Learning to book a hotel room is an useful skill to learn in life. Hotels can often be quite expensive. So here are some tips to help you get the most out of your hotel stay. This is why reading along is a must!
Prior to booking a hotel, refer to TripAdvisor and similar online travel review sites. These reviews can give you a customer’s perspective of the hotel you are planning on staying at. What people say about their experiences at the hotels you’re thinking of booking can aid you in coming to the right decision.
If you want a nice meal at night with your special someone, and you are too comfortable in your room to go out, order some food through room service. It might cost a little extra, but it’s definitely worth the bill. Nothing is more enjoyable than having food delivered to your room while you’re in your PJ’s.
Would you like to enjoy the comfort of enjoying an incredible evening meal with your loved one without having to dress up and leave your room? If so, consider using room service. Although you’ll probably pay more, it is worth being able to comfortably dine in the room while in pajamas.
Look for a closet safe in your hotel room, and use it for any expensive electronics you may have brought with you. 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.
Use your hotel room’s safe to keep your valuables secure. Anything of value can be securely locked in the safe, then you won’t have to worry about your valuables while out enjoying yourself for the day.
Checking online is the best way to find a good price and get the information that you need about hotels. Often, the only way to learn about discounts is to look online. You have to look for the discounts. Look to websites like RueLaLaTravel or Jetsetter for more help.
Check online for great hotel deals. In a lot of cases, the person booking your room isn’t going to tell you about online discounts. This leaves the job of finding discounts entirely up to you. Look to websites like RueLaLaTravel or Jetsetter for more help.
Be sure you inspect the room you are given at check in before you start unpacking. Is the room mildew-free and otherwise clean? Check the toilet, the shower, and the sink to make sure they are clean and function properly. Do you have the blankets, pillows and towels you need? 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.
Make certain you know when your check-in time is. Some people forget to find out what time they are allowed in their room; they show up at the hotel only to find their room is not yet ready. Call the hotel if you are early and find out if your room is ready.
You should always start planning any serious trip months or weeks ahead of time. This will help you book early and get the best prices. Some hotels have great discounts when you book a couple of months in advance. This can save you as much as 40 percent off of the cost of your hotel.
If you want to find the absolute rock bottom hotel prices, plan your trips weeks or months ahead of time. A lot of hotel locations offer discounts for reservations a month or more in advance. Even some elite chains will offer discounts as much as half off.
Don’t think that all hotels will be pet friendly. So call ahead and make sure you understand if there are extra fees or a limited number of rooms available. Be sure you know what pet-friendly means because there could be specific restrictions on sizes or certain breeds of dogs.
Don’t think that all hotels will be pet friendly. Put a call into the front desk just to be sure, no matter what it says on their website. Get the term “pet-friendly” defined, as well. The hotel may not allow large dogs or certain types of pets.
There are three different things you should do in advance if you’re going to be traveling with a pet. Be sure that the hotel really does allow pets. It is also a great idea to bring along some plastic bags to clean up when your pet makes a mess. Be kind to other hotel guests by requesting a room that is as far away from other guests as possible, so they won’t be disturbed by any noise your pet may make.
If you want to take your pet along on a trip, take care of three tasks before you leave. Find out if the hotel you have selected is pet-friendly. Also, bring a lot of plastic sacks like ones from the grocery store so you can get your pet’s messes cleaned up. Ask for a corner room since this can reduce the number of guests disturbed by a noisy pet.
If you wish to include amenities such as massage while staying at a hotel, be sure to make your reservations in advance. Usually, the best massage therapists are booked well in advance at top resorts. If you plan early, you will have the best experience possible.
If there’s a hotel chain you stay at often, check out their membership programs for frequent guests. Just like frequent flyer mile programs, these hotel programs offer you points for your stay. With enough points you can get free rooms in the future. They may also offer discounts for shows, restaurants and other things.
If you belong to AAA, see what kinds of discounts the hotel offers. You might be surprised to learn that your membership to the auto club also includes discounts on hotels. It will let you save 5% or so on hotels that are around the nation. The more nights you stay, the more you will save.
The price for any give hotel room is going to affected by how early you book the room. Hotels price rooms in part based on availability. Whenever you can, don’t book your hotel room until the last 24 hours. Doing so will ensure you get the best possible price on a hotel room. The hotel will earn no money at all if the room is empty, which gives you a much better bargaining position.
If you like running and frequently stay in hotel rooms, be sure and pack up a GPS watch, along with your favorite running clothes. Enjoy a morning jog each day while on vacation. You’ll get plenty of good exercise and a better understanding of the city around you.
To get the most out of your hotel stays, particularly if you travel a great deal for business, join a membership program such as that offered by Choice Hotels or Marriott. These programs allow you to collect points that can be applied toward further travels.
If you are always staying at the same chain, find out about the programs they offer to frequent guests. Similar to frequent flyer programs, some hotels have programs that give point for each stay. They will get you discounts on the hotel restaurants, spa deals, and just a number of great stuff.
Make sure that your family enjoys their stay by calling ahead to ensure the hotel’s swimming pool is working, It can be extremely frustrating if you arrive at your hotel only to find out the pool is shut down for maintenance.
The time you book the room will change how much you’ll pay. Availability dictates the prices of hotel rooms. If possible, book your room no more than 24 hours in advance. This can net you a great deal. Hotels don’t earn money on empty rooms, so they are often willing to reduce the price.
Make sure to ask up front if the hotel allows smoking or does not. If you’re not a smoker, you might want to skip a smoking hotel. Even if you stipulate that your room should be non-smoking, second hand smoke can still enter your room. Sometimes, smokers book rooms that are non-smoking and smoke anyway. To be sure you don’t absorb cigarette smoke, think about staying at a nonsmoking hotel.
To make sure you don’t have an unexpected expense, ask about how much hotel transfers will cost. If you’re getting what appears to be a nice deal on the room, these types of hidden charges can sometimes surface. Ask the hotel representative ahead of time to make sure you get the most savings.
Look into the hotel policy with regard to pets. If you’re scared of pets or are allergic, you might want to stay away from pet-friendly hotels. Hotels that allow pets typically have rooms that have a pet odor in them. One hotel may charge guests an arm and a leg to bring their pet, while others don’t. It might not be adequate to the cost of cleaning demands.
Sign up as an AAA member to make hotel arrangements easier when you are traveling. AAA members receive excellent discounts on hotels, car rentals and other attractions. They even throw in free car seats at most locations if you’re a parent.
If you have to get a rollaway or a crib, you need to let them know when you’re making the reservation. Not every hotel will have these things, and if they do they may not have many. Sometimes, they cost extra, too. Talk about these when reserving your room so you aren’t hit with unexpected expenses.
If you wish to have happy kids while you’re on the road, be sure you call a hotel to see if they have a working pool at the time. 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.
You may wish to use a different blanket than the comforter that is in your hotel room. The blankets and sheets under the bedspread are typically washed between guests, however the top cover is not. It could have acquired a lot of invisible germs and other things you want to avoid. Remove the blanket and sleep in peace.
It’s not often possible to check in to a hotel room early. Plan for this, or you may risk waiting in the hotel lobby for an hour or more. Most hotels clean and prepare rooms at a certain time, so that they are ready for check-in. If you do happen to arrive early, check with the desk to see if you can check in, but don’t expect that request to be honored.
Don’t take linens from your room! No matter how much you love them, housekeeping will note missing linens and the hotel is likely to bill you for them. However, you can ask the hotel if you can buy the linen from them directly for a much better price.
You should know a few different ways to get great bargains at hotels by now. Read this once more if you still aren’t sure where to look next. You’re going to find yourself comfortable on the road when you use the information in this article.
For a cheaper room, don’t book during a busy tourist season. That’s when it costs the most. Instead you should try booking a room when it’s not peak season as this is when a hotel wants more visitors. You will have a greater chance of getting a fantastic rate.