A hotel is important when it comes to whether or not you’ll enjoy your trip. Hotels are expensive, so this is not a decision to be taken lightly. Read these tips to learn how to shop like the best travelers do.
Consider ordering room service if you want a special meal without needing to go out. While this could cost you a little more, it will be worth it because you can stay in your room and take care of the cravings you’re having.
Check online hotel reviews prior to booking your stay. These types of sites let you read about real customers’ experiences with each hotel. What people say about a hotel can help you figure out where you should be staying.
Keep your electronics secure by using the hotel safe located in your hotel room. You can use it to store your tablet and other expensive items to keep them secure.
Use travel websites, like Expedia and Priceline to find great hotel deals. If you belong to a hotel’s loyalty program, be sure to input that information when checking rates. Additionally, there may be other price breaks for you through various organizations, like AAA or other exclusive clubs.
Make sure you check with any organizations of which you are a member. Some organizations will receive discounts for different reasons from different hotels. Many people forget to do this and miss out on saving a sizable amount of money. That can save a lot of money, especially if you are staying for multiple nights. If you stay for a week, these discounts will almost add up for a free night.
Use your hotel room’s safe to keep your valuables secure. You can use it to store your tablet and other expensive items to keep them secure.
There are quite a few things you need to think over when you’re about to stay at a hotel. Price is one factor, however you may also need your hotel to be close to a particular destination. Amenities like a swimming pool, a gym, free local calls or breakfast, and other amenities may be things that you prefer. Ensure the hotel you are planning on staying at has the amenities you desire.
Check out the search tools offered by online travel sites. These websites can help you quickly find great deals. 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. They might even offer some decent entertainment venues that you should experience while you’re in the local area.
Prior to booking your hotel room, search the Internet for deals. It’s not uncommon for a hotel employee to not mention to you that it is possible to receive a great discount online. This leaves the job of finding discounts entirely up to you. Websites like TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Jetsetter always have promising bargains for certain hotels that you won’t find anywhere else for a better price.
Check online for great hotel deals. Often, the reservations clerk will not advise you that a better deal is available online. So, it’s up personally to you to go searching for such discounts. Websites like Travelocity and Expedia can be a great way to do research on hotels.
Check out your room ahead of unpacking. Your room should definitely be neat and should not have any odd smells, suspicious stains or mildew. Does everything work? Are you given the linens and towels that you’re going to need? Any problems that you notice should be reported to front desk staff right away. That way, they can be rectified or you can change rooms.
If you wish to include amenities such as massage while staying at a hotel, be sure to make your reservations in advance. The best masseuses are booked well in advance.
Don’t think every hotel is pet-friendly. You should call ahead to double check, even if it was stated on the website that this is a pet friendly hotel. Also, find out if there are any size or breed restrictions.
If you are a person who travels often, it is a good idea to sign up for hotel loyalty programs. They provide rewards to those who stay with them often. The rewards can include free room upgrades, free meals and movie or show tickets tickets. The points can add up.
If you need to travel with your pet, you need to make three advance preparations. Find out if the hotel you have selected is pet-friendly. Also, take a good supply of plastic bags, such as grocery bags, to clean up after your pet. 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.
If you stay at the same hotels all the time, check to see if they have a frequent-stay program. You should be able to earn points every time you are visiting one of the hotels. These points add up to restaurant discounts, free nights, tickets to a show, spa treatments, and more.
If you want to book a good couples massage, you should not wait until the last minute. Usually, the best massage therapists are booked well in advance at top resorts. If you plan early, you will have the best experience possible.
Be sure to avoid hotel transfer fees by asking about them in advance. Hidden transfer costs can really make a room not worth it. Ask the hotel representative ahead of time to make sure you get the most savings.
Bring your running clothes with you on your trip. You can still enjoy your early morning jog while on vacation if you have your gear and the right room booked. When you go running in a new city, you will get a free tour, up-close and personal.
Consider joining a membership program if you travel often. This allows you to earn points each time you book a room. You can use these points to purchase perks in the future.
If you travel often, it’s a great idea to enroll in a hotel’s loyalty program. They provide benefits to anyone who stays at a hotel chain frequently. These programs can assure you niceties such as the best prices, room upgrades, and special perks such as free meals or late checkouts.
Call ahead to your hotels to make certain the swimming pools are ready for your kids. There is nothing worse than getting to a hotel with kids to find the pool is closed.
Vacation “green” if you are worried about the environment. Fortunately, there are many green hotels to choose from today. There are plenty of hotels built today with strong environmental standards. Also, older hotels often make several changes to become eco-friendly. Talk with a travel agent to find green hotels.
Check to see if your prospective hotel is non-smoking or smoking. If you are not a smoker, you might want to avoid hotels with smoking rooms. However, even with non-smoking rooms, there’s no telling if the guy next door is smoking. Sometimes a smoker will get a non smoking room and still smoke in it. To avoid cigarette odors entirely, opt for a non-smoking hotel.
A membership in AAA can make booking a hotel easier when you travel. Not only will AAA members receive discounts for a lot of hotel chains that make it worth getting into, you may also find rental cars more easily than those without the membership. In addition, parents may enjoy the benefit of having free car seats provided.
Check to see if the hotel allows pets. If you fear pets or have allergies it may be best to make reservations at hotels that have a strict no pets policy. Not to mention, you’ll definitely notice unwanted smells in the floor or in the linens if you don’t own a pet yourself. Some hotels add an extra charge for pets, other do not. The fee might be too low to cover the extra cleaning costs.
You don’t want to make too many long distance calls while you’re staying in a hotel room. Instead, you should try the Internet. The hotel may even offer Skype calls via Wi-Fi. This saves you a ton of money.
Be aware that you can’t normally check-in early at your hotel. Plan for this, or you may risk waiting in the hotel lobby for an hour or more. Hotels use these in between hours to make sure rooms are cleaned and ready for the next occupant. If you can’t avoid being early, ask the front desk to make an exception, but be prepared if they can’t accommodate you.
Find out if the hotel you’re staying at has a functioning pool for the kids. There is nothing worse than arriving at your destination anxiously looking forward to splashing around in the pool, only to find that it is closed.
By just doing some research and preparing for it, you can find a great deal on a nice hotel. You just need the right information. Follow the tips presented here to find an excellent hotel at an affordable price.
Is your room non-smoking or not? If cigarette smoke bothers you, look for a hotel that doesn’t have 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. In addition, some smokers will rent out non-smoking rooms and smoke in them. If you don’t want to smell like cigarettes after leaving your hotel room, you might want to look for a non-smoking hotel.
