With hotels offering such a wide range of amenities, prices and locations, making a choice can be daunting. Therefore, it is important to research this well before your trip. Set your budget, list the things you require the hotel to have, and then go online and start looking. Use these tips for a more successful trip.
Before booking your hotel room, look to online review sites for in depth reviews from recent travelers. These reviews can give you a customer’s perspective of the hotel you are planning on staying at. Patron reviews can give you valuable information that will help you make a good choice.
Check for online reviews before making any reservations. These provide you with first-hand information about people’s recent experiences at each hotel. What patrons have to say about the hotels you are considering can help you make the best decision about where to stay.
Find great prices at online travel sites like Orbitz and Expedia. If you are a member of the hotel’s loyalty program, don’t forget to add that information as you check rates. Some organizations like AAA and AARP offer lodging discounts for a variety of hotel chains.
Use your hotel room’s safe to keep your valuables secure. You can put just about anything in there, as long as it isn’t too big, and you won’t have to worry about it.
Room service is one of the best parts about a hotel. How else could you possibly enjoy a midnight snack without leaving your bed? While it may cost a little extra, it is worth it if you can stay in your comfortable room as you satisfy your cravings.
The organizations that you are a member of might be of help. Some groups provide members with discounts on certain hotels. The discounts could be 10% or even higher! This is a good discount that only gets better the longer you stay in a hotel. It can add up to equal a free night!
Consider your organizational memberships. 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. That can add up to huge savings over multiple nights. If you stay for a week, these discounts will almost add up for a free night.
Checking online is the best way to find a good price and get the information that you need about hotels. Hotels don’t usually advertise their lowest rates, so you may have to ask. For this reason, making a proactive search is advisable. Websites like Orbitz, Travelocity and Hotels.com usually have some great discounts.
When making a hotel selection, you should consider many things. Price is one consideration, but you may also want a hotel that is close to a certain destination. A gym, pool, free breakfast, free wireless Internet, free local calls, and all kinds of other things may be important. Try to get a room that fits your needs, then start shopping by price.
When you arrive at your hotel, thoroughly inspect your room before unpacking. Is it clean and free of mold and mildew? Are the showers, sinks, toilets, etc. properly functioning? Have the staff provided all the necessary soap, shampoo, towels, etc. that you will be needing? If you notice any deficiencies in your room, immediately call the front desk so you can resolve these issues, or if the problems are too severe, move you to another room.
When can you check in? Many people forget the time, then they show up early and the room isn’t ready yet. If you might be arriving before the check-in time, ask the hotel whether it’s okay to come.
Find out the exact time for check-in and check-out. If you show up too early for check-in, then your room may not be ready for you yet. Ask for an early check-in time if absolutely necessary.
If the hotel you stay at offers a couples massage, it is very important that you make an appointment well ahead of time. Often the best masseurs and masseuses at top resorts are booked by name, so if you do your planning early, you can make your experience sublime.
If you belong to AAA, see what kinds of discounts the hotel offers. You may not know that your membership to the auto club includes discounts on hotels. You can save up to an additional five percent at certain hotels throughout the country. The more nights you stay, the more you will save.
If you want to keep up the running regimen you have while traveling you should get your GPS watch packed with some running clothes. Go for a jog every morning. Even if you have to run down roads or the streets in the city, you can learn a lot more about the city when you get finished.
Sign up for frequent guest programs at hotels. They provide you with points for every stay. 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.
If you are someone who travels a lot, signing up for any hotel loyalty programs is probably a good idea. They give people benefits if they go to that chain often. You might earn a free upgrade, late checkout time, or other great perks.
If you must make a hotel transfer, find out about the fees. In many situations in which the room’s price is a great deal, the undisclosed price of your transfer can frequently eat up the savings. Ask about this beforehand to save more.
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. These points can be traded in for restaurant discounts, tickets to shows, free nights at the hotel, and much more.
Membership Program
Inquire about hotel transfer costs before before booking. If the rooms are cheap, the transfer could ruin the deal. Getting this information ahead of time will maximize your savings.
Join the hotel’s membership program if you frequently stay there on business trips. By joining a membership program, you earn points during every visit. These points can add up to free items over time.
For those frequent travelers, it may be better to build loyalty and perks by joining the membership club of your favorite hotel. Then you can accrue points, get extra perks, and save money.
If you want to ensure happy kids while traveling, call the hotel ahead of time to check that the pools are open and in working order. There are few things as frustrating as showing up to a hotel, with your kids chomping at the bit to get in the pool, only to have it closed for repairs.
To make reserving a hotel easy, use AAA. Not only do AAA members get hotel discounts at many chains that are well worth the AAA membership, but you can find it a lot easier to find a rental car where you go. It is definitely worth looking into.
If you wish to see if a hotel room has bed bugs, check out the bathroom. Bedbugs usually won’t stay here. This is the best place to put your bags while you look around. It is also the safest place for children and pets, too.
Try not to make any long-distance calls from your hotel room. If you don’t have a cell phone or the Internet, buy a calling card to keep with you during your trip. Many hotels will give you complimentary Skype connections on their Wi-Fi. Take advantage of these options to keep in touch with family, friends and coworkers rather than incurring high costs by using the hotel’s phone system.
Ask if there is smoking allowed in the hotel. If you’re not a smoker, a smoking room may be unappealing. Even in a non-smoking room, the smoke from other rooms is in the air and might infiltrate your clothing. Sometimes a smoker will get a non smoking room and still smoke in it. If you want to avoid smelling like cigarettes when you leave, you may wish to consider a non-smoking hotel.
Your children will be happy when you call the hotel to make sure their pool is open and working. Nothing is worse than having excited kids who find out they cannot go to the pool.
As you can see, getting the right hotel at the right price is definitely possible. Therefore, the next time you plan on staying in a hotel, keep these tips in mind. You will enjoy a great time at a great price.
Be sure you know what the hotel smoking policy is if you smoke cigarettes. A lot of places will have smoker’s rooms. Ask to see if any of these are available. Don’t smoke in a nonsmoking room, or you may be charged by the hotel for doing so.