Finding a good hotel can make your vacation. If your hotel is costly, it will consume money you could be using to enjoy your vacation. Read on for suggestions on how to find hotels that match the budget you have set along with other personal needs.
Use Orbitz or Expedia to find a great deal. Always remember to give your loyalty program information to the clerk when you book your room or search for prices. You might also have other discounts from a membership in the AARP or AAA.
Find great hotel room prices by checking out travel websites like Orbitz and Expedia. If you have a hotel loyalty program your a part of, be sure you enter this information while looking through rates. Find out if you can get a discount for being an AAA or AARP member, too.
In order to get the best hotel deals, always plan your trips weeks ahead of schedule, or even a few months. Some hotels have great discounts when you book a couple of months in advance. You might even be able to save up to 50 percent off at some very exclusive hotels.
To get a meal later at night order yourself some room service. It may cost more, but it’s convenient when you don’t feel like leaving.
Never make the assumption that all hotels allows pets in your room. Call the hotel in advance to ensure the hotel is pet friendly. Make sure that you ask ahead what pet-friendly means to the hotel because this is a loose term that may still mean there are certain restrictions.
There are tons of online search tools that help customers find satisfactory rates they can’t find elsewhere. You can use such websites to discover great deals with ease and speed. They can also allow you to look at the average rates of a hotel. Finally, they can assist you in deciding when to vacation and what to do once you arrive at your destination.
If you’re a member of the AAA, you should see what your hotel membership discount will be. You would be surprised where hidden discounts may be lurking. You can save upwards of 5% on your hotel stays. These savings quickly add up, especially if you are staying for multiple nights in a row.
Deals Online
If you travel often, consider signing up for a loyalty program with your favorite hotel chain. They provide benefits to anyone who stays at a hotel chain frequently. These loyalty programs allow you to earn free upgrades, late check outs and even free stays.
Always see if you can find deals online when you’re thinking of getting a hotel room. The hotel representative is unlikely to inform you there are better deals online. It is your responsibility to find any available discounts. Websites like Travelocity and Expedia can be a great way to do research on hotels.
The time you book the room will change how much you’ll pay. Rooms are priced based on availability. Try booking your hotel room within 24 hours of your stay. You’ll end up with a great deal this way. If the hotel never rents the room they’ll get zero dollars for it, so most of the time they will give you a steep discount on it.
Inspect the room before unpacking. Is your room mold and mildew free? Check the toilet, the shower, and the sink to make sure they are clean and function properly. Is the room adequately stocked with towels and linens? 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.
Discuss what a hotel transfer will cost you prior to actually booking anything. A transfer can sometimes come with a substantial hidden cost. You can increase the amount you save by simply finding this information out in advance.
Be sure and take care of three important things before bringing a pet on your trip to any hotel. Make sure the hotel is actually pet-friendly. Pack a supply of plastic grocery bags with you – you will need to clean up any pet waste. When you go to make the hotel reservation, see if there is room on the end that would prevent the other guests from hearing a noisy pet.
Consider joining a membership program if you travel often. Each hotel stay can accrue points towards vacation perks.
If you’re going to be wanting a massage at your hotel, book it well in advance. The best professionals are often in high demand, so get in while you can.
Do not make long distance calls from your hotel room. Use the Internet, instead. The hotel may even offer Skype calls via Wi-Fi. This can be a much cheaper option than calling from a hotel room and getting hit with lots of fees.
AAA members get an extra discount at certain hotel chains. It may come as a surprise to find that an auto club membership offers hotel discounts, but that is the case. You could save 5% or even 10% on some rooms. The more nights you stay, the more you will save.
Make sure that your family enjoys their stay by calling ahead to ensure the hotel’s swimming pool is working, It can prove rather frustrating when you check in to your room with the kids screaming “pool” only to find out it’s closed.
Do you travel on a periodic basis? If so, consider joining your hotel’s loyalty program. They offer a variety of benefits to their members. There are many great rewards even leading up to free stays as you gather up more loyalty points.
If you want to inspect a hotel room for bed bugs, start with the bathroom. This room is usually free from bugs. You can leave your bags there while you investigate the remainder of the room for bedbugs. It is a safe place for pets and kids to stay.
If you want to save money, and you stay at the same place a lot, consider signing up for the hotel’s version of a frequent guest program. Then you can accrue points, get extra perks, and save money.
See if the hotel is non-smoking or smoking. If you are a non-smoker, you will enjoy a non-smoking room more. You could still get a non-smoking room, but smoke can flow through the air and settle on your clothes. Smokers often don’t care that their room is non-smoking, too. Choose a non-smoking hotel to avoid the stench.
Try not to make any long-distance calls from your hotel room. Look to the Internet, instead. Skype connections that are accessed through Wi-Fi are offered by many hotels. Use these connections to keep in touch instead of costly long distance calls.
Checking in early may not be available. Unless you’re okay with waiting for your room to be ready, plan your timing wisely. Hotels need the time to clean your room so it is ready for you to check in. You can request an early check-in ahead of time, but it may cost more.
Make sure that your family enjoys their stay by calling ahead to ensure the hotel’s swimming pool is working, It is extremely frustrating for you and your children to arrive at a hotel expecting a pool and/or other activities only to discover that there are none.
Always let the hotel know if you need a crib for your stay at the hotel. Most hotels only have so many of these items to go around, and some hotels may not have any at all. Additionally, there may be an extra fee for these items. Talk about your needs when you reserve a spot so you don’t get surprised with something you won’t like.
Figure out if you want a hotel you can or cannot smoke in. If you are not a smoker, you might want to avoid hotels with smoking rooms. The smoke can settle into your clothing and luggage. Smokers don’t always respect the fact that the room they are renting is a non-smoking room. By choosing a hotel that does not allow smoking, you can completely avoid the smell of cigarettes.
If it all possible, never check out before your scheduled departure date. The hotel might charge you an early departure fee. If you check out too early, the hotel will lose money because they remove the room off the reservation list. They charge a fee for early departure to help compensate for the lost revenue.
If you smoke, learn the smoking policy of the hotel where you are staying. Many hotels still offer smoking rooms. You should try your best to book one of these if they are available. Otherwise, you might find yourself paying a high fee for smoking in a room that is designated as non-smoking.
If you are concerned about germs, you might want to take the bedspread off of the bed. While the staff may have washed the sheets prior to your stay, the comforter is not always washed. It can carry a lot of germs. Pull it off for peace of mind.
GUests should be aware whether or not the hotel allows pets. If you fear pets or have allergies it would be best if you make reservations at hotels that have a strict no pets policy. Because odors have a tendency to linger on fabrics and rugs, the hotel may have an odor about it. Some hotels may charge you extra for pets, and some may not charge at all, or the fees are lower. The fee may cover totally or partially the cost of the extra cleaning involved.
If a hotel tries to “walk” you, know what your rights are. Sometimes hotels are going to overbook and then your room that you reserved won’t be there. The hotel will then “walk” you, or send you out to another hotel. This should only be a last resort and the other accommodations should be just as good or better and your trip there should be paid for as well.
Staying in an expensive hotel can make you have a less than desirable trip because of the money it costs. Use the advice here to locate a comfortable and affordable hotel. Keep these tips in mind when you plan on booking your next hotel.
Do not open that bottled water! Sure, you’re thirsty and hot. This could tempt you to open the water that is in the mini-fridge or on the desk. Hotels are well aware of this and will charge you a hefty fee for that already exorbitantly priced bottled water. You might be able to get bottled water in the hotel gym. A better option to simply bring your own bottled water.