At some point in life, you will find yourself having to stay in a hotel. Whether you’re booking the room for business or for pleasure, you should know what you’re looking for in any given hotel. Follow the tips presented here to get the best accommodations.
Prior to reserving a room at a hotel, look on the Internet for reviews. One great site is TripAdvisor. These will give you some information from people that have stayed at that certain hotel. Factor former guests’ reviews into your final decision.
Prior to choosing and reserving a hotel room, check review sites online like TripAdvisor or Expedia. These reviews can give you a customer’s perspective of the hotel you are planning on staying at. What patrons have to say about the hotels you are considering can help you make the best decision about where to stay.
Double-check your organizational memberships. Many of them offer hotel discounts to members. Many people forget to do this and miss out on saving a sizable amount of money. These discounts can save you quite a bit of cash, particularly if your stay involves several nights. This can rack up a free night over the entire course of a whole week.
You can find a lot of great deals on hotels if you go online and check out some of the travel sites out there. If you are in a hotel loyalty program, put your information in. If you have a membership in any other organization, put that down as well.
When thinking about the type of hotel you would like to stay at, there are plenty of options to consider. Of course price is a big deal, but a hotel close to where you are head is a big consideration. A gym, pool, free breakfast, free wireless Internet, free local calls, and all kinds of other things may be important. Choose a hotel that meets all of your needs.
Think about using room service if you want to enjoy late-night dining without needing to leave your hotel room. While it may cost a little extra, it is worth it if you can stay in your comfortable room as you satisfy your cravings.
Take advantage of search tools online. These websites will help you find good deals quickly. 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, they can also help you figure out when you want to go on your vacation and what you want to do there.
Search online tools for hotels. They allow you to quickly locate great discounts. You can see the average price of the rooms, and you can check to see how those rates stack up to the rates you’re being offered now. You can also find out about local amenities and things offered by the hotels.
Always check for online deals prior to booking your hotel room. Most of the time, people you speak with over the phone won’t mention any discounts possibly available to you. So, it’s up personally to you to go searching for such discounts. Use popular websites such as Jetsetter, SniqueAway, or RueLalaTravel.
Find out the exact time for check-in and check-out. If you show up too early, you may find yourself sitting around the lobby, waiting for your room to be ready. Call the hotel desk and find out if your room has been prepared if you know that you’ll be arriving early.
Don’t unpack upon arrival without checking your hotel room first. Is it free of mildew and mold while being clean? Does the plumbing work right? Is the room adequately stocked with towels and linens? This quick check can keep you from discovering a problem later, after you have unpacked and all other good rooms are taken. Tell the front desk immediately.
In order to save money on hotel stays, book far in advance. A lot of places will give you a discount if you’re going to book about a month or so in advance. You might only pay half price for premium hotels.
Planning for a trip months or even just weeks in advance can often get you a better rate for your hotel room. A lot of hotel locations offer discounts for reservations a month or more in advance. You can expect savings up to fifty percent if you book months in advance.
If you’re thinking of taking your pet to a hotel with you, there are some things you need to do first. Find out if the hotel will allow pets first. Additionally, bring along a few plastic bags suitable for cleaning up after your animal. When you make your reservation, request accommodations near the very end of the floor in order to not disturb other guests.
Don’t make assumptions about pet policies of hotels. Call the hotel in advance to ensure the hotel is pet friendly. Also, find out if there are any size or breed restrictions.
If you travel frequently, sign up for loyalty programs at your favorite hotels. This type of program provides discounts and benefits for frequent visitors. It is possible to earn perks such as free stays, extended check out times and other upgrades.
If your pet is coming to a hotel with you, there are a few things you need to do in preparation. First, inquire as to whether the hotel really is a pet-friendly place. Bring along lots of plastic bags for clean ups. See if you can stay in a room toward the end of a hall so your pet does not disturb guests.
If you want to work on saving the environment, a green vacation is something to look into. It is fortunate for you that there are quite a lot of green hotels available. Newer hotels are sometimes built according to green standards. Old hotels will change their practices to be more green. A good travel agent can help you find hotels that are environmentally friendly.
If you’re interested in the massage services of a hotel you intend to stay at, reserve your appointment ahead of time. Most of the best masseurs will be reserved by name ahead of time. You’ve got to get in your reservation early to get the best masseur or masseuses.
You should always find out how much hotel transfers will cost before you book a room. A transfer can sometimes come with a substantial hidden cost. Asking before you arrive can really increase your overall savings.
One of the best bonuses of a AAA membership is great discounts on booking a hotel. You may not have known that, but it’s true. Membership in AARP, a union, an auto club or even being a police officer can get you a discount. The savings can really add up nightly.
Join a membership program if you travel frequently. When you stay at a hotel, you get points you can use later on.
Being a AAA member has many advantages when it comes to booking a hotel room. Members of AAA receive many travel benefits including reduced hotel rates and lower car rental rates. If you are a parent of a young child, you may even be provided with a free car seat.
One way to get discounts on hotel rooms is to join AAA. Your AAA membership will pay for itself right away in hotel and car rental discounts and availability. If you have young kids, find out if they have a free car seat service.
Don’t make long distance calls on your hotel phone. Use the Internet, instead. A lot of hotels offer wi-fi, making it possible for you to use Skype. Use these connections to keep in touch instead of costly long distance calls.
In hotel rooms, avoid calling long distance if possible. Use the Internet, instead. Some hotels now provide Skype via Wi-Fi. You will be able to stay in touch with family and friends while you are away without the additional expense of costly phone calls.
If you are inspecting a room for bed bugs, then the bathroom is the best place to start. This is the place least likely to have bedbugs. That means you can store your luggage here as you inspect. It’s safe for pets and kids too.
To keep the kids in your family happy when you are on the road, call ahead and make sure that the pools in each hotel are in working order. If you arrive at your hotel and the pool is closed, your kids will be very disappointed.
If you smoke, learn the smoking policy of the hotel where you are staying. There are sometimes rooms designated for people who smoke. So if you are a smoker, be sure to ask for one of those rooms. 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 are searching a hotel for bed bugs, you should check the bathroom first. This is the least likely place for bedbugs to be. This is the best place to put your bags while you look around. It is usually a convenient place for young children to sit for a moment too.
Whenever possible, do not check out prior to the scheduled date of your departure. If you do, then you could be charged an extra departure fee for early checkout. Whenever you reserve a room, it isn’t available to anyone else and the hotel will lose money if you cancel. To earn back this money they will lose, they charge you an additional departure fee.
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. The room has to be cleaned ahead of your check in. You can see if your room is ready should you arrive early. However, do not count on it.
If you are worried about your hygiene, you might want to not use the hotel’s bedspread. The bedspread is one item that does not usually get washed between bookings. Therefore, you don’t really know what is on it. Just make sure you remove the bedspread.
If you are going to need a rollaway bed or crib, specify this when booking your room. Not all hotels will supply these things, and some may have limited quantities. In addition, there is sometimes an extra charge for these items. Talk about these things when you make your reservations.
Don’t get that bottled water and open it! You will likely be thirsty when you check in. It is tempting to simply grab that refreshing bottle of water conveniently available in the mini-fridge. Hotels are entirely aware of this. That’s why they fill your mini-fridge with bottled water that costs ten times as much as it does at the store. Don’t fall for it. Some hotels offer free bottles of water in their gyms. Nonetheless, it is better to bring along a water filtration pitcher and reusable water bottle and filter your own water.
The bedspread might not be the cleanest linen in the room. Although the blankets and sheets are cleaned when guests check out, sometimes the bedspread on top will not be. It may be a carrier of bacteria and germs. Remove the blanket and use one you brought from home to stay safe.
If you are looking for a lower rate before you book a hotel, then don’t book a room during the peak season. This is the time that hotel rates are at their highest. Instead, try book your rooms during the off-peak season when hotels are trying to fill up their rooms. You will normally receive a discounted rate.
Don’t take any of the linens. Housekeeping keeps track of linens. It’s better to ask the hotel management if you can buy new ones of your own.
If you need to book a hotel room while already traveling, check gas stations or rest areas for free pamphlets containing maps of the area and information about local services. You can then call and book a room, rather than searching endlessly for places to stay.
As you have already read, everyone will eventually need to stay at a hotel. It’s necessary to do some research before you book. Hopefully, you now see why that is true.
Tipping appropriately will make your hotel stay a bit better. An example would be room service because it has the tip on the bill. However, you’ll find that maids don’t get extra so you may want to tip them. When you tip appropriately, you will get more respect and better service from hotel staff.
