Staying in a hotel should make you feel like a comfortable and relaxing experience.You definitely don’t want to be comfortable without having to pay your hard earned money to be uncomfortable and unhappy. Read on for some excellent tips about choosing the ideal hotel.
Be sure to read online review websites prior to booking a hotel. Here you can get first-hand reports of the experience people had staying at different hotels. What patrons have to say about the hotels you are considering can help you make the best decision about where to stay.
Check online hotel reviews before booking your stay. These reviews can give you to see previous guests’ experiences at the hotel you are considering. What people say with regards to a hotel being considered can aid you in coming to the right decision.
Use travel websites, like Expedia and Priceline to find great hotel deals. Always remember to give your loyalty program information to the clerk when you book your room or search for prices. Additionally, there may be other price breaks for you through various organizations, like AAA or other exclusive clubs.
Use websites like Orbitz or Expedia for great deal. If you’re a member of a loyalty program of a hotel, remember to include that information when you are checking on rates. You may also be able to get discounts from other organizations you belong to such as AAA or AARP.
Get room service if you don’t want to leave. It may cost more, but it’s convenient when you don’t feel like leaving.
You should put any expensive items in the safe and go about your day without worry.
Once you get to your hotel, do not unpack until you check the room. Is it without mildew and mold? Do the sink, shower, and toilet all work properly? Are there enough linens and towels? 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.
Take advantage of search tools provided online when searching for a hotel. These sites allow you get good deals.
Part of trip planning is knowing what time check-in is at your hotel. You don’t want to arrive early only to find out your room isn’t ready yet. Ask for an early check-in time if absolutely necessary.
Inspect the room before unpacking your bags. Is the room clean and devoid of issues like mildew free? Are linens and towels you’ll need present in the room? If you quickly note any problems, call the front desk that instant so they can address them or move you to another room.
Not every hotel allows pets. Even if a web listing says a hotel is pet friendly, call the hotel to verify. Make sure they specify what pet-friendly means since there may be certain restrictions on pet sizes and breeds that are allowed on the property.
Plan your trip in advance as you can to ensure best rates. Many locations offer the best discounts if you book a few months in advance. You may even be able to save up to 50 percent off at some very exclusive hotels.
If you belong to AAA, see what kinds of discounts the hotel offers. You may not have known that, but it’s true. You can save 5 percent or more on your hotel stay just by showing your membership card. The savings can really add up nightly.
If you are a member of AAA, see what kinds of discounts the hotel offers. You may not know that your membership to the auto club also includes discounts on hotels. You can save 5% or even more on hotels all over the country. This is a savings that can add up on a long trip.
It is wise to join a hotel loyalty program if you travel frequently. They offer rewards to guests who book the same hotel chain frequently. You can get a free upgrade, restaurant gift certificates or even a free stay!
It is wise to look into loyalty program if you travel frequently. They provide rewards to those who stay in the same hotel chain. You will be able to earn stuff like a free upgrade, free stays, and complimentary late check out with enough points accrued.
Sign up for frequent guest programs at hotels. Many hotels offer membership programs that allow you to earn points for each of your stays. You can accumulate points that you can redeem for free hotel stays, discounts at restaurants, and all types of entertainment.
Green Hotels
You may wish to consider a “green” vacation if the environment is one of your concerns. There are several green hotels around. Many new hotels are constructed to meet green standards, earning green certification. Hotels that have been around for a while may employ a variety of eco-friendly practices. Ask around for hotels that are friendly to the environment.
If you care quite a bit about your environment, you can chose a “green” vacation. The great thing is there are plenty of green hotels is steadily growing. Some of the newer hotels were built green and are certified green. Some older hotels simply choose a variety of eco-friendly so they can show they care. Talk with a travel agent to find the best green hotels for your needs.
How much you’re going to pay for your hotel room will depend on when your room is booked. Hotels price rooms based on availability. Book your room more the day before you need it if you can. You can often get the best price if you do it this way. Empty rooms don’t make money, so hotels slash prices to fill the building.
Be sure you know the cost associated with hotel transfer fees by asking about them in advance. If you’re getting what appears to be a nice deal on the room, it is especially important that you ask about any hidden fees that might be tacked onto your bill. Asking about this ahead of time helps you maximize your overall savings.
A membership in AAA can make booking a hotel easier when you travel. AAA members not only get discounts at many hotel chains, it will also make it much easier to rent a car. If you have young kids, find out if they have a free car seat service.
Don’t make any long distance calls on your hotel phone.Many hotels now offer Skype connections on their Wi-Fi.You can stay in touch with people back home by using this instead of making expensive long distance calls from your hotel phone.
Find out if the hotel you’re staying at has a functioning pool for the kids. Nothing is more frustrating than to have kids nagging you about swimming, only to find that the pool is closed.
Start by inspecting the bathroom if you need to make sure there are no bed bugs. This is where bedbugs are least likely to find them. It is a convenient place for young children to sit for a moment too.
Make sure to ask up front if the hotel you’ll be staying in allows smoking or does not. If you’re not a smoker, it may be wise to stay away from rooms that are for smoking. However, even with non-smoking rooms, there’s no telling if the guy next door is smoking. Smokers also sometimes smoke in rooms that you are not supposed to smoke in. Instead of choosing a non-smoking room, you can actually find an entire non-smoking hotel if you really want to avoid nasty, secondhand smoke.
You should always be aware whether or not the hotel’s policy concerning pets.These hotels might also suffer from odors sinking into the floor and linens have absorbed them. Some hotels charge extra fees for pets, and the charge is not much in some places. The fee may cover the cost of the extra cleaning needed to completely remove the odors.
What is the policy on pets? If you are allergic to pets, avoid pet friendly hotels. These hotels could have weird odors because of smells getting into the linens and the floor. Some hotels may charge you extra for pets, and some may not charge at all, or the fees are lower. In fact, the extra charge for pets might not even cover the costs of cleaning; therefore, you should make sure you know all this ahead of time.
Hotel Early
You should know that you generally aren’t going to be able to do an early check-in at a hotel. Be sure to plan your arrival with that in mind, or you may be sitting in the lobby area for some time. The hotels need a chance to clean up your room prior to check in. You can request an early check-in ahead of time, but it may cost more.
Be aware that you can’t normally not possible to check into a hotel early. Plan your trip right or you want to wait in the lobby for hours. Hotels need to get a room so it is ready for you get to check in. If you do get to the hotel early, ask at the front desk if you can possibly check in early, but don’t think that it will happen.
If needed, always ask about the availability of a crib or roll-away at the time you reserve the room. Some hotels don’t provide these things, and the ones that do usually have a limited amount. They may charge extra for this. Talk about what you need when booking your room so you are not unpleasantly surprised.
Not every hotel chains do offer these and those that will be able to accommodate you. Talk about these things when you make your room.
Unless it is an emergency, always stay for the total number of nights that you have booked. Some hotels charge a fee for early departure. If you check out too early, the hotel will lose money because they remove the room off the reservation list. That’s why they will charge you a fee for early departure.
Never actually check out earlier than your scheduled departure date unless it’s an emergency. The hotel may charge you an early departure fee. When you book a hotel room, the hotel can’t offer the room to someone else, if you depart early they will lose money.
If you are concerned about good hygiene, do not use the bedspread given to you by the hotel. The bedspread is one item that does not usually get washed between bookings. The bedspread can be laden with germs. Take the bedspread off of the bed.
Be aware of your options in case a hotel attempts to “walk” you. The hotel will attempt to foist you to another hotel. Avoid having this happen if you can, but if must go to another hotel, make sure you get a comparable or better room and the travel to there paid for.
If you want a hotel room upgrade, try to get one without paying anything extra. The best way you can do this is to show up at the hotel exactly at your scheduled check in time. Quite often, your room has not been cleaned yet, so you may be able to get an upgraded room at no extra charge.
Don’t pilfer the hotel linens home.
If you find yourself having to book a hotel while on the road, look at tourist centers, rest areas and gas stations for free tourist books that contain maps of hotels, prices and incredible discounts. This will save you time and money.
You can get some money saved if you book your flight and hotel at the same time. A lot of travel online sites feature serious savings for people who reserve a hotel and a rental car or flight from them.
Remember that views can vary between different hotel rooms. If it isn’t going to cost you an arm and a leg to get a nice view, request one. Just having a better view can enhance your enjoyment of your hotel stay. It won’t hurt you to ask them if they can get you a room with a better view.
You want to have an enjoyable experience during your hotel stay. So read the tips above once more for clarity. Use these tips, and have a great stay. Finding a great hotel, and a great price is easy if you just keep the above tips in mind.
Never pay the advertised price at hotels. The advertised price is known as the rack rate. If you are a savvy traveler, then you can get away without paying as much. As a matter of fact, you can haggle the hotel down in price in most cases. Just give the hotel a call to see if you can get a great deal. Take the initiative to get a better price. Sometimes, travel websites will offer considerable discounts.