Sometimes, we have to stay in hotels when we travel. People who don’t research hotels usually choose the wrong ones. You have come to the right place. These tips can help you discover the best hotel along with ways to get a better price for it.
Before you pick out your hotel you’re going to reserve a spot at, check out review sites online like TripAdvisor. These will give you some information from people that have stayed at that certain hotel. These reviews can help you decide which hotel you should select.
Before you choose a hotel and make reservations, check online review sites, such as TripAdvisor. These websites have reviews and comments from people who have recent experience with their stay. These reviews can aid you in your decision about whether to book the hotel.
If you take a lot of electronic gadgets with you on a trip, lock them up in the safe when away from the room. 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.
Room service can make your stay more enjoyable. While it may cost a little extra, it is worth it if you can stay in your comfortable room as you satisfy your cravings.
Always look for online deals before booking a hotel room. Sometimes, the person at the hotel desk might forget to mention a discount for booking online. So you should always search on your own for discounts prior to booking. Look to websites like RueLaLaTravel or Jetsetter for more help.
Check with the organizations that you are a member with. Sometimes you can get discounted hotel prices through these organizations. People frequently forget these discounts are available, and they can be 10 percent or more. That can save a lot of money, especially if you are staying for multiple nights. If you are staying for a week, you can pay for a whole night’s lodging with these discounts.
When get to your hotel, inspect the room before unpacking. Is it clean and free of mold and mildew? Do the sink, shower and toilet work properly? Are linens and towels in ample supply? 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.
When booking a hotel, you need to establish what you need and what you would ideally like from your stay. The location of the hotel may be just as important than the price. Amenities that help you choose a hotel are free breakfast, free Wi-Fi, exercise room, pool, and a restaurant on the premises. Seek out hotels that offer amenities that appeal to you.
Plan your trip as far in advance as possible. A lot of hotel locations offer discounts for reservations a month or more in advance. Some of the most popular hotel chains can end up giving you up to 50 percent in savings.
The Internet is a great place to research hotels. You will typically find websites that provide deals on certain hotel chains. They will also let you know what people pay on average when they go to that hotel. This lets you figure out if the deal you’re getting is a good one. Finally, by using these websites, you can learn the best places and times to take a vacation.
If you plan on taking a family pet with you to a hotel reservation, do three things in advance. Be sure that the hotel really does allow pets. Be sure to have plenty of plastic bags on hand to make pet cleanup easy. Also, request a room away from other guests so that your pet does not bother them.
Check the Internet for the best deals before you book a hotel room during your next trip. Many times, the person you book your room with will not tell you that you can get a discount online. It’s your job to find them yourself. Check out websites such as Jetsetter, RueLaLaTravel, and SniqueAway.
If you want to keep your regular running routine, pack your GPS and running clothes. In this way, you can simply suit up and enjoy your workout as usual while on the road. It will give you a perspective that you’ll never get while riding in a car.
Ask when you’re able to check into the room. 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 might arrive prior to check-in time, try calling the hotel and seeing if the room is available.
Choose a green vacation if you care for the environment. The great thing is there are plenty of green hotels you can select from. Some of the newer hotels are built in a way that they get certified green. Also, older hotels often make several changes to become eco-friendly. A travel agent or similar source can help you find hotels that are considered ‘green’.
If you want to arrange for a couples massage at your hotel, be sure to book the appointment right away. The best massage therapists are usually booked up for months ahead of time, and you don’t want to miss out.
The price you pay at a hotel often depends on the time frame in which you reserve the room. The price of a hotel room varies with availability. If possible, try to book your room 24 hours or less in advance. This will get you a great price on your room. 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.
Pack your GPS and running clothes while on vacation. Head out early in the morning after donning your running gear. Even jogging on pavement and alongside city avenues can provide you new perspective of any city that you visit.
You should always find out how much hotel transfers will cost before you book a room. It is not uncommon to find that greatly discounted bookings may have a hidden cost for the transfer. Inquiring about this in advance will maximize any savings.
Green Hotels
Sign up as an AAA member to make hotel arrangements easier when you are traveling. Members of AAA will get additional hotel discounts up to five percent, but you’ll also get discounts on rental cars as well. It is definitely worth looking into.
Going green is a growing trend so it is no surprise that hotels are going green as well. Luckily, you can choose from quite a few green hotels these days. Some of the newer hotels are certified green. Eco-friendly strategies are also now commonly adopted by many older hotels. Talk to your travel agent in order to find the best green hotels for your needs.
Call the hotel before you arrive to make sure the swimming pool is in working order. There is nothing worse than getting to a hotel with kids to find the pool is closed.
Avoid using the hotel phone to make long distance phone calls. Use the Internet, instead. Many hotels now offer Skype connections via Wi-Fi. Use these types of services to keep in contact with loved ones back home instead of having exorbitant charges added to your bill from the costly phone calls.
When checking your hotel accommodations for bed bugs, begin in the bathroom. This is where you won’t find them. That means you can store your luggage here as you inspect. It’s also a safe spot for kids and pets to sit for a bit too.
When you look for bed bugs, start in the bathroom. Bedbugs usually won’t stay here. This is the best place to put your bags while you look around. It can be a temporary haven for children and pets.
Ask if your possible hotel reservation is either smoking or non. If you are not a smoker, you probably want to avoid staying in a smoking room. 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 don’t always respect the fact that the room they are renting is a non-smoking room. Too avoid exposure to the smell of cigarette smoke, it may be best to stay at a non-smoking hotel.
If you are a smoker, know the smoking policy for the hotel in which you are staying. Some have smoking rooms. So be sure to request one of these rooms. If they find you have smoked in a non-smoking area, they may charge you a fine.
Always know the hotel smoking policy wherever you stay if you personally smoke. Many have rooms set aside for people who smoke. Therefore, if you are a smoker, always ask for a room that allows smoking. Certain hotels will charge you a steep fee if you get caught smoking in a room that is non-smoking. Be sure to follow the rules of the hotel.
Know what the pet policy is before you book. When you are scared of animals or allergic, you won’t want to stay at pet-friendly hotels. They may have a hidden smell that the hotel tries to mask with a strong fragrance, which is also an irritant. Depending on the hotel, you may be expected to pay extra for keeping a pet, but it isn’t usually a large sum. The fee might be too low to cover the extra cleaning costs.
It is not always possible to check-in early. Plan accordingly or you will find yourself waiting a long time to access your room. It is usually necessary for hotels to service your room prior to allowing you to check in. You can see if your room is ready should you arrive early. However, do not count on it.
Be aware that you can’t normally check-in early at your hotel. Plan accordingly or you will find yourself waiting a long time to access your room. Most hotels clean and prepare rooms at a certain time, so that they are ready for check-in. If you should happen to get there early, ask at the desk about early check-in, but your request may not be granted.
Resist the temptation to indulge in your hotel’s bottled water! After traveling and checking in, you might be feeling tired and/or thirsty. That’s what the hotel owners had in mind when they packed the min-fridge with delicious, yet expensive, refreshments. Hotels are well aware of this, and the bottled water they provide is far more costly than it is elsewhere. You may find free bottled water in the hotel gym. Or, to be sure you save money, you can just pack a few water bottles from home.
Ask about a rollaway or crib when you book your room. Not every hotel features these options, and the ones that do only have a few. Some hotels will include an additional fee if you want to rent these items during your stay. Make sure these needs are discussed during the initial reservation so you don’t get any surprises.
You will be able to get a decent room rate if you book during the off season. That is when you’ll pay the highest rates. Instead, book your room in the off-peak time of year, when hotels are desperate to fill their rooms. You will normally receive a discounted rate.
Don’t drink the bottled water you’ll find in your hotel room. Sure, you’re thirsty and hot. Opening the bottle in the mini-fridge is tempting. The hotel knows this, and charges high prices because of it. Some hotels offer free bottles of water in their gyms. An even better option is to pack your own bottled water for when you arrive.
If you are looking for an upgrade, try scoring one without having to pay a dime. You can be sure of this by being on time to accept your hotel booking. If the room you are booked for has not been cleaned yet, you may be offered a better room at no additional charge.
So, when it comes time to plan a trip, keep these tips handy. If you don’t research properly, you may find yourself in a dreadful hotel. After reading the above article, you now have the needed information to find hotels that best suit your needs.
If you need to reserve a hotel room while you are traveling, you can find some helpful information at welcome centers, gas stations and rest stops with valuable discounts. This allows you to call the hotel to book a room, instead of driving from one to another in search of a good deal.