A dream vacation can become a nightmare when you stay in a bad hotel. Because hotels are expensive, it is important to know what you are doing. So following is some advice to assist you in obtaining a good room at a fair price.
Prior to choosing and reserving a hotel room, check review sites online like TripAdvisor or Expedia. These offer feedback from those who have recently stayed at the hotel you are considering booking. Find out what actual customers say about the hotel and it can help you avoid a costly mistake.
Prior to reserving a room at a hotel, look on the Internet for reviews. One great site is TripAdvisor. These provide you with first-hand information about people’s recent experiences at each hotel. Their opinions can help you decide whether or not a certain hotel is the right one for you.
If you belong to any organizations, check with them for travel deals. Hotel discounts are often one of the benefits offered. People often forget about these discounts, which can be 10% or more. This is especially useful if you plan to book a longer stay. After a week has gone by it will add up to a free night almost!
Online travel websites can offer you a great deal on hotels with lots of choices, all on the same website. Join the loyalty program for any hotel chain that you love and believe you’ll stay with often. Also, as an added bonus, you may get discounts from other companies such as AAA or AARP.
You want to look at a number of different things when booking a hotel stay. Of course you want to consider price, but you should also consider the hotel’s location. Amenities, such as a gym, room service, or free Wi-Fi, might be of importance to you. Ensure the hotel you are planning on staying at has the amenities you desire.
When making a hotel selection, you should consider many things. Price is always a big factor, but you also need a hotel that’s geographically proximate to your target destinations. What about free breakfast, local calls, wifi or swimming pool? Try to get yourself a hotel with what you need in it when possible.
Make use of the various hotel search websites on the Internet. These sites can help you get good deals. Hotel search websites also let you see the regular rates of hotels, so you can compare and see whether a supposed deal is really a good one. They can also give you information on nearby attractions, too.
Search for hotel deals online. 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. It is your responsibility to find any available discounts. Review the different websites, such as Jetsetter or SniqueAway.
Checking online is the best way to find a good price and get the information that you need about hotels. Often, the reservations clerk will not advise you that a better deal is available online. This is why you should always do your research well online to find these hidden discounts. Look at websites such as RueLaLaTravel, Jetsetter, and SniqueAway.
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 stick to city streets, you will gain a better perspective on your destination city before you leave.
Know the check-in times. If you don’t know when you can check in, you may find your room is not ready when you arrive at your hotel. If you think you will arrive before check in time, call the hotel and ask if you can come.
Do you travel on a periodic basis and use the same hotel chain? If so, check out the loyalty programs provided by that hotel. They have benefits for those who frequently stay at a hotel. You will be able to earn stuff like a free upgrade, an allowance to check out late, and even free stays when you get enough points.
There are three things you must do before bringing your pet along on your vacation. Be sure that this hotel will be friendly to pets. Take some bags to clean after your pet. If you can arrange a corner room, there will be less likelihood of your pet disturbing other guests.
Going green is a growing trend so it is no surprise that hotels are going green as well. Fortunately, there are many green hotels to choose from today. Newer hotels are sometimes built according to green standards. Some older inns just select one or more of several eco-friendly strategies to show environmental awareness. Talk to your travel agent about what you want to do and let them seek out a few appropriate hotels.
One of the best bonuses of a AAA membership is great discounts on booking a hotel. It might be surprising to learn that some auto club memberships include hotel discounts. You could save 5% or even 10% on some rooms. It really is a savings that adds up over time.
Timing matters when booking a hotel room. Hotels price rooms in part based on availability. If you can, make your reservation no earlier than 24 hours before you arrive. A late booking when the hotel is slow often results in a bargain. Hotels don’t like to have vacancies so they often provide better prices.
If you are a daily runner, make sure you pack exercise clothes and a GPS watch. If you want to jog early in the morning, don your gear and then go for it. Even jogging on pavement and alongside city avenues can provide you new perspective of any city that you visit.
Call ahead of arrival to see if the pool is open to keep the family happy. Nothing is worse than having excited kids who find out they cannot go to the pool.
If you want to work on saving the environment, a green vacation is something to look into. Fortunately, there are many green hotels available nowadays. Some of the newer hotels were built with green standards in mind. Also, older hotels often make several changes to become eco-friendly. Finding hotels that are environmentally friendly can be as easy as asking your favorite travel agent.
If you want to inspect a hotel room for bed bugs, start with the bathroom. This is usually one of the few places you won’t see any. So, that means it’s the best place to stash your luggage and other belongings as you inspect the remainder of your suite. Not to mention a great place for your children and pets too.
The cost of your hotel room largely depends on the dates on which you plan to stay there. Hotels price their rooms based on how many rooms are available. If it’s possible, your room should be booked around a day in advance or more. In this way, you will get good rates. Hotels are often happy to slash prices on impending vacancies since they will get nothing if they can’t book the room.
Smoking Rooms
Maximize your hotel stays with membership programs like the ones that Marriott or Choice Hotels offer. You will build up points with that hotel for added benefits. It works a lot like frequent flier miles do for airlines.
Find out if the hotel you want is smoking or non-smoking. If cigarette smoke bothers you, look for a hotel that doesn’t have smoking rooms. You may be able to get a non smoking rooms still, but you can get smoke in the air which will stick to you. Even if a room is designated as nonsmoking, sometimes people smoke in there anyway. Request a non-smoking room if you do not want to smell like cigarettes.
Make sure to ask up front if the hotel allows smoking or does not. If you aren’t a smoker, then you want to avoid smoking rooms and maybe even smoking hotels in general, but most hotel chains do have smoking and non-smoking rooms. You can still get a room that’s non-smoking, but the smoke can flow in the air and get on all your clothes. Even if a room is designated as nonsmoking, sometimes people smoke in there anyway. To avoid the experience of breathing in smoke during your stay, try to stay in a hotel that doesn’t allow smoking.
Smokers should always learn the smoking policy at any hotel before they book a room. Some have smoking rooms. So if you are a smoker, be sure to ask for one of those rooms. If you stay in a room that doesn’t allow smoking and the hotel staff discover evidence of you smoking in this room, then you could be charged a large penalty. Therefore, it is important that you always follow the hotel’s rules when it comes to smoking.
If you smoke, be aware of the hotel policy with regard to smoking. Some have rooms for smokers. If this applies to the hotel of your choice, request that type of room specifically. If you don’t, you can be hit with some major penalties for lighting up in a non-smoker’s room.
You should be aware that early hotel check ins are not always possible. Plan your time accordingly unless you want to wait in the lobby for hours. Hotels usually need to get the room cleaned and ready before you check in. If you can’t avoid being early, ask the front desk to make an exception, but be prepared if they can’t accommodate you.
If a crib or a rollaway bed is necessary for your stay, let your booking agent know. Most hotels will supply these items on request, but they do have a limited supply. Sometimes, they cost extra, too. Before making reservations, explain this.
If you have to get a rollaway or a crib, you need to let them know when you’re making the reservation. Some hotels do not provide these things, and the ones that do usually have limited quantities. There also may be an added charge for these things. You should discuss this with the hotel agent prior to booking so that you do not have an unexpected charge to your bill.
Never check out earlier than your scheduled departure unless it is absolutely necessary. Hotels often charge early departure fees. Whenever you reserve a room, it isn’t available to anyone else and the hotel will lose money if you cancel. This is why they have the departure fee, to get their money back that they would have otherwise lost.
Beware of an establishment that attempts to “walk you.” Sometimes hotels are going to overbook and then your room that you reserved won’t be there. In such cases, the hotel “walks” you, or sends you to another hotel. Avoid this if you can, but if you must go someplace else, make sure the room you get is comparable to the one you booked, and you are paid to travel there.
Do not take anything from the hotel. They might be lovely, but you will be charged for them. Ask if you can buy the linens from the hotel if you like them a lot.
With a little advance planning, you can find a good hotel without having to pay too much for a room. When you make your reservation, you need to be familiar with what to expect. Keep the tips above fresh in your mind when you’re booking your next vacation stay.
If it becomes necessary to book a hotel from the road, check rest areas, tourist centers and gas stations to find tourist books with maps of hotel locations, prices and discount offers. This allows you to call the hotel to book a room, instead of driving from one to another in search of a good deal.
