The Best Hotel Advice That You Can Use

/ Holiday Homes / By

Sometimes, hotels are unavoidable. People who don’t research hotels usually choose the wrong ones. Luckily, this is a great place for you. The following article provides excellent tips on how to have the best possible hotel visit.

Prior to choosing and reserving a hotel room, check review sites online like TripAdvisor or Expedia. Here you can get first-hand reports of the experience people had staying at different hotels. What others say will help you make a wise decision.

TIP! Before making reservations at a hotel, check the online review sites. These websites have reviews and comments from people who have recent experience with their stay.

If you belong to any organizations, check with them for travel deals. You may be able to receive discounts on hotel through these organizations. 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.

Find great prices at online travel sites like Orbitz and Expedia. If you are a part of a loyalty program, make note of that. You might also have other discounts from a membership in the AARP or AAA.

TIP! Compare prices at websites like Orbitz and Expedia to ensure that you receive the best available rate. If you are a member of the hotel’s loyalty program, don’t forget to add that information as you check rates.

There are several things you should consider when booking a hotel. You should look at the price, but you should also look at the location that is most convenient for what you want to do. A pool, a gym, a restaurant, free breakfast, free local calls and free Wi-Fi are other amenities that may be important to you. Try to get a room that fits your needs, then start shopping by price.

Room service is one of the best parts about a hotel. How else could you possibly enjoy a midnight snack without leaving your bed? Although you will probably have to spend more money to do this, it’s usually worth the cost because you have the luxury of receiving excellent food without having to leave your hotel room.

TIP! Consider taking advantage of room service when the urge strikes for a late-night snack with your special someone. This service comes at a premium, but you can stay comfortable in your room while enjoying you eats.

Deals Online

Take advantage of the safe you have in your room, especially if you have electronics with you. This safe will store your small important items, such as your iPad, iPod, GPS, jewelry, etc. By doing this, you can keep these items secure and enjoy your day without fretting about someone stealing them.

TIP! When leaving your hotel room, keep any electronics you have secure by putting them in the room’s safe. Place all electronics there along with important documents, such as your passport or plane tickets.

Look for deals online. The hotel representative is unlikely to inform you there are better deals online. For this reason, making a proactive search is advisable. Look to websites like RueLaLaTravel or Jetsetter for more help.

You can use online travel sites to find great hotels. Use these websites to your advantage! They also list the average cost of a hotel room, allowing you to ensure you are receiving an acceptable deal. Finally, they can help you determine when you’d like to travel and what you’d like to do when you’re there.

TIP! You can use online travel sites to find great hotels. Some websites are designed to help you find the best deals.

Be aware of when you can check into your room. If you don’t know when you can check in, you may find your room is not ready when you arrive at your hotel. If you might be arriving before the check-in time, ask the hotel whether it’s okay to come.

Inspect the room before unpacking. Is the room clean? Check the toilet, the shower, and the sink to make sure they are clean and function properly. Are all the towels you’ll need present in the room? If you see any issues, be sure to tell the front desk. This way, they can fix the problems or switch rooms for you.

TIP! Don’t unpack upon arrival without checking your hotel room first. Is it tidy and sanitary? Are all bathroom fixtures in proper working order? Count how many linens and towels you were given and make sure there are enough for everyone traveling with you.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking all hotels will accept pets. Even if the website says they are pet-friendly, always call in advance to verify. Also ask exactly what they mean by pet-friendly, as there might be restrictions on certain breeds and sizes of pet that they allow on their premises.

Know the check-in times. Some people end up waiting for their room to be available because they forget to check this critical detail. If you anticipate arriving before check-in time, make a call to the hotel and inquire if you can arrive early.

TIP! Be aware in advance of the check-in time. Some people end up waiting for their room to be available because they forget to check this critical detail.

There are three things you must do before bringing your pet along on your vacation. First, find out if the hotel allows pets. It is also a great idea to bring along some plastic bags to clean up when your pet makes a mess. 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. So call ahead and make sure you understand if there are extra fees or a limited number of rooms available. Also, find out if there are any size or breed restrictions.

TIP! Don’t make assumptions about pet policies of hotels. Ask the hotel if pets are allowed, no matter what their site says.

If you want a nice massage for you and your loved one, book that as early as possible. Many top masseuses book by name, so plan as early as possible.

There are three things you must do before bringing your pet along on your vacation. First, ensure that the hotel actually allows pets. Gather plastic grocery bags so you are able to clean up any pet messes. Finally, ask the hotel staff if you can have a room on the far end away from guests so that you don’t interfere with their visit.

TIP! If you want to take your pet along on a trip, take care of three tasks before you leave. Take time to ensure that the hotel you’re booking is, in fact, pet-friendly.

Pack your GPS and running clothes while on vacation. For an early morning jog, get up and throw your gear on, and then head out the front door. You’ll get plenty of good exercise and a better understanding of the city around you.

Do you travel on a periodic basis? If so, consider joining your hotel’s loyalty program. There are many benefits you may be able to get. Rewards can include free hotel stays, upgrades and late check-out times if you save up enough points.

TIP! It is wise to join a hotel loyalty program if you travel frequently. Loyalty programs provide frequent guests benefits for booking with them on a regular basis.

There are membership programs that hotels offer for those that stay frequently at their chains. Just like frequent flyer mile programs, these hotel programs offer you points for your stay. These points add up to restaurant discounts, free nights, tickets to a show, spa treatments, and more.

If you are always staying at the same chain, find out about the programs they offer to frequent guests. Just like frequent flyer mile programs, these hotel programs offer you points for your stay. These points can be traded in for restaurant discounts, tickets to shows, free nights at the hotel, and much more.

TIP! There are membership programs that hotels offer for those that stay frequently at their chains. These programs give you points every time you stay there.

Environmentally Friendly

Choose a green vacation if you care for the environment. Fortunately, there are many green hotels available nowadays. Newer hotels are often certified green and designed and built using green standards. Hotels that have been around for a while may employ a variety of eco-friendly practices. Ask your booking agent about green hotels.

TIP! Do you care about your environment? If so, a “green” hotel may be for you. There are plenty of “green” hotels that take the environment into consideration.

Choose a green vacation if you care for the environment. Fortunately, there are many green hotels available nowadays. There are newer hotels that were built to be environmentally friendly. Old hotels will change their practices to be more green. Ask your travel agent to help you identify environmentally friendly hotels.

If you’re traveling with kids, be sure that you check on the pools to ensure they’re open and in service. 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.

TIP! If you are planning on staying in a hotel room with your children, make sure you call the hotel in advance to ensure they provide a working pool or some other fun activities for your children to do. There is nothing worse than getting to a hotel with kids to find the pool is closed.

For those frequent travelers, it may be better to build loyalty and perks by joining the membership club of your favorite hotel. These points can translate into some major perks when you’re vacationing.

Start looking in the bathroom when checking for bed bugs in a hotel. This is where you are least likely to find bedbugs. This is the best place to put your bags while you look around. It’s also a safe spot for kids and pets to sit for a bit too.

TIP! Inspect your room for bed bugs, starting with the bathroom. Bedbugs usually won’t stay here.

Try not to make any long-distance calls from your hotel room. Use the Internet, instead. Skype connections that are accessed through Wi-Fi are offered by many hotels. Use these to keep up with loved ones or colleagues back home from the comfort of your hotel room instead of racking up costly phone calls from the nightstand.

Ask for a crib or fold-out bed when you make your reservations. Not all hotels will supply these things, and some may have limited quantities. Also, you may face extra charges for the use of these items. Before making reservations, explain this.

TIP! Ask for a crib or fold-out bed when you make your reservations. Some hotels don’t have these things, while others do have a few.

Inspect your room for bed bugs, starting with the bathroom. This is where you won’t find them. Stow you suitcases and other items here and then take a good look at the rest of your room. Have kids and/or pets wait for you in the bathroom while you look around.

Don’t use the hotel bedspread if you can avoid it. While the staff may have washed the sheets prior to your stay, the comforter is not always washed. The bedspread can be laden with germs. Remove the blanket from the bed to have peace of mind.

TIP! If you are concerned about germs, don’t use the hotel bedspread. Most hotels only wash the sheets on the bed; however, the bedspread is normally not washed.

Look into the hotel policy with regard to pets. If you have pet allergies or the noise from pets bothers you, you might want to avoid these hotels. The smells tend to stick around. Depending on the hotel, you may be expected to pay extra for keeping a pet, but it isn’t usually a large sum. The fee may cover totally or partially the cost of the extra cleaning involved.

You have rights in the event where a hotel needs to “walk” you. You might find that a room you booked isn’t available when you arrive because they overbooked. The hotel will then “walk” you, or send you out to another hotel. Avoid getting “walked” whenever you can, but if you have to switch hotels, be certain that your reservation there is equivalent or even an upgrade.

TIP! You have rights in the event where a hotel needs to “walk” you. This refers to hotels overbooking their hotel rooms; therefore, the hotel room that you booked may not be available when you check in.

Early Departure

Do not drink the bottled water that is offered in the rooms. Sure, you’re thirsty and hot. You might want to open the bottled water they left you. Hotels take advantage of guests by charging ridiculous amounts for bottled water. Certain hotel gyms will provide guests for bottled water free of charge. It’s best to simply pack your own bottled water.

TIP! Don’t drink the water! You may feel a bit parched shortly after checking in. As a result, that bottle of water on the little fridge may look very good to you.

Don’t check out early, if possible. This could result in a charge for early departure. When you reserve a room, the management of the hotel removes that room from the market, so if you leave early, the hotel loses some money. They charge a fee for early departure to help compensate for the lost revenue.

Be sure you don’t take off with any items from your hotel room. No matter how much you love them, housekeeping will note missing linens and the hotel is likely to bill you for them. It is sometimes possible to buy linens or pillows from the hotel if you want them so badly.

TIP! Don’t take linens from your room! If housekeeping notices that you’ve taken towels or linens, you may be billed for those items. If you find you really like these items, then ask the hotel if you could purchase them instead.

For the sake of hygiene, avoid the bedspread provided by the hotel. They generally will wash the blankets and sheets that are under the bedspread, but the main bedspread may not be washed. That can make it rife with germs and bacteria and who knows what. Pull it off for peace of mind.

You can get some money saved if you book a flight and hotel at the same time. Online sites allow for bundles which lead to great discounts. To get the best deal, compare the rates between several airlines and hotels.

TIP! Save money by booking your flight and hotel together. Often travel websites provide greater discounts for package deals.

So, when it comes time to plan a trip, keep these tips handy. If you don’t do your homework, you might choose a hotel you really don’t like. With this article you have the information it takes to find the best hotel for your needs.

There are some good strategies for getting a free room upgrade. Arrive right at your check-in time. Many times the room you booked will not be clean yet, so they may offer you a better room for no additional charge.

TIP! Try to get a hotel upgrade without spending any money. You have a better chance of this if you arrive right at the time when you are supposed to check in.