of the time, the most reputable masseuses will be booked, so plan early in order to have the most enjoyable experience.
If you go to the same hotel often, see if they have frequent stay programs you can become a member of. These are similar to frequent flyer programs. They allow you to accrue points during your hotel stay. You might earn free stays and discounts, show tickets, or other things.
If you’re a member of the AAA, you should see what your hotel membership discount will be. Did you know that this membership entitles you to hotel discounts? You can save upwards of 5% on your hotel stays. This really adds up when you are staying for many nights.
People who care about the environment may be more comfortable staying in a hotel that is eco-friendly. There are plenty of “green” hotels that take the environment into consideration. Some newer hotels have been built green and are certified green. Old hotels will change their practices to be more green. Check online or ask a travel agent for help.
Always remember to pack running clothes and any thing else you need for exercising while on your trip. Try enjoying an early jog at your new destination. This can be a great way to stay in shape while seeing some of the local scenery. It will give you a better perspective of the city you are visiting.
Membership programs offered by hotel chains help members who travel a lot get the best rooms during their stay. By joining a membership program, you earn points during every visit. These points can add up to free items over time.
If you go to the same hotel often, see if they have frequent stay programs you can become a member of. You should be able to earn points every time you are visiting one of the hotels. You can accumulate points that you can redeem for free hotel stays, discounts at restaurants, and all types of entertainment.
Try to avoid long distance calling in hotel rooms. Using the Internet is a better option. Some hotels offer free Wi-Fi, so you can use Skype. But the Internet is infinitely useful while traveling so it is usually worth it.
Try out a green vacation. Fortunately, there are many green hotels to choose from today. Some of the newer hotels were built with green standards in mind. Many older hotels are environmentally aware and have eco-friendly measures in place. Request the help of the travel agent in identifying hotels that are environmentally friendly.
Check in the bathroom first for bed bugs. This is the least likely place for bedbugs to be. 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.
The price of a hotel room is often a mix of many factors. Hotels price rooms based on availability. If possible, don’t make your reservation more than a day in advance. This is the best way to get the best prices. They’ll lower the price to fill the room.
Smoking Rooms
To keep from having an unwanted major expense on your hotel bill, ask about the cost of hotel transfers before booking them. Hotel transfer costs can be extremely large, especially in hotels that appear to offer an incredible deal on their room rates. Inquiring about this in advance will maximize any savings.
Inquire if the hotel is a non-smoking hotel. If you are a non-smoker, you might want to stay away from hotels that offer smoking rooms. You could still get a non-smoking room, but smoke can flow through the air and settle on your clothes. There are even cases where people are smoking in non-smoking rooms before you arrive. If you are a non-smoker, be sure to request a non-smoking room in a non-smoking area of the hotel or you can find a hotel that is completely smoke free.
Keep in mind that hotel check-ins are usually very strict; therefore, you probably won’t be able to check-in early. Be sure you plan according to this rule unless you desire to sit in the lobby for quite some time. The rooms can’t be readied and cleaned until the prior guests are gone, so this means that check-in time is usually around 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. If you do get to the hotel early, ask at the front desk if you can possibly check in early, but there is a chance you won’t be able to.
If you are a smoker, know the smoking policy for the hotel in which you are staying. Many hotels have rooms designated for smokers. If that happens to be the case, then you need to ask for that type of room. You may be charged hefty fees if there is evidence that you have smoked in a that is designated as non-smoking.
If you are going to need a rollaway bed or crib, specify this when booking your room. Many hotels have a limited number of these, so it is important to mention this at booking. On occasion, these services may require an additional charge. Talk about these things when you make your reservations.
One should always be aware of the hotel’s policy on pets. If you have an allergy, or you just don’t like dogs, it may not be in your best interest to book a hotel that lets guests bring their pets. The hotels may have the smell of pet odors on the linens and floor. While some hotels charge fees for pets, they don’t always charge a lot. The fee may cover totally or partially the cost of the extra cleaning involved.
Don’t check out early, if possible. Some hotels charge a fee for early departure. Booking that room means it wasn’t available when others were reserving. As a result, hotels will attempt to regain some of this lost revenue by charging you a fee for leaving early.
Avoid leaving your hotel before your scheduled date of departure. The hotel could impose a fee if you check out early. If you reserve a room for a set number of days but check out a day or two early, that hotel may charge a fee because they couldn’t book that room. This means that they must compensate for that loss with a fee for early departure.
If you are worried about your hygiene, you might want to not use the hotel’s bedspread. The bedspread usually isn’t washed like the linens are. This can mean that the comforter has tons of germs and bacteria. Remove the blanket and use one you brought from home to stay safe.
If you are concerned about germs, don’t use the hotel bedspread. Hotel sheets are laundered daily; however, bedspreads are not. This bedspread could be a source of germs. For your health’s sake, remove the bedspread.
Don’t let a hotel take advantage of you. This is when a hotel is overbooked and they have no accommodations for you. The hotel will attempt to foist you off on another hotel. Avoid this if possible, but if must go to another hotel, make sure you get a comparable or better room and the travel to there paid for.
After reading all of the great information provided above, you should be more prepared in your quest for the perfect hotel room at an excellent price. Finding good deals is not that hard. You’ll be surprised at what you can find. All you have to do is remember the tips provided here.
Don’t drink the bottled water you’ll find in your hotel room. Once you check-in and start to unwind, you will probably feel very thirsty. That bottle of water in the mini fridge can be might tempting. Hotels are aware of this; therefore, their bottled water prices are very expensive. Some hotels offer free bottles of water in their gyms. Nonetheless, it is better to bring along a water filtration pitcher and reusable water bottle and filter your own water.
