It can be overwhelming to book a hotel room. Therefore, it is important to research this well before your trip. Set your budget, list the things you require the hotel to have, and then go online and start looking. Read the below article for solid tips on how to enjoy the best possible hotel experience.
Before making reservations at a hotel, check the online review sites. Here, you can read what people had to say about their hotel stay. What patrons have to say about the hotels you are considering can help you make the best decision about where to stay.
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 others say will help you make a wise decision.
Consider ordering room service if you want a special meal without needing to go out. Sure, it might cost a bit more, but it is completely worth it to be able to kick back and relax, while your food comes to you.
Use Orbitz or Expedia to find a great deal. If you are a member of a loyalty program, use that info when checking rates. Find out if you can get a discount for being an AAA or AARP member, too.
Consider your organizational memberships. Some organizations will receive discounts for different reasons from different hotels. People often forget about these discounts, which can be 10% or more. That can save a lot of money, especially if you are staying for multiple nights. After a week has gone by it will add up to a free night almost!
Room service can be a great way to have a private, comfortable meal. While it may cost a little extra, it is worth it if you can stay in your comfortable room as you satisfy your cravings.
Use hotel search tools online. They allow you to quickly locate great discounts. Being able to comparison shop helps you find the best value, while getting the amenities that are important to you. Also, hotel search websites can assist you in determining where to vacation and what to do there.
There are a number of things to consider when deciding which hotel to stay at. Price is one consideration, but you may also want a hotel that is close to a certain destination. Things like free breakfast can make a big difference for some families. Shop around for a hotel that has the features that are most important to you.
Ask when you’re able to check into the room. Many people show up before check-in time only to find out their room isn’t ready. Ask for an early check-in time if absolutely necessary.
Be aware in advance of the check-in time. People sometimes forget when they will be let into their rooms, showing up early only to learn that their room isn’t ready yet. If you will be arriving before check-in, call the hotel in advance and see if you can check-in early.
To ensure that you and your special someone get the right couples massage during your stay, book your appointment as early ahead of time as you can. That’s because the highest quality masseurs and masseuses are typically booked way in advance due to their good name. Therefore, by planning in advance, you can ensure you have the best possible experience during your massage.
If you want to find the absolute rock bottom hotel prices, plan your trips weeks or months ahead of time. Many hotels offer the best discounts if you book a few months in advance. This way, you can save as much as 50 percent even with the most elite brands.
If you want to get your daily runs in while on vacation, make sure to bring your running gear with you. Simply set an alarm or get a wake up call and take an early morning run. 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.
Don’t assume your hotel is pet-friendly. Call the hotel to verify, even if it says so on the website. Also, ask what their definition of pet-friendly is, as there may still be restrictions on size or breed of pet allowed at the hotel.
Sign up for frequent guest programs at hotels. Just like with a frequent flyer mile program, you can get points for staying a hotel. They can amount to show tickets, free nights, spa deals, hotel restaurants discounts and much more.
If you’d like to bring Fido on your next trip, you must make some advance plans. First, find out if the hotel allows pets. Also, bring a lot of plastic sacks like ones from the grocery store so you can get your pet’s messes cleaned up. When making your reservation, ask for a room at the end of the hall to spare other guests your pet noise.
The timing of your room booking often determines the price you pay. The prices are based partly on availability. If possible, book your room no more than 24 hours in advance. This will get you the best hotel rates. Empty rooms don’t earn the hotel money, so they’re happy to cut the price and reserve a room.
If you belong to the AAA, see what kinds of discounts the hotel offers. You may not have known that, but it’s true. You can save more than five percent on hotels all over the country. These savings can really add up if you travel often.
Join a loyalty program to get deals on your stays. By joining a membership program, you earn points during every visit. These points can add up to free items over time.
If you want to keep up the running regimen you have while traveling you should get your GPS watch packed with some running clothes. So, make sure you have your running gear and shoes and you will be set to jog anywhere. Running in a city allows you to see things other travelers miss.
You can get great hotel discounts by becoming a member of AAA. A membership with AAA not only provides you with hotel discounts but a guaranteed piece of mind when trying to rent a vehicle. In addition, free car seats are usually provided, which parents are certain to enjoy.
If you want to work on saving the environment, a green vacation is something to look into. There are plenty of “green” hotels that take the environment into consideration. Some new hotels are built to green standards and are certified green. Old hotels will change their practices to be more green. Talk to your travel agent if you prefer to stay at this type of hotel.
Check with the hotel to make sure the pools are ready to go if you are traveling with children. Nothing is worse than having excited kids who find out they cannot go to the pool.
To make sure you don’t have an unexpected expense, ask about how much hotel transfers will cost. Particularly when the room price is a big deal, the hidden fee of transfer often can be the difference. Asking before you arrive can really increase your overall savings.
Inspect your room for bed bugs, starting with the bathroom. This is the last room they are likely to be. This is the best place to put your bags while you look around. It can be a temporary haven for children and pets.
Joining certain clubs that let you accrue points can help you reap major benefits from your regular hotel stays. These points can translate into some major perks when you’re vacationing.
Check if a hotel you’re looking to stay at is non-smoking or smoking. If you’re not a smoker, it may be wise to stay away from rooms that are for smoking. Even non-smoking rooms can have smoke billow in from next door. Sometimes, smokers book rooms that are non-smoking and smoke anyway. If you don’t want to smell like cigarettes after leaving your hotel room, you might want to look for a non-smoking hotel.
To make reserving a hotel easy, use AAA. AAA members get good hotel discounts and can also find good car rental rates much more easily. They even throw in free car seats at most locations if you’re a parent.
Know whether or not smoking is allowed in your room. A lot of places have specific rooms just for people who smoke. If this is the case, then you shouldn’t be shy when asking for this type of room. If you don’t, you can be hit with some major penalties for lighting up in a non-smoker’s room.
Learn about the smoking policies if you smoke. Hotels normally have rooms set aside for smokers. If this is the case, then you shouldn’t be shy when asking for this type of room. You may be charged hefty fees if there is evidence that you have smoked in a that is designated as non-smoking.
You should be aware whether or not the hotel permits guests to have pets in the rooms. If you are afraid of pets or have allergies to them, you should probably avoid booking 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. Some hotels are pet-friendly and don’t charge for it, while other hotels will add a hefty fee for keeping a pet. The fee may be for any cleaning that needs to be done.
Checking in early may not be available. If you are going to arrive early, plan on doing something to fill your time. Before you can enjoy your room, hotels need to clean the room properly. You can request an early check-in ahead of time, but it may cost more.
If you are going to need a rollaway or a crib, make sure that the hotel knows this in the reservation process. Not every hotel will give you this sort of thing, and the ones that do are in limited quantities. Some hotels will include an additional fee if you want to rent these items during your stay. Talk about these when reserving your room so you aren’t hit with unexpected expenses.
If you are going to need a rollaway or a crib, make sure that the hotel knows this in the reservation process. Not every hotel will give you this sort of thing, and the ones that do are in limited quantities. On occasion, these services may require an additional charge. Discuss these needs when making your reservation to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Don’t check out early, if possible. The hotel may charge 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, they have to make up for the loss by charging an early departure fee.
If you book a room during a heavy occupancy period, don’t be surprised if you have a mandatory stay of a few days or more. If you check out early, you could be liable for early checkout fees. You reserve a room when you book it, so if you leave early they lose money. This is why they have the departure fee, to get their money back that they would have otherwise lost.
Don’t get that bottled water and open it! Once you check-in and start to unwind, you will probably feel very thirsty. You might want to open the bottled water they left you. Hotels are aware of this fact, and that bottle will be much more expensive than a bottle anywhere else. The gym in the hotel may have water for free. It is best to simply bring your own bottled water.
There’s plenty of different sources for bargain hotel rooms, as you’ve read above. Use the tips that work for you and do some of your own research as well. You will get to stay in a place that’s comfortable for a price that’s just right.
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 will save you time and money.
