The best hotel stay is one where you feel like a respected guest. You definitely don’t want to pay your hard earned money to be uncomfortable and unhappy. Keep reading for some advice on choosing a great hotel.
Make sure you check out online review websites prior to making a reservation for a hotel. These sites will allow you to see previous guests’ experiences at the hotels you are considering. Factor former guests’ reviews into your final decision.
Prior to booking a hotel, refer to TripAdvisor and similar online travel review sites. Online review websites will allow you to see previous guests’ experiences at the hotels you are considering. Their opinions can help you decide whether or not a certain hotel is the right one for you.
Get room service if you don’t want to leave. Sure, it might cost a bit more, but it is completely worth it to be able to kick back and relax, while your food comes to you.
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 the closet safe to protect your electronics. Put all of your valuables and small electronics into the safe, such as your jewelry and iPad. They’ll be safe in there and you can leave the hotel room without worry.
Don’t book a hotel room without looking for online deals. The reservation clerk won’t offer these details to you over the phone. It’s your job to find them yourself. There are many travel websites that offer discounts.
Always check for online deals prior to booking your hotel room. You might not learn from the person on the phone that you can actually get great discounts over the Internet, instead. It’s your job to find them yourself. Look at Jetsetter, RueLaLaTravel or similar websites for discounts.
Prior to emptying out your suitcase, carefully look over your room. Is it clean? Are the toilet, shower and sink functioning properly? Are there enough of the right linens? If any issues are immediately prevalent, call the front desk that instant so they can address them or move you to another room.
If you want to find the absolute rock bottom hotel prices, plan your trips weeks or months ahead of time. Some hotels have great discounts when you book a couple of months in advance. Some of the most popular hotel chains can end up giving you up to 50 percent in savings.
Know the hotel’s check-in time. Some people neglect asking what the check-in time is and get to the hotel when their room is still not ready. If you will be arriving early, call and ask if this is okay.
If you plan on taking a family pet with you to a hotel reservation, do three things in advance. Find out if the hotel will allow pets first. Be sure to bring some bags with you so you can pick up your pet’s waste. When you make a reservation you should see if you can stay near the back of the hallway to keep other guests away from your pets when they are making noises.
Don’t make assumptions about pet policies of hotels. Call them ahead of time to see if they are even if the website they’re on says yes. 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.
Use your AAA discount at hotels. You might be surprised to learn that your membership to the auto club also includes discounts on hotels. You may save 5% or even more on nationwide hotels. This is a savings that can really add up over several nights.
If you need to have a pet stay with you in your hotel room, do a few things ahead of time. Be sure that the hotel really does allow pets. Also, take a good supply of plastic bags, such as grocery bags, to clean up after your pet. When you make your reservation, request accommodations near the very end of the floor in order to not disturb other guests.
The time you book the room will change how much you’ll pay. Rooms prices are based on their availability. Don’t book a room more than a day in advance. This will usually ensure that you receive the best available price. This is because the hotel will want to book rooms that are currently empty.
If you want to have a massage with your partner on your vacation, make sure that you schedule an appointment with a masseuse as early as possible. The best massage therapists are usually booked up for months ahead of time, and you don’t want to miss out.
To avoid major expenses on your final hotel bill, be sure to ask the sales representative about the price of hotel transfers first. If the room is the bargain, then an expensive transfer can ruin the whole savings. Ask about this beforehand to save more.
If you are someone who travels a lot, signing up for any hotel loyalty programs is probably a good idea. There are many benefits you may be able to get. Some of the useful things that you can earn are extra upgrades, free nights, and late check-outs.
To get optimal value from a hotel stay, especially if you find yourself traveling a lot for your business, sign up for membership programs such as those offered by Marriott or Choice Hotels. Then you can accrue points, get extra perks, and save money.
If you don’t want to get a big expense on the hotel bill you get, speak to the place about hotel transfers prior to booking things. Particularly if you are getting a discount, the fee associated with the transfer may be high. Be sure and inquire about this beforehand so that you get your savings.
If you are concerned about bed bugs, look in the bathroom first. This is the least likely place for bedbugs to be. Therefore, you can put your luggage here while you look over the remainder of the room. Not to mention a great place for your children and pets too.
Avoid using the hotel phone to make long distance phone calls. Instead, you should try the Internet. You will probably find that your hotel has Wi-Fi and Skype. Use these types of services to keep in contact with loved ones back home instead of having exorbitant charges added to your bill from the costly phone calls.
Inquire if the hotel is a non-smoking hotel. If you are not a smoker, you might want to choose a hotel that does not have smoking rooms. Even in a non-smoking room, the smoke from other rooms is in the air and might infiltrate your clothing. Smokers often don’t care that their room is non-smoking, too. If you don’t want to smell like cigarettes after leaving your hotel room, you might want to look for a non-smoking hotel.
If you are searching a hotel for bed bugs, you should check the bathroom first. This is the last room they are likely to be. This makes it an ideal spot to put your luggage as you check out the rest of your room for bedbugs. Kids and pets can stay there as well.
Always ask about the hotel’s smoking policy if you smoke. Hotels normally have rooms set aside for smokers. You should try your best to book one of these if they are available. There are hotels that will charge you quite a bit if they find out that you were lighting up in the room that wasn’t for smoking. This is why you should stick to the rules.
Determine whether or not the hotel you are considering allows smoking or not. If you are a nonsmoker, you may want to avoid hotels that offer smoking rooms. You could still get a non-smoking room, but smoke can flow through the air and settle on your clothes. Also, people may rent a non-smoking room and smoke in it. Request a non-smoking room if you do not want to smell like cigarettes.
It may come as a shock to you, but most hotels don’t allow you to check-in early. If you are going to arrive early, plan on doing something to fill your time. The rooms can’t be readied and cleaned until the prior guests are gone, so this means that check-in time is usually around 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. Should you arrive early, ask at the desk if it is possible to check in, but do not be surprised if they say no.
Learn about the smoking policies if you smoke. Many have designated rooms for smokers. If this is what you’re looking for, inquire about these rooms. Smoking in a non-smoking room can be a big no-no and you may even be charged an extra cleaning fee.
If you book a room during a heavy occupancy period, don’t be surprised if you have a mandatory stay of a few days or more. If you check out early, you could be liable for early checkout fees. When you make your reservation, the hotel can’t offer the room to someone else, so they lose money if you leave early. This means that they must compensate for that loss with a fee for early departure.
If you are going to need a rollaway or a crib, make sure that the hotel knows this in the reservation process. Hotels usually have a limited number of these, and you don’t want to ask at the last minute. They may charge extra for this. Discuss your needs at the time of booking.
Some people choose not to use the bedspreads provided by the hotel staff for hygienic reasons. Most hotels only wash the sheets on the bed; however, the bedspread is normally not washed. As a result, the bedspread will likely contain all kinds of germs and bacteria. Just remove this covering from the bed to have peace of mind.
You want to be pleased with your hotel room, not disappointed. So go online or start calling, and find the room that is right for you. You can find the perfect room with a little bit of knowledge.
Be prepared with a knowledge of your rights if a hotel ever tries to “walk” you. If your hotel overbooks, your room may not be available when you get there. When this happens, the hotel directs you to another property, “walking” you. If you cannot avoid this situation, you need to be booked at a comparable hotel or upgraded room for your troubles.