Feeling like someone has taken advantage of you is never a good thing, especially when it comes to a hotel. A bad hotel experience always leaves a bad memory. Rather than encountering these issues, enjoy your stay at a hotel by using these tips.
What groups are you a member of? You may be able to receive discounts on hotel through these organizations. It is easy to forget about the discounts. This can result in significant savings, especially for longer stays. That’s almost an extra free night throughout an entire week.
Prior to reserving a room at a hotel, look on the Internet for reviews. One great site is TripAdvisor. This gives you first-hand accounts of people’s experiences in each hotel. What patrons have to say about the hotels you are considering can help you make the best decision about where to stay.
When can you check in? Some people fail to check when they will be able to access their rooms. They arrive at the hotel but find that their room isn’t ready yet. Call the front desk to find out if it is alright for you to arrive before check-in.
Use websites like Orbitz and Expedia for great prices. Join the loyalty program for any hotel chain that you love and believe you’ll stay with often. Some organizations like AAA and AARP offer lodging discounts for a variety of hotel chains.
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. A lot of places will give you a discount if you’re going to book about a month or so in advance. Even some elite chains will offer discounts as much as half off.
Consider ordering room service during your stay. While it may cost a little extra, it is worth it if you can stay in your comfortable room as you satisfy your cravings.
There are some things you have to do before taking your pet on a trip. Be sure that this hotel will be friendly to pets. Gather plastic grocery bags so you are able to clean up any pet messes. If you can arrange a corner room, there will be less likelihood of your pet disturbing other guests.
If you take a lot of electronic gadgets with you on a trip, lock them up in the safe when away from the room. Put all of your valuables and small electronics into the safe, such as your jewelry and iPad. They’ll be safe in there and you can leave the hotel room without worry.
If you wish to include amenities such as massage while staying at a hotel, be sure to make your reservations in advance. In order to get the best masseurs at these top hotels, you must plan early to ensure that you get a good experience.
You want to look at a number of different things when booking a hotel stay. Price is one consideration, but you may also want a hotel that is close to a certain destination. Amenities such as complimentary WiFi, free local calls, complimentary breakfast, a gym and pool and a convenient restaurant are also important considerations. Look for a hotel that provides you with the amenities that are a priority to you.
If you are an avid jogger, a GPS watch is a great investment so you can always find your way back to your hotel. Also, don’t forget your exercise clothes! Enjoy a morning jog each day while on vacation. Running not only provides you with great exercise, but it also helps you better learn the city in which you are residing.
Always look for online deals before booking a hotel room. Often, the person booking your room won’t tell you about discounts available online. You will have to learn how to find these great discounts yourself. Use popular websites such as Jetsetter, SniqueAway, or RueLalaTravel.
If you travel a lot, you should consider joining hotel loyalty programs. They offer benefits to people that stay at the same chain quite often. There are many rewards given when you accumulate loyalty points such as free stays, free upgrades and later than usual check out times.
When you arrive at your hotel, thoroughly check your room previous to unpacking. Is the room clean and devoid of issues like mildew and mold? Does the plumbing work right? Do you have the blankets, pillows and towels you 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.
Vacation “green” if you are worried about the environment. Fortunately, there are many green hotels available nowadays. Some new hotels are built to green standards and are certified green. Hotels that have been around for a while may employ a variety of eco-friendly practices. Check online or ask a travel agent for help.
In order to get the best hotel deals, always plan your trips weeks ahead of schedule, or even a few months. Some hotels have great discounts when you book a couple of months in advance. You may save 50 percent or more.
Inquire about hotel transfer costs before before booking. If you are getting a very low price on the room, it is especially important that you ask about any hidden fees that might be tacked onto your bill. If you know this upfront, you can save more money.
Environmentalists can now enjoy a green vacation. There are several green hotels around. Some of the newer hotels are certified green. Other older hotels will just provide green options for you. Ask around for hotels that are friendly to the environment.
Join the hotel’s membership program if you frequently stay there on business trips. Then you can accrue points, get extra perks, and save money.
Start by inspecting the hotel bathroom if you need to make sure there are no bed bugs. This is the place where you are least likely to find them. That makes the bathroom the safest place to keep the luggage while you look through the remainder of the accommodations. If you have pets or children with you, ask them to wait in the bathroom too.
Get a membership to AAA to make booking hotel arrangements a breeze when you travel. The discounts at many hotel chains and deals on car rentals can more than pay for the AAA membership fees. Parents of small children will probably like the car seat that’s provided for free in a lot of locations.
If you’re a smoker, then make sure you get a hotel with a smoking room. If you are a nonsmoker, you may want to avoid hotels that offer smoking rooms. Nonetheless, if there are smokers in the hotel, you may have problems with odors. In addition, previous travelers could have smoked in the room, even if it is a non-smoking room. If you want to avoid smelling like cigarettes when you leave, you may wish to consider a non-smoking hotel.
Inspect your room for bed bugs, starting with the bathroom. You probably won’t find any in there. That means that the bathroom is a great place to keep your bags while you check the rest of your accommodations for bedbugs. Have kids and/or pets wait for you in the bathroom while you look around.
What is the policy on pets? If you fear pets or have allergies it may be best to make reservations at hotels which do not have a pet-friendly policy. Hotels that allow pets typically have rooms that have a pet odor in them. Some hotels add an extra charge for pets, other do not. The fee might be too low to cover the extra cleaning costs.
Review the pet policy at the hotel. If you have pet allergies or the noise from pets bothers you, you might want to avoid these hotels. Usually, hotels that do allow pets will have a strong odor coming from the linens as well as the carpeting. Some hotels may charge you extra for pets, and some may not charge at all, or the fees are lower. Depending on what the hotel is like, you might have to pay an extra cleaning fee.
No one wants to experience an unpleasant or distasteful stay at a hotel room. That’s why the advice above was provided. Your experiences will be better if you know things to avoid and what a good deal looks like. When you’re on the road and you stop at a hotel, it’s time to relax not time to be made uncomfortable and unhappy.
Checking in early may not be available. Be sure to plan your arrival with that in mind, or you may be sitting in the lobby area for some time. The room needs to be cleaned after the last guest leaves. You can see if your room is ready should you arrive early. However, do not count on it.
