Have you had friends that loved their vacation, except for the hotel? The comfort of your accommodations adds a great deal to the enjoyment of your vacation. And, of course you want this hotel to be within budget while providing excellent service. Keep reading for some tips on doing so.
Find great hotel room prices by checking out travel websites like Orbitz and Expedia. When making hotel reservations, be sure to include information regarding hotel loyalty programs in which you may hold membership. Additionally, there may be other price breaks for you through various organizations, like AAA or other exclusive clubs.
Before booking your hotel room, look to online review sites for in depth reviews from recent travelers. Reviews allow you to read about recent experiences at a hotel. Their opinions can help you decide whether or not a certain hotel is the right one for you.
Always see if you can find deals online when you’re thinking of getting a hotel room. Many times, the person you book your room with will not tell you that you can get a discount online. This is why you should look for discounts yourself. There are many travel websites that offer discounts.
It’s important to make sure that your valuables are safe during a hotel stay, so make use of the room’s safe. 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.
Don’t unpack upon arrival without checking your hotel room first. Is it tidy and sanitary? Do the plumbing fixtures function properly? Do you need extra linens or towels? If you see any issues, be sure to tell the front desk. This way, they can fix the problems or switch rooms for you.
Check in on the organizations you belong to. There are times when an organization will give you great deals on the price of hotels. These discounts can be as much as 10 percent or even more. If you are planning to stay a few nights, this can really add up. This can mean a lot of savings over a full week stay.
Find out the exact time for check-in and check-out. If you don’t know you may end up waiting a long time. If you might arrive prior to check-in time, try calling the hotel and seeing if the room is available.
Many factors come into play as you choose a hotel. Of course price is a big deal, but a hotel close to where you are head is a big consideration. Other amenities, such as a swimming pool, an onsite restaurant and free continental breakfast are important to travelers. Seek to locate a hotel that provides lots of attractive amenities.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking all hotels will accept pets. So call ahead and make sure you understand if there are extra fees or a limited number of rooms available. Also, find out if there are any size or breed restrictions.
Once you get to your hotel, do not unpack until you check the room. Is the room clean and free from mildew or mold? Does your shower, sink, and toilet work in the right way? Are all the towels you’ll need present in the room? 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.
If you tend to return to the same family of hotels for your vacation, consider joining their membership reward programs. These programs give you points every time you stay there. They will get you discounts on the hotel restaurants, spa deals, and just a number of great stuff.
Make certain you know when your check-in time is. Many hotel guests will forget their check-in time; therefore, they will arrive at the hotel just to discover that they cannot check in yet. If you anticipate arriving early, check with the hotel to find out if your room will be ready.
Vacation “green” if you are worried about the environment. The great thing is there are plenty of green hotels you can select from. There are newer hotels that were built to be environmentally friendly. Some older inns just select one or more of several eco-friendly strategies to show environmental awareness. Ask your booking agent about green hotels.
For people who are frequent travelers, consider signing up for some loyalty programs with your favorite hotels. They have benefits for those who frequently stay at a hotel. You can often earn free upgrades, free stays, and complimentary late check out with enough points accrued.
The cost of your hotel room largely depends on the dates on which you plan to stay there. Hotels price rooms based on availability. Book your room more the day before you need it if you can. This will get you the best hotel rates. If the hotel never rents the room they’ll get zero dollars for it, so most of the time they will give you a steep discount on it.
If you stay at the same hotels all the time, check to see if they have a frequent-stay program. These are similar to frequent flyer programs, offering points each time you stay at a particular chain. You can accumulate points that you can redeem for free hotel stays, discounts at restaurants, and all types of entertainment.
If you want to save money, and you stay at the same place a lot, consider signing up for the hotel’s version of a frequent guest program. Then you can accrue points, get extra perks, and save money.
Environmentally Friendly
Always avoid making long distance calls from your hotel room. Use the Internet, instead. Skype connections are available in many hotels these days using Wi-Fi. But the Internet is infinitely useful while traveling so it is usually worth it.
Try out a green vacation. Many hotels offer environmentally friendly standards today. Many new hotels are certified as green hotels. Older hotels can go green by making environmentally friendly choices in energy use. Ask your travel agent to help you identify environmentally friendly hotels.
When traveling with children, check with the hotel ahead of time to ascertain that the pool is usable. Nothing is worse than having excited kids who find out they cannot go to the pool.
How much you’re going to pay for your hotel room will depend on when your room is booked. The price is subject to the laws of supply and demand like any other product. Don’t book a room more than a day in advance. You can often get the best price if you do it this way. If the hotel never rents the room they’ll get zero dollars for it, so most of the time they will give you a steep discount on it.
If you wish to see if a hotel room has bed bugs, check out the bathroom. This is probably not where you will find bedbugs. That makes it the perfect place to store your luggage while you inspect the rest of the premises for bedbugs. It’s also a safe spot for kids and pets to sit for a bit too.
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. Every stay in a particular hotel chain where you are a member will add points to your total, which can later be used on free rooms or amenities that usually cost you.
Check to see if your prospective hotel is non-smoking or smoking. If you don’t smoke, you may wish to avoid those that have smoking rooms. You may rent a non-smoking room, however, the smoke from the smoking rooms can still be present in the air and make your clothes smell like it. Smokers also sometimes smoke in rooms that you are not supposed to smoke in. If you don’t want to smell like cigarettes, consider staying at a hotel that’s non-smoking.
A membership in AAA can make booking a hotel easier when you travel. Members of AAA receive many travel benefits including reduced hotel rates and lower car rental rates. In addition, parents may enjoy the benefit of having free car seats provided.
Smokers should always learn the smoking policy at any hotel before they book a room. Many have rooms set aside for people who smoke. Ask to see if any of these are available. If you don’t, you can be hit with some major penalties for lighting up in a non-smoker’s room.
If you are bringing your kids along for the trip, then it’s a good idea to call a hotel in advance and make sure they have working pools. Your kids and you will be very frustrated if the pool at your hotel is closed because of repairs when you arrive.
Review the pet policy at the hotel. If you’re terrified pets or are allergic to them, it may be best to make reservations at hotels that have a strict no pets policy. The smells tend to stick around. Some hotels have an extra fee for pets, and the charge is not much in some places. If the hotel allows animals in any room, then you may want to book elsewhere if you have allergies.
Smoking Hotel
Whenever possible, do not check out prior to the scheduled date of your departure. This could result in a charge for early departure. When you book a hotel room, the hotel takes that room off the market; thus, if you depart early they will lose money. Therefore, they have to make up for the loss by charging an early departure fee.
Look into the smoking policies in the hotel you are considering. If you are a non-smoker, you might want to stay at a non-smoking hotel. You could still get a non-smoking room, but smoke can flow through the air and settle on your clothes. Sometimes, smokers rent and smoke in non-smoking rooms. If you want to avoid smelling like cigarettes when you leave, you may wish to consider a non-smoking hotel.
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. That can make it rife with germs and bacteria and who knows what. Simply remove it from your bed.
You can find quality accommodations on the cheap if you know where to look. This article is filled with information that will make it easy to find the best accommodations for you. Your dream reservation doesn’t have to prove the priciest one. Remember what you’ve learned here, and you will end up with a good hotel and a great deal.
Be aware of your options in case a hotel “walks” you. Hotels sometimes overbook, which means you discover that your reservation is unavailable. They might try and send you to a different hotel. It’s best to avoid this, but if you can’t, be sure you are going to a better hotel and getting a better room.
