Most people have been burned by bad hotel at some point. It can be a costly error that nobody wants to repeat.
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. Find out what actual customers say about the hotel and it can help you avoid a costly mistake.
You can find a lot of great deals on hotels if you go online travel sites out there. If you are a member of a loyalty program, be sure to input that information when checking rates. You may also be able to get good discounts through AAA or AARP.
Get room service if you don’t want to leave. The cost will be a bit higher, but not having to dress up and go out will be worth it.
There are things you should consider when choosing a hotel. Amenities like free WiFi, fitness facilities, continental breakfast and free Wi-Fi or local calls. Try to find a hotel that checks off as much of your desired amenities as is realistic.
If you belong to any organizations, check with them for travel deals. Some organizations offer discounts on hotels to their members. These discounts are often forgotten about, and they can provide significant savings. That can save a lot of money, especially if you are staying for multiple nights. This can also net you a free hotel night.
Take advantage of search tools provided online when searching for a hotel. These websites will help you get good deals quickly.
Once you get to your hotel, do not unpack until you check the room. Is the room clean and devoid of issues like mildew and mold? Are the toilet, shower and sink functioning properly? Do you have the blankets, pillows and towels you need? If you see that there are problems with your room, let the people at the front desk know right away so they can get things taken care of. Or, they can move you to another room.
Check out your hotel room prior to unpacking. Is your room clean? Do you see any mold and mildew free? Are you given the linens and towels in ample supply? If you spot any problems, be sure to inform the front desk right away to have these problems resolved.
Be aware in advance of the check-in time. Some people end up waiting for their room to be available because they forget to check this critical detail. If you anticipate arriving before check-in time, make a call to the hotel and inquire if you can arrive early.
Be aware of the check-in time. Some people neglect asking what the check-in time is and get to the hotel when their room to be available because they forget to check this critical detail.Call the front desk to find out if you to arrive before check-in.
To make sure that you get a couple’s massage when you’re staying somewhere, get your appointment booked as early as you are able to. The best practitioners go fast, so make your reservation early and book by name where possible.
Plan your trip as far in advance for the best rates. Many hotels offer discounts if you are willing to book a month or two ahead of time. You can expect savings up to 50 percent off at some very exclusive hotels.
Always remember to pack running clothes and any thing else you need for exercising while on your trip. Jogging around the city before you start your day will add enjoyment to your vacation. Running not only provides you with great exercise, but it also helps you better learn the city in which you are residing.
There are three different things you must do in advance if you’re going to be traveling with a pet. Be sure that the hotel will be friendly to pets.Be sure to have plenty of plastic bags with you so you can pick up your pet’s waste.
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. 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.
It is wise to look into loyalty program if you travel frequently. They provide benefits to travelers who book the same hotel chain frequently. You will be able to earn stuff like a free upgrade, free stays, and complimentary late check out with enough points accrued.
You may wish to consider a “green” vacation if the environment is one of your concerns. There are a lot of eco-friendly hotels out there. Green certification is something some of the newly built hotels are quite proud of promoting. Some older hotels simply choose a variety of eco-friendly practices to be environmentally aware. Ask your booking agent about green hotels.
Free Nights
The price you pay at a hotel often depends on the time frame in which you reserve the room. Availability dictates the prices of hotel rooms. If it’s possible, your room should be booked around a day in advance or more. This will net you the best price when it comes to hotel rooms. An empty room will earn the hotel no money; so, they generally slash the price.
If you go to the same hotel often, check to see if they offer membership to frequent stay programs. These hotel programs usually work by letting you points every time you stay there. They add up to free nights, free nights, spa deals, spa deals and a whole lot more.
Sign up as an AAA member to make hotel arrangements easier when you are traveling. You’ll get discounts on hotel rooms, easier car rentals and more benefits. Those with youngsters will be grateful for the free car seats.
If you are an environmentally conscious traveler, consider taking a “green” vacation. There are plenty of eco-friendly hotels that take the environment into consideration. Some of the newer hotels are built in mind. Some older hotels simply choose a variety of eco-friendly strategies to show environmental awareness. Talk to a travel agent if you want to find the best green hotels for your needs.
Avoid making long distance calls from the hotel room phone. Try using the Internet, instead. Hotels usually have Wi-Fi, so you can call using Skype. This saves you a ton of money.
Be sure to avoid hotel transfers when booking a room.If you’re getting what appears to be a nice deal on the room, it is especially important that you ask about any hidden fees that might be tacked onto your bill. You can increase the amount you save more by simply finding this information out in advance.
If you are traveling with children, be sure the hotels you book have clean swimming pools that are up and running. It can be extremely frustrating if you arrive at your hotel only to find out the pool is shut down for maintenance.
Don’t make long distance calls from your hotel phone. Many hotels now offer Skype connections on their Wi-Fi.You can stay connected with people back home by using this instead of a call from the phone in your hotel phone.
If you are worried about bed bugs, start your inspection in the bathroom. This is usually one of the few places you won’t see any. This is why you should keep your luggage in there while you go on a search for bedbugs. Kids and pets can stay there as well.
Be sure you understand your hotel’s smoking policy is if you smoke cigarettes. Many hotels set aside certain rooms designated for smokers. Ask for those rooms if you are available. If they find you have smoked in a non-smoking area, a big penalty can come along with it.
If you are a smoker, know the smoking policy for the hotel in which you are staying. Some have smoking rooms. So if you are a smoker, be sure to ask for one of those rooms. If you don’t, you can be hit with some major penalties for lighting up in a non-smoker’s room.
Find out how the policy on pets is. These hotels might also suffer from odors sinking into the carpet and bed linens. Some hotels charge extra fees for pets, while others charge substantially more. The fee may not be adequate to cover the extra cleaning involved.
What is the policy on pets? If you fear or are allergic to pets, you might want to avoid pet-friendly hotels. The hotels may have the smell of pet odors on the linens and floor. One hotel may charge guests an arm and a leg to bring their pet, while others don’t. The fee may cover the cleaning, and it may not.
You should know that early check-ins to hotels are not usually possible. Plan to get there at the right or you don’t want to wait. Hotels usually need the time to clean your room so it is ready before you check in. If you do arrive early, you can ask if it’s possible to do so early, but don’t think that it will happen.
To be safe, avoid the top bedspread that is provided by the hotel. Hotel sheets are laundered daily; however, bedspreads are not. The bedspread can be laden with germs. Remove the bedspread and use your own travel blanket or comforter, instead.
Some hotels have a limited number of them. Talk about these things when you reserve your reservations.
Don’t open the bottled water! You are very likely to be tired and thirsty when finally arriving to a hotel. It is tempting to simply grab that refreshing bottle of water conveniently available in the mini-fridge. Hotels take advantage of guests by charging ridiculous amounts for bottled water. Many hotels offer free bottles of water in their gyms. However, to be safe, you should pack some water bottles yourself.
Avoid sleeping under the hotel bedspread.The bedspread is one item that does not usually isn’t cleaned as often as the sheets or blankets underneath. This means you might find that the comforter has tons of germs and bacteria. Just make sure you remove this covering from the bedspread.
Your hotel stay will be more pleasant if you tip well. For instance, a tip is usually included in the room service bill, but you must tip the maid yourself. The tips you hand out at the hotel ensures you are respected and liked.
Don’t take linens as you are sitting in your room!
Some hotel rooms have excellent views, while others do not. So long as you won’t be charged extra, ask about getting a room with a nice view. A good view will make your stay more pleasant. It won’t hurt you to ask them if they can get you a room with a better view.
You can often save money if you book a flight and hotel at the same time. Travel websites offer big savings when you book more than one service at the same time.
Hotels may advertise one price but you can usually get a much lower price. The posted price is known at the “rack rate”. People in the know don’t pay it. Most hotels expect you to try to bargain about the price. Call the hotel you want to stay at and ask about deals. They are usually quite happy to accommodate you with a better price or a few extras. You can also locate great discounts by using travel websites.
You may be able to receive an upgrade without paying a dime. You can do this if you arrive right at the precise check-in time. If the room you are booked for has not been cleaned yet, you may be offered an upgrade.
Go to online websites like Travelocity or Expedia to find the best prices. Websites like these help hotel business sell a lot of rooms, so they can offer you discounts that are unavailable elsewhere. There are some requirements, like bidding, to open up the option of such discounts.
If you find yourself having to book a hotel while on the road, look at tourist centers, rest areas and gas stations for free tourist books that contain maps of hotels, maps and great discounts. This will save you an opportunity to book in advance and money.
You should tip the person doing the housekeeping when you’re leaving a hotel. The maid is the one who has cleaned up after you, freshened up your room and kept you stocked in clean towels and toiletries. You likely made a mess anyway from being travel tired and not at home, so please leave the room service maid a little bonus.
Don’t ever pay the price being advertised. Contact the hotel and see what kind of specials they are running. You can also locate great discounts that are deep on the various travel websites.
It is often possible to obtain the best deal by speaking to the desk clerk. They may not be able to offer a lower price on your room, but they may provide other perks like a free breakfast. It doesn’t hurt to ask them if they can do it.
Bad Hotel
Don’t trust edited brochures to adequately represent a hotel and its surrounding area. The pictures may be Photoshopped to eliminate unsightly things like a bad neighborhood or a run down pool. Do your research so that you know what to expect.
Staying at a bad hotel can be a real nightmare. Saving a lot of money isn’t worth being uncomfortable in your room. A bad hotel can ruin and entire trip. Using these tips is a great way to succeed. Find the right hotel first, then call and start talking discounts and special rates.
