A hotel is important when it comes to whether or not you’ll enjoy your trip. Since hotel rooms can be costly, you should know as much as you can before you book your room. So following is some advice to assist you in obtaining a good room at a fair price.
Do some research on travel websites before you book any hotel. Here, you can read what people had to say about their hotel stay. Find out what actual customers say about the hotel and it can help you avoid a costly mistake.
Room service can be a great way to have a private, comfortable meal. Even though this will cost a bit more, the convenience and comfort are worth it.
Consider ordering room service if you want a special meal without needing to go out. Although you will probably have to spend more money to do this, it’s usually worth the cost because you have the luxury of receiving excellent food without having to leave your hotel room.
Look for a closet safe in your hotel room, and use it for any expensive electronics you may have brought with you. Place your iPad, GPS and other small electronics in the safe when you are not in your room.
Use online hotel search tools. These websites can help you get great deals quickly. They can also show you what the hotel’s average rates typically are, allowing you to see whether you are actually getting a good deal or not. You can also find out about local amenities and things offered by the hotels.
Check the organizations that you’re a member of. Some of them may provide discounts on hotel stays. You may save ten percent or more. That can add up to huge savings over multiple nights. For a week of vacation time that adds up to an extra day!
When you arrive at your hotel, thoroughly inspect your room before unpacking. Is it clean and free of mold and mildew? Check the shower, toilet and sink to ensure they work properly. Make sure you have the linens, bath supplies and towels that you will need. 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.
To get the best hotel rooms, use a website online that will help with this. It is possible to find good deals fast when using sites such as these. On this type of site, you can find out the average and discounted rates of most hotels. They also can help with figuring out when the ideal time to go on vacation is and what you can do once you are there.
Book any massage appointments you make early. Most of the best masseurs will be reserved by name ahead of time. You’ve got to get in your reservation early to get the best masseur or masseuses.
Ask when you’re able to check into the room. 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. If you might arrive prior to check-in time, try calling the hotel and seeing if the room is available.
If you like running and frequently stay in hotel rooms, be sure and pack up a GPS watch, along with your favorite running clothes. If you want to jog early in the morning, don your gear and then go for it. Whether you are running on roads or city streets, you will gain more knowledge about the city you are visiting while you run.
Be sure and take care of three important things before bringing a pet on your trip to any hotel. Make sure the hotel is actually pet-friendly. Make sure you bring along plenty of plastic bags to dispose of any pet waste. Also, request a room away from other guests so that your pet does not bother them.
People who care about the environment may be more comfortable staying in a hotel that is eco-friendly. Fortunately, many green hotels exist nowadays. Some new buildings are certified as green. Old hotels will change their practices to be more green. Talk to a travel agent if you want to find hotels that are eco-friendly.
If you’re going to be wanting a massage at your hotel, book it well in advance. Most of the best masseurs will be reserved by name ahead of time. You’ve got to get in your reservation early to get the best masseur or masseuses.
The timing for your booking of a hotel room has much to do with what you pay. The price of a hotel room varies with availability. Try to always book your hotel room only a day in advance. This will get you the very best rate on your hotel room. Empty rooms don’t earn a hotel any money, so they are willing to slash the price.
If you belong to the AAA, see what kinds of discounts the hotel offers. It might be surprising to learn that some auto club memberships include 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.
Consider joining a membership program if you travel often. 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.
If you are a runner, be sure to bring your running clothes and shoes. This makes it easy for you to wake in the morning and get in a run. Running not only provides you with great exercise, but it also helps you better learn the city in which you are residing.
One way to get discounts on hotel rooms is to join AAA. A membership with AAA not only provides you with hotel discounts but a guaranteed piece of mind when trying to rent a vehicle. People that have young kids will get a car seat for free in a lot of different places.
Loyalty Programs
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. Nothing is more frustrating than to have kids nagging you about swimming, only to find that the pool is closed.
If you are someone who travels a lot, signing up for any hotel loyalty programs is probably a good idea. Loyalty programs provide frequent guests benefits for booking with them on a regular basis. You can score things like complimentary upgrades, later check-out options and even free nights once you accumulate enough loyalty program points.
Make sure to ask up front if the hotel you’ll be staying in allows smoking or does not. If you’re not a smoker, you might want to skip a smoking hotel. While it is possible to book a nonsmoking room, you can still be affected by the smoke from other areas. Even if a room is designated as nonsmoking, sometimes people smoke in there anyway. To be sure you don’t absorb cigarette smoke, think about staying at a nonsmoking hotel.
With a little advance planning, you can find a good hotel without having to pay too much for a room. You have to know when booking is right and where to go. If you follow these tips and do your homework in advance, you should be able to book the ideal hotel room with ease.
Be sure you understand your hotel’s smoking policy if you smoke. A lot of hotels have rooms designated for smokers. If you smoke, you should make a specific reservation for this type of room. If you stay in a room that doesn’t allow smoking and the hotel staff discover evidence of you smoking in this room, then you could be charged a large penalty. Therefore, it is important that you always follow the hotel’s rules when it comes to smoking.