A substandard hotel stay is downright insulting when you consider how much a hotel costs. Whether you get charged a bunch or end up a place that isn’t that nice, you will have a bad time if you don’t have good information about this. If you wan to make sure you have an enjoyable stay, and thus an enjoyable vacation, then pay serious attention to the advice below.
Prior to making reservations, research hotels on sites like TripAdvisor. Here you can get first-hand reports of the experience people had staying at different hotels. What people say about their experiences at the hotels you’re thinking of booking can aid you in coming to the right decision.
There are quite a few things you need to think over when you’re about to stay at a hotel. Of course price is a big deal, but a hotel close to where you are head is a big consideration. Internet access, pools, fitness centers and breakfast offered are a few other things to consider. Try to find a hotel that offers as many of your desired amenities as possible.
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 can use hotel search tools on the Internet. You can use such websites to discover great deals with ease and speed. They can provide you with an idea of the average rate charged by each hotel, so you will have a good idea as to whether or not the deal you are being offered is good. They also help you decide the dates for your vacation and the activities you’ll want to partake of.
The Internet is a great place to research hotels. They allow you to quickly locate great discounts. They also let you see what full price is, so you know you are saving money. The websites can also help you decide the best time to take a trip and where you can eat, shop or sight-see.
To get a good price when you want a hotel room, get your trips planned quite a few weeks or so in advance. Quite a few locations will give discounts if you choose to book a room a month or more in advance. You can expect savings up to fifty percent if you book months in advance.
Most hotels are not pet-friendly. Call ahead to their service desk and make sure, even if their website listing says they are. In addition, get specifics with regard to the pet policy, because only particular breeds or sizes of pets may be permitted at the hotel.
Be sure and take care of three important things before bringing a pet on your trip to any hotel. Take time to ensure that the hotel you’re booking is, in fact, pet-friendly. Gather plastic grocery bags so you are able to clean up any pet messes. When you make your reservation, request accommodations near the very end of the floor in order to not disturb other guests.
Book massages as early as possible. The best massage therapists are well-known at resorts, so planning early is the best way to create a good experience.
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. Usually, the best massage therapists are booked well in advance at top resorts. If you plan early, you will have the best experience possible.
One of the best bonuses of a AAA membership is great discounts on booking a hotel. You could also get a surprise that you have an auto club membership that gives you hotel discounts. You may be able to save upwards of five percent at hotels nationwide. This can add up in time!
Loyalty Program
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. This makes it easy for you to wake in the morning and get in a run. Whether you are running on roads or city streets, you will gain more knowledge about the city you are visiting while you run.
It may be wise to look into loyalty programs that your favorite hotels offer. A loyalty program offers many benefits. You can score things like complimentary upgrades, later check-out options and even free nights once you accumulate enough loyalty program points.
Do you travel a lot? Consider using a hotel loyalty program. They have benefits for those who frequently stay at a hotel. It is possible to earn perks such as free stays, extended check out times and other upgrades.
Do you use the same hotels on a regular basis? If so, check out their membership programs for frequent guests. These are similar to frequent flyer programs, offering points each time you stay at a particular chain. These points can be used to earn free nights, discounts and more.
If you often stay at the same hotel chain, check to see if they offer membership to frequent stay programs. These hotel programs give you points for each stay. These points can be used to earn free nights, discounts and more.
The timing of your room booking often determines the price you pay. Rooms in hotels are often priced based on their availability. Whenever you can, maker your room reservation no more than a day ahead of time. In this way, you will get good rates. Hotels are often happy to slash prices on impending vacancies since they will get nothing if they can’t book the room.
Find out about hotel transfer costs prior to booking a room to avoid hefty fees. If the room is the bargain, then an expensive transfer can ruin the whole savings. Be sure and inquire about this beforehand so that you get your savings.
In order to avoid an unwanted expense on the hotel bill, inquire about any hotel transfer fees prior to booking them. You don’t want to ruin the deal you are getting on your room by paying for an expensive transfer. You save the most money when you ask about this beforehand.
Join a loyalty program to get deals on your stays. These points can translate into some major perks when you’re vacationing.
Get a AAA membership to facilitate the process of booking a hotel when you travel. Members of AAA will get additional hotel discounts up to five percent, but you’ll also get discounts on rental cars as well. In addition, parents may enjoy the benefit of having free car seats provided.
Be sure you understand the pet policy of the hotel. If you fear pets or have allergies it may be best to make reservations at hotels which do not have a pet-friendly policy. Pet odor lingers. Some hotels are pet-friendly and don’t charge for it, while other hotels will add a hefty fee for keeping a pet. If the hotel allows animals in any room, then you may want to book elsewhere if you have allergies.
Try not to make any long-distance calls from your hotel room. Rather, use a web tool. You will probably find that your hotel has Wi-Fi and Skype. Use this type of thing to get with people you know while you’re in your hotel room so you can save quite a bit of money.
If you’re going to need to get a crib or a rollaway, you need to let the people at the hotel know before you arrive. Most hotels only have so many of these items to go around, and some hotels may not have any at all. On occasion, these services may require an additional charge. Talk about what you need when booking your room so you are not unpleasantly surprised.
Check with the hotel to make sure the pools are ready to go if you are traveling with children. Nothing is more frustrating than to have kids nagging you about swimming, only to find that the pool is closed.
If possible, don’t check out earlier than intended. You may be charged a fee if you do. When you book a hotel room, the hotel takes that room off the market; thus, if you depart early they will lose money. So, in leaving early you risk being charged a fee for early departure.
Look into the smoking policies in the hotel you are considering. If you don’t smoke, you may wish to avoid those that 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. Also, people may rent a non-smoking room and smoke in it. Choose a non-smoking hotel to avoid the stench.
You may wish to use a different blanket than the comforter that is in your hotel room. They generally will wash the blankets and sheets that are under the bedspread, but the main bedspread may not be washed. The bedspread can be laden with germs. Remove the bedspread and use your own travel blanket or comforter, instead.
Always ask about the hotel’s smoking policy if you smoke. Some have rooms for smokers. Therefore, if you are a smoker, always ask for a room that allows smoking. Some hotels will levy a large fine if they can determine that you smoked in a room where smoking was not allowed, so make sure you understand and follow the hotel’s smoking policy.
Know your personal rights when any hotel tries 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. In these situations, the hotel may try to book you at another hotel, or “walk” you. If you cannot avoid this situation, you need to be booked at a comparable hotel or upgraded room for your troubles.
Use these tips to avoid hotels that are not adequate. If you’re able to figure out what needs to be watched for and what to do to get good deals, your experience will go just fine. When you are traveling, a hotel should be a restful place, not a source of unhappiness.
Whatever you do, don’t open the bottled water. After checking in you may be thirsty and tired. You might want to open the bottled water they left you. Hotels take advantage of guests by charging ridiculous amounts for bottled water. Check the hotel gym and see if they offer it for free. The best option, however, it to bring your own bottled water.
