You may not realize it, but which hotel you choose to stay in can have a big impact on your vacation. Because hotels are expensive, it is important to know what you are doing. These tips will get you the greatest room on budget.
Check online reviews before booking a room. Reviews allow you to read about recent experiences at a hotel. What others say will help you make a wise decision.
Before you pick out your hotel you’re going to reserve a spot at, check out review sites online like TripAdvisor. Here, you can read what people had to say about their hotel stay. What former guests have to say with regards to a hotel being considered can ensure you make an informed decision.
Online travel websites can offer you a great deal on hotels with lots of choices, all on the same website. If you belong to a hotel’s loyalty program, be sure to input that information when checking rates. Find out if you can get a discount for being an AAA or AARP member, too.
Room service is great for late meals. Room service generally costs more than ordering out; however, it is nice to be able to order a meal in the middle of the night if you so choose.
Would you like to enjoy the comfort of enjoying an incredible evening meal with your loved one without having to dress up and leave your room? If so, consider using room service. While you’re likely to pay a little more, it’s worth having the convenience of staying in your room (and in your pajamas) while you wait to satisfy those nocturnal cravings.
Double-check your organizational memberships. Many of these places will give you cheaper hotel prices. People frequently forget these discounts are available, and they can be 10 percent or more. This can help you to save some cash, especially if you’re going to be staying for a few nights. That’s almost an extra free night throughout an entire week.
If you belong to any organizations, find out if they get any discount from certain hotel chains. Some organizations offer discounts on hotels to their members. People don’t always remember to check out these discounts, which can often be 10% and higher. This can lead to a great amount of money saved, especially for those spending multiple nights at the hotel. This can also net you a free hotel night.
When you get to your hotel room, look over the room before unpacking. Is it clean? Do the sink, shower and toilet work properly? Do you have the blankets, pillows and towels you need? If you have any questions or notice any problems with the room, immediately call the front desk and report them so that they may be handled. You may also asked to be transferred to a new room if the problem is serious, such as mold or mildew.
There are a number of things to consider when deciding which hotel to stay at. Price is important but a shabby, dirty hotel room is no bargain at any price. A gym, pool, free breakfast, free wireless Internet, free local calls, and all kinds of other things may be important. So decide on the amenities that mean the most to you and start looking.
If you want to arrange for a couples massage at your hotel, be sure to book the appointment right away. In order to get the best masseurs at these top hotels, you must plan early to ensure that you get a good experience.
When get to your hotel, inspect the room before unpacking. Is your room mold and mildew free? Are all bathroom fixtures in proper working order? Are all the towels you’ll need present in the room? If you find obvious problems, notify the front desk right away so the hotel can correct the problems or they can assign a different room.
If you have a AAA membership, look into hotel discounts included. Your membership in this auto club has just such a discount available to you. You can save five percent or more on certain hotels. These savings really add up.
To get the best prices on hotel rooms, start your trip planning weeks, or even longer in advance. You can get some great discounts if your trip is booked several months into the future. Some of the most popular hotel chains can end up giving you up to 50 percent in savings.
Bring your running clothes with you on your trip. This makes it easy for you to wake in the morning and get in a run. Spending time on the road with your own two feet will give you a perspective that you’ll never get while riding in a car.
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. Be certain you understand all rules pertaining to pets. Some hotels only allow certain types, sizes and breeds.
If you are a person who travels often, it is a good idea to sign up for hotel loyalty programs. These programs provide perks to those who stay at a particular chain regularly. These programs can assure you niceties such as the best prices, room upgrades, and special perks such as free meals or late checkouts.
If you want to keep up your running regimen on the road, make sure that your packing list includes lots of running clothes and a GPS watch. You can still enjoy your early morning jog while on vacation if you have your gear and the right room booked. Running down city streets or country roads can give you a fresh view of the place you are visiting.
If you often stay at a certain type of hotel, ask about the “frequent stay” program. These hotel programs give you points for each stay. These points can add up to hotel restaurant discounts, spa deals, free nights and much more.
Think about going on a “green” vacation. Fortunately, there are many green hotels to choose from today. Some newer hotels have been built green and are certified green. Older hotels can go green by making environmentally friendly choices in energy use. Talk with a travel agent to find green hotels.
Environmentally Friendly
How much you’re going to pay for your hotel room will depend on when your room is booked. The prices are based partly on availability. If possible, try to book your room 24 hours or less in advance. This will get you the best hotel rates. Empty rooms don’t earn a hotel any money, so they are willing to slash the price.
Environmentalists can now enjoy a green vacation. The great thing is there are plenty of green hotels you can select from. There are plenty of hotels built today with strong environmental standards. Older hotels can go green by making environmentally friendly choices in energy use. Your travel agent can help to identify the environmentally friendly hotels.
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.
In order to avoid an unwanted expense on the hotel bill, inquire about any hotel transfer fees prior to booking them. Many times, rooms seem to be a good deal, but there are hidden fees for this service. Ask the hotel representative ahead of time to make sure you get the most savings.
When you travel, go through AAA to find hotel accommodations easier.` A membership with AAA not only provides you with hotel discounts but a guaranteed piece of mind when trying to rent a vehicle. People that have young kids will get a car seat for free in a lot of different places.
If you are a frequent business traveler, establishments like Marriott and Choice Hotels offer attractive membership programs. These programs allow you to collect points that can be applied toward further travels.
If you want to ensure happy kids while traveling, call the hotel ahead of time to check that the pools are open and in working order. Your kids and you will be very frustrated if the pool at your hotel is closed because of repairs when you arrive.
Sign up as an AAA member to make hotel arrangements easier when you are traveling. AAA members are given many discounts and booking privileges on hotel rooms and rental vehicles. Parents can also often enjoy a free car seat that comes with some rentals.
Find out if the hotel you want is smoking or non-smoking. If you are not a smoker, you might want to choose a hotel that does not 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. Sometimes, smokers rent non-smoking rooms and smoke in them. Choose a non-smoking hotel to avoid the stench.
Check with the hotel to make sure the pools are ready to go if you are traveling with children. It can be extremely frustrating if you arrive at your hotel only to find out the pool is shut down for maintenance.
Always ask about the hotel’s smoking policy if you smoke. Most hotels have designated smoking rooms. If this applies to the hotel of your choice, request that type of room specifically. Some hotels charge large penalties if they find that smoking occured in a room not designated for it, so make sure you follow the hotel’s smoking rules.
Be aware of the pet policy of the hotel. If you do not like pets, or you are allergic to them, then you should probably avoid pet-friendly hotels. 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 have an extra fee for pets, and the charge is not much in some places. The fee may cover the cleaning, and it may not.
Always review the policy of whether or not the hotel allows 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. You may get charged extra for having a pet, but a lot of places don’t charge all that much. 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.
Know that you may not be able to check-in early at some hotels. Unless you’re okay with waiting for your room to be ready, plan your timing wisely. Hotels have to make sure their rooms are ready for you. If you can’t avoid being early, ask the front desk to make an exception, but be prepared if they can’t accommodate you.
In most cases, checking into a hotel room ahead of schedule isn’t possible. Plan your time accordingly unless you want to wait in the lobby for hours. Hotels use these in between hours to make sure rooms are cleaned and ready for the next occupant. If you arrive earlier than your check-in time, you can always ask the front desk and see if they can let you in.
Be aware of your options in case a hotel “walks” you. When hotels overbook rooms, the one you reserved may not be available. In such cases, the hotel “walks” you, or sends you to another hotel. Avoid having this happen if you can, but if you’re going to a different hotel, be sure that the deal is better than the place you were trying to get.
Don’t pilfer the hotel towels or linens. It seems like a common thing people try to get away with, but the hotel will know when you do this and may charge you later for the missing items. If you really love those linens or pillows, find out if you can purchase them from the hotel.
As you have seen from the above article, if you take the time to do some research, then you can get a great rate on a great hotel room. You just have to know what to look for and when to book. Follow the tips presented here to find an excellent hotel at an affordable price.
Book your flight and hotel at the same time to save money. Use a travel site that has package deals, which include hotel, flight, and rental car. If you want to maximize your possibilities, comparison shop the rates of multiple hotels and airlines.
