Having a disastrous hotel stay is something that almost everyone has experienced. It can become a costly mistake and people should avoid making it twice. Follow the tips presented here to get excellent value in hotel accommodations.
Check online hotel reviews prior to booking your stay. These sites will allow you to see previous guests’ experiences at the hotels you are considering. Reading other people’s reviews of the hotels you’re considering can really help you decide which one to choose.
When checking for good prices at hotels, refer to online travel sites like Orbitz and Expedia. If you’re a member of a loyalty program of a hotel, make sure you input that data when checking out rates. You can also get additional discounts from any organization you are apart of, such as the AAA or the AARP.
To keep your electronics safe when you are out of the hotel room, use the safe that you’ll find in your closet. You can place your costly items that are small into their safe, and then you won’t have to worry about these things as you go out.
Get room service if you don’t want to leave. It might cost a little extra, but it’s definitely worth the bill. Nothing is more enjoyable than having food delivered to your room while you’re in your PJ’s.
Double-check your organizational memberships. Hotel discounts are often one of the benefits offered. Some of these discounts can be pretty substantial, but many people don’t take advantage of them. This is a good discount that only gets better the longer you stay in a hotel. This can mean a lot of savings over a full week stay.
If you belong to any organizations, find out if they get any discount from certain hotel chains. Many of these places will give you cheaper hotel prices. 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. That’s almost an extra free night throughout an entire week.
There are several things you should consider when booking a hotel. Price is one factor, however you may also need your hotel to be close to a particular destination. Amenities like free WiFi, fitness facilities, a pool and free meals may also be important considerations. Look for the hotel that gives as many of the extra you desire as possible.
Upon arriving at your hotel, check your room before you unpack. Is it clean? Does the plumbing work right? Do you have all the towels and linens you need? 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.
Before you book a hotel, look for deals online. Often, the person booking your room won’t tell you about discounts available online. That’s why it’s always your duty to search the web for better deals whenever you are booking a hotel room. Look at Jetsetter, RueLaLaTravel or similar websites for discounts.
To get a good price when you want a hotel room, get your trips planned quite a few weeks or so in advance. If you can book a couple of months early, a lot of locations will give you a steeper discount. Even some elite chains will offer discounts as much as half off.
When you arrive at your hotel, thoroughly inspect your room before unpacking. Is it free of mildew and mold while being clean? Does everything work? Have the staff provided all the necessary soap, shampoo, towels, etc. that you will be needing? 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.
Never assume that all hotels are pet-friendly. 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. Ask about their pet policy. Many hotels have restrictions on the breed and size of pet allowed on the premises.
Most hotels are not pet-friendly. Call the hotel in advance to ensure the hotel is pet friendly. Verify exactly what is meant by “pet-friendly” since certain breeds and pets over a certain size may not be allowed.
Be sure to consult AAA to help you make excellent plans for your entire vacation. You may not know that your membership to the auto club includes discounts on hotels. You can save 5 percent or more on your hotel stay just by showing your membership card. When you stay for multiple nights, the savings really add up.
If you’re taking your pet with you, do these things in advance. Take time to ensure that the hotel you’re booking is, in fact, pet-friendly. In addition, take along some plastic bags to pick up your pet’s mess. When you call to make reservations, try getting a room away from other guests so any noise your pet makes won’t bother people.
Always remember to pack running clothes and any thing else you need for exercising while on your trip. So, make sure you have your running gear and shoes and you will be set to jog anywhere. Spending time on the road with your own two feet will give you a perspective that you’ll never get while riding in a car.
If you want to arrange for a couples massage at your hotel, be sure to book the appointment right away. Frequently, the best massage people will be booked by name. This means that if you book early, you’ll have a better experience.
Frequent travelers can benefit from loyalty programs offered by many hotels. They offer benefits to people that stay at the same chain quite often. Rewards can include free hotel stays, upgrades and late check-out times if you save up enough points.
If you often stay at the same hotel chain, check to see if they offer membership to frequent stay programs. Many hotels offer membership programs that allow you to earn points for each of your stays. You can exchange these points for discounts and freebies at the hotel and its restaurant. You may also be able to use them on local amenities.
Join a frequent customer program if you stay at the same hotel chain a lot. Similar to frequent flyer programs with an airline company, hotel programs will typically give you points for each visit. As a result, you could have your next stay discounted or receive other benefits, like tickets to a show.
Do you care about your environment? If so, a “green” hotel may be for you. There are several green hotels around. Certain hotels provide green rooms, and in fact, some are even certified as green hotels. Some older inns just select one or more of several eco-friendly strategies to show environmental awareness. Request the help of the travel agent in identifying hotels that are environmentally friendly.
Get an AAA membership for hotel perks when you travel. AAA members not only get discounts at many hotel chains, it will also make it much easier to rent a car. Parents can also often enjoy a free car seat that comes with some rentals.
Be sure you know the cost associated with hotel transfers when booking a room. 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. You save the most money when you ask about this beforehand.
Do not make long distance calls from your hotel room. Use the Internet, instead. Some hotels offer free Wi-Fi, so you can use Skype. Use this type of thing to get with people you know while you’re in your hotel room so you can save quite a bit of money.
If you are bringing your kids along for the trip, then it’s a good idea to call a hotel in advance and make sure they have working pools. There are few things as frustrating as showing up to a hotel, with your kids chomping at the bit to get in the pool, only to have it closed for repairs.
Determine whether or not the hotel you are considering allows smoking or not. If you are a non-smoker, you will enjoy a non-smoking room more. Even in a non-smoking room, the smoke from other rooms is in the air and might infiltrate your clothing. Sometimes, smokers book rooms that are non-smoking and smoke anyway. Instead of choosing a non-smoking room, you can actually find an entire non-smoking hotel if you really want to avoid nasty, secondhand smoke.
If you smoke, it is important to know what the hotel’s smoking policy is before you book your room. A lot of places will have smoker’s rooms. If this is the case, then you shouldn’t be shy when asking for this type of room. Some hotels will levy a large fine if they can determine that you smoked in a room where smoking was not allowed, so make sure you understand and follow the hotel’s smoking policy.
Learn about the smoking policies if you smoke. A lot of hotels have rooms designated for smokers. If you smoke, you should make a specific reservation for this type of room. Some hotels charge large penalties if they find that smoking occured in a room not designated for it, so make sure you follow the hotel’s smoking rules.
If you can, avoid checking out before the day you are scheduled to. If you do, you may be charged a fee for early departure. By booking a room, you are preventing other potential guests from staying in the hotel. Therefore, by leaving early, you are costing the hotel extra revenue. Therefore, some will charge the early departure fee.
Be aware of the pet policy of the hotel. If you fear pets or have allergies to them, make reservations at hotels that have a strict no pets policy. These hotels could have weird odors because of smells getting into the linens and the floor. Some hotels are pet-friendly and don’t charge for it, while other hotels will add a hefty fee for keeping a pet. It might not cover deep cleaning.
You may wish to use a different blanket than the comforter that is in your hotel room. The bedspread is one item that does not usually get washed between bookings. That can mean it is full of germs, bacteria or who knows what else. Remove the blanket and sleep in peace.
Early Departure
Be prepared with a knowledge of your rights if a hotel ever tries to “walk” you. Occasionally, a hotel overbooks and your booked room is unavailable. In such cases, the hotel “walks” you, or sends you to another hotel. Try not to let this happen to you, but if it is unavoidable, be sure that that you are getting a room that is at least as good as the one that you paid for.
Do not check out early. Hotels often charge early departure fees. A booked hotel room is taken off the market, meaning your early departure would cost them money. They have to at least get something for the loss, thus an early departure charge.
If you want an upgrade, use an approach that may snag it for free. An excellent method of achieving an upgrade is simply showing up for your room right on time. Hotels often count on their guests being late; therefore, they will often not have their rooms ready at the set time; therefore, by showing up on time, the hotel may provide you an upgraded room at no extra cost to you.
Nobody wants to stay in a terrible hotel room. If you have a lousy experience, the cheap price will not matter. Either way, you will not have a great trip. That’s why you should use the above guidelines to find a hotel that’s not only affordable, but acceptable by your standards. Once you find the right hotel, work on getting the best price.
You can search various tourist centers for books that include hundreds of coupons for local hotel chains. This is one of the best ways to get a great deal without using the Internet, but you’ll have to use a hotel that’s in the book. You can now make a call to book a room rather than having to drive around to find one.
