Your vacation’s success depends on the hotel you choose. A place that is very pricy can drain your finances and leave you with very little money to enjoy other things in the area. Likewise, spending too little can cause you to regret taking your vacation. Continue reading on how to book the perfect hotel room and enjoy your trip.
There are plenty of websites that offer reviews for local hotels, for example TripAdvisor. Use these websites to review a hotel before you make the actual reservation. This gives you first-hand accounts of people’s experiences in each hotel. Their opinions can help you decide whether or not a certain hotel is the right one for you.
Check online hotel reviews prior to booking your stay. These websites have reviews and comments from people who have recent experience with their stay. Factor former guests’ reviews into your final decision.
Online travel websites can offer you a great deal on hotels with lots of choices, all on the same website. Are you a member of a certain hotel’s membership program? If so, make sure you put this information into the travel site. You may also be eligible for other discounts through any memberships you have with organizations such as AAA and AARP.
Consider taking advantage of room service when the urge strikes for a late-night snack with your special someone. While you’re likely to pay a little more, it’s worth having the convenience of staying in your room (and in your pajamas) while you wait to satisfy those nocturnal cravings.
If you belong to any organizations, find out if they get any discount from certain hotel chains. Do they offer hotel discounts? People frequently forget these discounts are available, and they can be 10 percent or more. This is especially useful if you plan to book a longer stay. If you are staying for a week, you can pay for a whole night’s lodging with these discounts.
Utilize the Internet when searching for a hotel. These websites can help you quickly find the best value. In addition, these websites will provide a comparison of different hotel prices, which will allow you to find the best possible deals. On top of that, they can help you determine the cheapest destinations.
Be clear about check-in time at the hotel you have booked. If you show up too early, you may find yourself sitting around the lobby, waiting for your room to be ready. Call and ask if you think you’ll be early.
Be sure you inspect the room you are given at check in before you start unpacking. Is the room mildew-free and otherwise clean? Do the sink, shower, and toilet all work properly? Are there enough linens and towels? If you spot any problems, make the front desk aware immediately so they can take care of it or move you to a room that meets your needs.
Not every hotel allows pets. So call ahead and make sure you understand if there are extra fees or a limited number of rooms available. In addition, get specifics with regard to the pet policy, because only particular breeds or sizes of pets may be permitted at the hotel.
Plan your trip as far in advance as possible. There are quite a few hotels that will reward booking your room a few months in advance with nice discounts. You might even be able to save up to 50 percent off at some very exclusive hotels.
If you’re thinking of taking your pet to a hotel with you, there are some things you need to do first. Find out if the hotel will allow pets first. Be sure to bring some bags with you so you can pick up your pet’s waste. See if you can stay in a room toward the end of a hall so your pet does not disturb guests.
One of the best bonuses of a AAA membership is great discounts on booking a hotel. It might be surprising to learn that some auto club memberships include hotel discounts. You can save more than five percent on hotels all over the country. It really is a savings that adds up over time.
Use your AAA discount at hotels. Your membership may entitle you to hotel discounts. It will let you save 5% or so on hotels that are around the nation. This really adds up when you are staying for many nights.
If you want to work on saving the environment, a green vacation is something to look into. Fortunately, there are many green hotels to choose from today. Many new hotels are constructed to meet green standards, earning green certification. Eco-friendly strategies are also now commonly adopted by many older hotels. Your travel agent can help to identify the environmentally friendly hotels.
If you often stay at a certain type of hotel, ask about the “frequent stay” program. Similar to frequent flyer programs, hotels have programs that add points on to your account each time you stay with them. These points can quickly add up to many perks such as a free night, discounts at the hotel restaurants, spa deals and much, much more.
The cost of your hotel room largely depends on the dates on which you plan to stay there. Hotels price their rooms based on how many rooms are available. If possible, don’t make your reservation more than a day in advance. This will net you the best price when it comes to hotel rooms. Hotels are often happy to slash prices on impending vacancies since they will get nothing if they can’t book the room.
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. Green certification is something some of the newly built hotels are quite proud of promoting. Also, older hotels often make several changes to become eco-friendly. Finding hotels that are environmentally friendly can be as easy as asking your favorite travel agent.
To get optimal value from a hotel stay, especially if you find yourself traveling a lot for your business, sign up for membership programs such as those offered by Marriott or Choice Hotels. This allows you to get more points with each stay that you can convert into free rooms and other benefits on your next family vacation.
Before making a hotel reservation, learn the hotel’s policy on smoking. If you are a non-smoker, you will enjoy a non-smoking room more. The smoke flows through the hotel and can stick to you. Sometimes, smokers rent non-smoking rooms because that is all that is available, and then they smoke in them anyway. If you don’t want to stink like a cigarette when you are leaving a non smoking hotel may be a good choice.
One way to get discounts on hotel rooms is to join AAA. Your AAA membership will pay for itself right away in hotel and car rental discounts and availability. If you have young kids, find out if they have a free car seat service.
If you are a smoker, know the smoking policy for the hotel in which you are staying. Many have designated rooms for smokers. If your selected hotel does, ask for one. Certain hotels will charge you a steep fee if you get caught smoking in a room that is non-smoking. Be sure to follow the rules of the hotel.
If you’re traveling with kids, be sure that you check on the pools to ensure they’re open and in service. It is extremely frustrating for you and your children to arrive at a hotel expecting a pool and/or other activities only to discover that there are none.
Always find out the pet policy at any hotel you stay at. If you fear pets or have allergies it would be best if you make reservations at hotels that have a strict no pets policy. These hotels sometimes have odors because the carpet and linens have absorbed them. Some hotels charge a nominal fee for pets, while others charge substantially more. In fact, the extra charge for pets might not even cover the costs of cleaning; therefore, you should make sure you know all this ahead of time.
Figure out if you want a hotel you can or cannot smoke in. If you are not a smoker, you probably want to avoid staying in a smoking room. Even non-smoking rooms can have smoke billow in from next door. Also, people may rent a non-smoking room and smoke in it. Too avoid exposure to the smell of cigarette smoke, it may be best to stay at a non-smoking hotel.
Know that you may not be able to check-in early at some hotels. Make your plans accordingly if you do not want to spend hours waiting in the lobby. Hotels need this time to clean and prepare your room. Check with the front desk if you arrive early, but do not be angry if they can’t get you in early.
If you smoke, learn the smoking policy of the hotel where you are staying. There are sometimes rooms designated for people who smoke. If your selected hotel does, ask for one. Some hotels fine guests if they find that they smoked in a designated non-smoking room. This means that you must be sure to obey the hotel’s smoking rules.
If you are going to need a rollaway or a crib, make sure that the hotel knows this in the reservation process. Some hotels don’t offer these amenities at all. Additionally, you may need to pay an extra fee. Make sure these needs are discussed during the initial reservation so you don’t get any surprises.
Be aware of the pet policy of the hotel. When you are scared of animals or allergic, you won’t want to stay at pet-friendly hotels. Hotels that allow pets typically have rooms that have a pet odor in them. Some hotels are pet-friendly and don’t charge for it, while other hotels will add a hefty fee for keeping a pet. The fee may be for any cleaning that needs to be done.
Whenever possible, do not check out prior to the scheduled date of your departure. Hotels often charge early departure fees. Upon reserving a hotel room, you tie up that room in the hotel. This means that your early departure results in the hotel losing money. So, they may charge you a fee for early departure to replace the loss in revenue.
As was mentioned earlier, spending too much on a hotel takes money away from other aspects of your trip. Therefore, book the best hotel by utilizing the excellent tactics provided above. Keep these tips handy in case you need them again.
If a hotel tries to “walk” you, know what your rights are. Occasionally, a hotel overbooks and your booked room is unavailable. In such cases, the hotel “walks” you, or sends you to another hotel. Try not to let this happen to you, but if it is unavoidable, be sure that that you are getting a room that is at least as good as the one that you paid for.
