You Don’t Need A Travel Agent To Pick A Great Hotel

Sometimes, staying in a hotel is unavoidable. If you don’t do the research, you might wind up staying in a hotel that you hate. Thankfully, you found this article. These tips can help you discover the best hotel along with ways to get a better price for it.

Prior to booking a hotel, refer to TripAdvisor and similar online travel review sites. This gives you first-hand accounts of people’s experiences in each hotel. What former guests have to say with regards to a hotel being considered can ensure you make an informed decision.

TIP! Before booking your hotel room, look to online review sites for in depth reviews from recent travelers. These reviews can give you a customer’s perspective of the hotel you are planning on staying at.

Use travel websites to find the most competitive prices for hotel chains online. If you are a member of a loyalty program, use that info when checking rates. Additionally, there may be other price breaks for you through various organizations, like AAA or other exclusive clubs.

Room service is one of the best parts about a hotel. How else could you possibly enjoy a midnight snack without leaving your bed? You will probably pay more for this meal, but for the convenience of having it delivered to your room, it is worth it.

TIP! You can enjoy a romantic dinner in your room by calling room service. It may cost more, but it’s convenient when you don’t feel like leaving.

When thinking about selecting a hotel, there are quite a few salient points to consider. Of course price is a big deal, but a hotel close to where you are head is a big consideration. Amenities that help you choose a hotel are free breakfast, free Wi-Fi, exercise room, pool, and a restaurant on the premises. So decide on the amenities that mean the most to you and start looking.

Take a look into organizations you are part of. Some organizations offer discounts on hotels to their members. Discounts of 10% or more are often available, and people sometimes forget that they are eligible to claim them. You end up with an even bigger savings if your hotel stay is going to be for multiple nights. For a week of vacation time that adds up to an extra day!

TIP! Check in on the organizations you belong to. Some groups provide members with discounts on certain hotels.

Take advantage of tools provided online when searching for a hotel. These sites allow you to find great deals quickly. They can also allow you to look at the average rates of a hotel. These travel sites also list activities available in your area.

Take advantage of search tools online. These websites can help you get great deals quickly. They also let you see what full price is, so you know you are saving money. These travel sites also list activities available in your area.

TIP! Take advantage of search tools online. You can use such websites to discover great deals with ease and speed.

Know the hotel’s check-in time. If you show up too early, you may find yourself sitting around the lobby, waiting for your room to be ready. Call the hotel if you are early and find out if your room is ready.

Check online for great hotel deals. Often, the person booking your room won’t tell you about discounts available online. It is your responsibility to scour the Internet for these savings. Sites, such as Jetsetter, will let you know of any discounts available.

TIP! Always see if you can find deals online when you’re thinking of getting a hotel room. Often, the reservations clerk will not advise you that a better deal is available online.

Book Early

Know when you are able to check in and get your room. If you don’t know you may end up waiting a long time. If you’re going to come to the hotel before you should be checking in, call them first to see if there’s anything they can do for you.

TIP! Verify the check-in time at the hotel. If you don’t know you may end up waiting a long time.

You should always start planning any serious trip months or weeks ahead of time. This will help you book early and get the best prices. If you can book early, you may get a huge discount. This can save you as much as 40 percent off of the cost of your hotel.

If you need to travel with your pet, you need to make three advance preparations. First, find out if the hotel allows pets. Gather plastic grocery bags so you are able to clean up any pet messes. See if you can stay in a room toward the end of a hall so your pet does not disturb guests.

TIP! There are some things you have to do before taking your pet on a trip. Find out if the hotel you have selected is pet-friendly.

Don’t make the assumption that all hotels will welcome your pet. You should call ahead to double check, even if it was stated on the website that this is a pet friendly hotel. Always ask about what exactly a pet-friendly policy entails, as there could still be limits on breeds and sizes.

Always book early for that special couples massage for you and your loved one. Frequently, the best massage people will be booked by name. This means that if you book early, you’ll have a better experience.

TIP! If you’re going to be wanting a massage at your hotel, book it well in advance. Frequently, the best massage people will be booked by name.

Think about these three things if you plan to bring a pet with you during your hotel stay. First, ensure that the hotel actually allows pets. Gather plastic grocery bags so you are able to clean up any pet messes. Also, request a room away from other guests so that your pet does not bother them.

Be sure to consult AAA to help you make excellent plans for your entire vacation. AAA members actually receive hotel discounts at specific hotel chains! You may save 5% or even more on nationwide hotels. These savings can really add up if you travel often.

TIP! If you are an AAA member, check into your membership hotel discount. It may come as a surprise to find that an auto club membership offers hotel discounts, but that is the case.

Are you a AAA member? If so, hotels may provide you a discount. Your membership may entitle you to hotel discounts. You can save 5 percent or even more on hotels around the country. This really adds up when you are staying for many nights.

Frequent travelers can benefit from loyalty programs offered by many hotels. They provide benefits to anyone who stays at a hotel chain frequently. There are many rewards given when you accumulate loyalty points such as free stays, free upgrades and later than usual check out times.

TIP! If you travel a lot, you should consider joining hotel loyalty programs. They offer benefits to people that stay at the same chain quite often.

If you run regularly, continue your routine when traveling by bringing running clothes and your GPS. When you wake up and feel like a jog, simply toss on your gear and head out. You’ll get plenty of good exercise and a better understanding of the city around you.

Think about going on a “green” vacation. The number of “green” hotels is steadily growing. 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. Check online or ask a travel agent for help.

TIP! If you care about the environment, then you may be interested in taking a “green” vacation. Luckily, there are a lot of green hotels out there in this day and age.

The price you are charged for your hotel room is partly dependent upon when you make the reservations. Hotels price rooms in part based on availability. If you can, make your reservation no earlier than 24 hours before you arrive. This will net you the best price when it comes to hotel rooms. Empty rooms don’t earn the hotel money, so they’re happy to cut the price and reserve a room.

The time you book the room will change how much you’ll pay. Rooms are typically priced according to availability. If possible, book your room no more than 24 hours in advance. This will usually ensure that you receive the best available price. A room that’s empty won’t help the hotel, so generally they will get the price lowered.

TIP! Timing matters when booking a hotel room. Rooms are often priced in accordance with availability.

Be sure you know the cost associated with hotel transfers when booking a room. If you’re getting what appears to be a nice deal on the room, these types of hidden charges can sometimes surface. You save the most money when you ask about this beforehand.

Find out about hotel transfer costs prior to booking a room to avoid hefty fees. Many times, rooms seem to be a good deal, but there are hidden fees for this service. Inquiring in advance will mean more savings for you.

TIP! Before you decide to book, always find out if there are any hotel transfer fees so you won’t be surprised on your bill. Especially in situations where the price of the room represents a major deal, the hidden cost of the transfer can often make the difference.

Maximize your hotel stays with membership programs like the ones that Marriott or Choice Hotels offer. When you do, you get points every time you stay at a hotel.

To get the most out of your hotel stays, particularly if you travel a great deal for business, join a membership program such as that offered by Choice Hotels or Marriott. These points can translate into some major perks when you’re vacationing.

TIP! Join a membership program if you travel frequently. That way, each time you stay, you accrue points that you can turn into vacation freebies when it’s time to take the family on an adventure.

Become a member of AAA in order to make your travel arrangements easier. Your AAA membership will pay for itself right away in hotel and car rental discounts and availability. You might even get a free car seat if you have kids.

One way to get discounts on hotel rooms is to join AAA. Your AAA membership will pay for itself right away in hotel and car rental discounts and availability. If you are a parent of a young child, you may even be provided with a free car seat.

TIP! Being a member of AAA makes travel very easy. If you do a lot of traveling, the AAA membership can pay for itself, and you can also get deals on rental cars.

Do not make long distance calls from your hotel room. Instead, you should try the Internet. Most hotels offer Wi-Fi, but you will probably need their password and may have to pay a fee to use this service. But the Internet is infinitely useful while traveling so it is usually worth it.

Call ahead of arrival to see if the pool is open to keep the family happy. There is nothing worse than getting to a hotel with kids to find the pool is closed.

TIP! When traveling with children, check with the hotel ahead of time to ascertain that the pool is usable. There is nothing worse than arriving at your destination anxiously looking forward to splashing around in the pool, only to find that it is closed.

Do you smoke? If so, it is important that you are aware of a hotel’s smoking policy in advance. Some have rooms for smokers. If that is the case, you should ask for one of those rooms. If they find you have smoked in a non-smoking area, they may charge you a fine.

Start looking in the bathroom when checking for bed bugs in a hotel. This is the last room they are likely to be. That makes the bathroom the safest place to keep the luggage while you look through the remainder of the accommodations. If you have pets or children with you, ask them to wait in the bathroom too.

TIP! When you look for bed bugs, start in the bathroom. Bedbugs are least likely to live here.

When your hotel attempts to “walk” you, don’t stand for it! Occasionally, a hotel overbooks and your booked room is unavailable. That means the hotel will send you to another establishment, or “walk” you. 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.

Be sure you know what the hotel smoking policy is if you smoke cigarettes. Most hotels have designated smoking rooms. So be sure to request one of these rooms. Smoking in a non-smoking room can be a big no-no and you may even be charged an extra cleaning fee.

TIP! Know whether or not smoking is allowed in your room. Some have smoking rooms.

Do not take any of the hotel’s linens with you when you leave. As much as you may like the towels, washcloths or pillows, housekeeping is likely to notice any missing items, and the hotel may send you a bill for them. If you really like the linens, see if they are available for purchase.

Be sure you don’t take off with any items from your hotel room. Even though you might like the pillows, washcloths, or towels, the housekeeping staff will probably figure out you left with something and they might charge you. If you really like the linens, see if they are available for purchase.

TIP! Be sure you don’t take off with any items from your hotel room. Housekeeping will notice items are missing and you could get a bill.

You can get a cheaper price on a nice hotel if you book during their slow times of the year. This is when you get charged high rates. If you can, try to reserve rooms during the low season. This is when the hotels are anxious to fill their rooms. You are more likely to be offered a good rate.

Try getting an upgrade without paying for it. You can be sure of this by being on time to accept your hotel booking. Often the room you have reserved will still be dirty, so the front desk may offer an upgraded room for no charge.

TIP! If an upgrade is desirable, try a strategy that might get it free. Show up exactly when you are to check in.

Staying at a hotel doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Without due diligence, your hotel stay might stink. The advice you have read here can help you find a really nice hotel that does not cost too much.

A better view is sometimes available from certain rooms in the hotel. If it isn’t going to cost you an arm and a leg to get a nice view, request one. A good view will make your stay more pleasant. It never hurts to ask if there are rooms with better views available.

TIP! The view from some hotel rooms is better than from others. When the price is the same regardless of the view, ask for a room with a great view.