There are thousands of hotels across the United States, from fancy five-star luxury resorts to shabby little roadside motels that haven’t changed in decades. A good hotel room can make a trip memorable, while a bad one can turn it into a disaster. To ensure you find the best possible hotel, read this article.
Look for a closet safe in your hotel room, and use it for any expensive electronics you may have brought with you. You can stash your expensive electronics and jewelry in the safe and go about your day without worry.
Use online travel sites, such as Expedia and Orbitz, to find the best prices at the hotels you want to stay at. Make sure you notify the reservation clerk about any loyalty program you belong to with the hotel. You may also qualify for discounts from other organizations you belong to such as AAA or AARP.
If you belong to any organizations, check with them for travel deals. Hotel discounts are often one of the benefits offered. People often forget that they are eligible for these discounts, which may be for 10 percent or more off of your stay. For extended stays, this can really add up. This can also net you a free hotel night.
Consider ordering room service during your stay. 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.
Take advantage of online hotel searching tools. You can use such websites to discover great deals with ease and speed. They display the average rates of hotels so that you can see if the deal you are getting is good. Finally, by using these websites, you can learn the best places and times to take a vacation.
Make sure you check with any organizations of which you are a member. Some offer big discounts on hotel rooms. People frequently forget these discounts are available, and they can be 10 percent or more. If your stay will be for multiple nights, these discounts can save you lots of money. For a week of vacation time that adds up to an extra day!
Check online for great hotel deals. Usually, when you try to book a room over the phone, the clerk will not let you know that there is a better deal online. For this reason, making a proactive search is advisable. Look at websites such as RueLaLaTravel, Jetsetter, and SniqueAway.
Utilize the Internet when searching for a hotel. Travel websites are very helpful when seeking the best deals. They can provide you with an idea of the average rate charged by each hotel, so you will have a good idea as to whether or not the deal you are being offered is good. They might even offer some decent entertainment venues that you should experience while you’re in the local area.
Be sure to look at your room before unpacking your suitcase. Is it clean? Check the toilet, the shower, and the sink to make sure they are clean and function properly. Are you given the linens and towels that you’re going to need? If you see any issues, be sure to tell the front desk. This way, they can fix the problems or switch rooms for you.
When you arrive at your hotel, thoroughly inspect your room before unpacking. Is the room mildew-free and otherwise clean? Does everything work? Do you need extra linens or towels? If there are any obvious problems, report them to the front desk immediately so that they can be taken care of or you can be moved to a different room.
Make certain you know when your check-in time is. Some people end up waiting for their room to be available because they forget to check this critical detail. If you’re going to come to the hotel before you should be checking in, call them first to see if there’s anything they can do for you.
Part of trip planning is knowing what time check-in is at your hotel. 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 will be arriving early, call and ask if this is okay.
In order to get the best hotel deals, always plan your trips weeks ahead of schedule, or even a few months. A lot of hotel locations offer discounts for reservations a month or more in advance. Doing this could save you up to 50 percent off your room, and this holds true with the more elite brands as well.
To benefit from the best prices at hotels, start planning your trips several weeks or even months in advance. Some hotels have great discounts when you book a couple of months in advance. Doing this could save you up to 50 percent off your room, and this holds true with the more elite brands as well.
Never make the assumption that all hotels allows pets in your room. Therefore, make sure you call the hotel staff to confirm that they will allow pets. Even if they have a website that states pets are allowed, you should still call to confirm this. A hotel may be pet-friendly, but still has restrictions against certain breeds or animals. Find out ahead of time if your pet is acceptable.
Do not make the assumption that your pets are welcome at all hotels. You should call ahead to double check, even if it was stated on the website that this is a pet friendly hotel. Also, speak to them about what they’re meaning by pet-friendly because they may not allow specific breeds or certain sizes of pets.
Timing matters when booking a hotel room. Hotels give rooms a price based on what’s available. If possible, try to book your room 24 hours or less in advance. A late booking when the hotel is slow often results in a bargain. An empty room will earn the hotel no money; so, they generally slash the price.
If you’re a member of the AAA, you should see what your hotel membership discount will be. It may be surprising that auto clubs members receive hotel deals, but they do. You may save 5% or even more on nationwide hotels. Those discounts add up to great savings, especially if you will be having an extended stay.
Be sure you know the cost associated with hotel transfers when booking a room. Many times, rooms seem to be a good deal, but there are hidden fees for this service. Asking these things before anything happens will allow you to save more.
If you are a runner, be sure to bring your running clothes and shoes. Head out early in the morning after donning your running gear. It’ll let you explore the city in a new way.
You don’t want to make too many long distance calls while you’re staying in a hotel room. Use the Internet, instead. Skype connections are available in many hotels these days using Wi-Fi. You will be able to stay in touch with family and friends while you are away without the additional expense of costly phone calls.
If you are concerned about the environment, you may want to take a “green” vacation. There are plenty of “green” hotels that take the environment into consideration. 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 around for hotels that are friendly to the environment.
Your children will be happy when you call the hotel to make sure their pool is open and working. Nothing is more frustrating than to have kids nagging you about swimming, only to find that the pool is closed.
How much you pay for a hotel room depends on when you book your room. Hotels give rooms a price based on what’s available. When possible, you can often get a good price if you book a room at the very last minute. You can often get the best price if you do it this way. Empty rooms don’t earn the hotel money, so they’re happy to cut the price and reserve a room.
Start by inspecting the hotel bathroom if you need to make sure there are no bed bugs. This is where you won’t find them. That makes it the perfect place to store your luggage while you inspect the rest of the premises for bedbugs. It is also a safe spot for your pets and kids.
Don’t make any long distance calls from your hotel room. Rather, use a web tool. A lot of hotels have free Wi-Fi that you can use to connect with people. In this way, you can stay in touch with friends, relations and colleagues without racking up a big phone bill.
If you smoke, be sure you’re aware of what the hotel thinks of smoking where you’re staying. Some have rooms for smokers. If they do, ask for this type of room. There are hotels that will charge you quite a bit if they find out that you were lighting up in the room that wasn’t for smoking. This is why you should stick to the rules.
Check with the hotel to make sure the pools are ready to go if you are traveling with children. Nothing is quite as frustrating as arriving at a hotel with children clamoring to jump in the pool only to find that it is closed.
Avoid using the hotel bedspread. The bedspread isn’t washed often, while the sheets are. It can carry a lot of germs. Therefore, as soon as you walk into your room, take the bedspread off the bed.
Most people don’t do their research on finding hotels and choose the first hotel that they see. This is a risky approach that can backfire on you. Use the advice you’ve just been given, and enjoy your stay.
You have rights in the event where a hotel needs to “walk” you. This happens when the room you requested is unavailable because of overbooking on the part of the hotel. As a result, hotels will attempt to escort you to another hotel. Try to avoid this if you can, but if not, make sure that you are given a room that is equal to or better than the one you booked. They should also provide you with transportation to get to the other hotel.