Need To Get Hotel Knowledge? Read This!

Booking a hotel is something that’s important to learn about. Hotels can be pricey and making a mistake in choosing a hotel can be expensive, not to mention the damper it puts on your trip. If you’re trying to figure out what you should do to pick out a hotel, you’ll get great advice in this article. So keep reading!

Compare prices at websites like Orbitz and Expedia to ensure that you receive the best available rate. Input your loyalty info when you are looking for rates online. If you have a membership in any other organization, put that down as well.

TIP! Find great hotel room prices by checking out travel websites like Orbitz and Expedia. Input your loyalty info when you are looking for rates online.

Check out online travel websites in order to discover the best deals on hotels. Examples include Orbitz and Expedia. If you are a member of a loyalty program, use that info when checking rates. Also, you may be eligible for discounts through other organizations to which you may belong, such as AARP or AAA.

Prior to emptying out your suitcase, carefully look over your room. Make sure there is no mold or mildew anywhere in the room. Are all bathroom fixtures in proper working order? Do you have enough towels and linens? If you see any issues, be sure to tell the front desk. This way, they can fix the problems or switch rooms for you.

TIP! Inspect the room before unpacking. Is it tidy and sanitary? Do the sink, shower and toilet work properly? Have the staff provided all the necessary soap, shampoo, towels, etc.

Use your hotel room’s safe to keep your valuables secure. Putting these items in the safe ensures that you can go out and have fun, not worrying about what you’ve left in the room.

Be aware of when you can check into your room. If you don’t check, the room may not be ready when you arrive. Call the hotel if you are early and find out if your room is ready.

TIP! 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 the hotel about their check-in time.. If you don’t know when you can check in, you may find your room is not ready when you arrive at your hotel. Call the hotel if you are early and find out if your room is ready.

Not every hotel allows pets. 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.

TIP! Don’t think that all hotels will be pet friendly. Be sure to call in advance and find out about their policies, regardless of website info.

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. Also, find out if there are any size or breed restrictions.

If you need to have a pet stay with you in your hotel room, do a few things ahead of time. Check to see if the hotel actually permits pets. Remember to bring bags so that you can pick up your pet’s waste when you travel. Reserving a room near the end of a hallway will keep other guests from being disturbed by your pet.

TIP! There are three things to do ahead of time if you want to bring your pet to a hotel with you. First, ensure that the hotel actually allows pets.

Be sure to consult AAA to help you make excellent plans for your entire vacation. Your membership in this auto club has just such a discount available to you. You can save five percent or more on certain hotels. Those discounts add up to great savings, especially if you will be having an extended stay.

If you’re going to be wanting a massage at your hotel, book it well in advance. Resorts that have masseurs often have very fully booked massage schedules, so it is important to plan ahead.

TIP! If you want to arrange for a couples massage at your hotel, be sure to book the appointment right away. The best practitioners go fast, so make your reservation early and book by name where possible.

Bring your running clothes with you on your trip. When you wake up and feel like a jog, simply toss on your gear and head out. Running not only provides you with great exercise, but it also helps you better learn the city in which you are residing.

If you travel often, consider signing up for a loyalty program with your favorite hotel chain. They provide rewards to those who stay with them often. You can get a free upgrade, restaurant gift certificates or even a free stay!

TIP! If you go out to travel quite a bit, it’s good to get signed up for a hotel’s loyalty program. They offer rewards to guests who book the same hotel chain frequently.

How much your hotel room will cost depends largely on the time you book. Rooms are often priced in accordance with availability. Whenever you can, don’t book your hotel room until the last 24 hours. This gives you the best prices in reserving hotel rooms. Hotels would rather discount the price because an empty room does not earn them any money.

The price of a hotel room is often a mix of many factors. The prices are based partly on availability. Try to book a specific room at least 24 hours ahead of time, but it’s even better if you book weeks ahead of schedule. This will get you the best hotel rates. Empty rooms don’t earn the hotel money, so they’re happy to cut the price and reserve a room.

TIP! The price of a hotel room is often a mix of many factors. The price is subject to the laws of supply and demand like any other product.

Before you decide to book, always find out if there are any hotel transfer fees so you won’t be surprised on your bill. If the room is the bargain, then an expensive transfer can ruin the whole savings. Ask the hotel representative ahead of time to make sure you get the most savings.

In order to avoid any surprise charges, inquire about hotel transfers prior to booking. 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.

TIP! Inquire about hotel transfer costs before before booking. If you’re getting what appears to be a nice deal on the room, these types of hidden charges can sometimes surface.

Membership Program

If you do a great deal of traveling, consider joining hotel chain loyalty programs. When you stay at a hotel, you get points you can use later on.

TIP! 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. By joining a membership program, you earn points during every visit.

Consider joining a membership program if you travel often. By joining a membership program, you earn points during every visit. These points can add up to free items over time.

Be careful not to make long distance phone calls on the hotel phone. If you don’t have a cell phone or the Internet, buy a calling card to keep with you during your trip. A lot of hotels offer wi-fi, making it possible for you to use Skype. Use these to keep up with loved ones or colleagues back home from the comfort of your hotel room instead of racking up costly phone calls from the nightstand.

TIP! Making a long distance call from a hotel room should be avoided. Try using the Internet, instead.

To make reserving a hotel easy, use AAA. AAA members can receive great hotel discounts as well as locate a rental car much more easily. They even throw in free car seats at most locations if you’re a parent.

Ask if your possible hotel reservation is either smoking or non. If you are a nonsmoker, you may want to avoid hotels that offer smoking rooms. Even if you book a non-smoking room, smoke can enter your room through air vents. Sometimes a smoker will get a non smoking room and still smoke in it. 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.

TIP! Make sure to ask up front if the hotel allows smoking or does not. If cigarette smoke bothers you, look for a hotel that doesn’t have smoking rooms.

Start by inspecting the hotel bathroom if you need to make sure there are no bed bugs. This is the place least likely to have bedbugs. 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.

Find out how the hotel handles pets. If you are allergic to pets, avoid pet friendly hotels. These hotels may also have an odor due to the smells sinking in the floor and linens. Extra fees are sometimes imposed by hotels for guests who bring pets, but sometimes the fee is not too high. The fee may be for any cleaning that needs to be done.

TIP! Always find out the pet policy at any hotel you stay at. If you are allergic to animals, you should probably avoid staying in hotels that allow people to bring their pets.

Look into the hotel policy with regard to pets. If you fear pets or have allergies it may be best to make reservations at hotels that have a strict no pets policy. Pet odor lingers. Most hotels charge a pet fee; however, sometimes this is negligible. The fee may be for any cleaning that needs to be done.

It is not always possible to check-in early. Plan to get there at the right time if you don’t want to wait. It is usually necessary for hotels to service your room prior to allowing you to check in. Having said that, don’t hesitate to ask the front desk about checking in if you do arrive early; however, you shouldn’t expect to be able to do this. The best thing you can do is arrive on time.

TIP! You should be aware that early hotel check ins are not always possible. Make sure you plan around your check-in time, or you will be forced to sit in a lobby to wait for your room.

Remember, that early check-ins are a rarity in most hotels. Plan for this, or you may risk waiting in the hotel lobby for an hour or more. It is usually necessary for hotels to service your room prior to allowing you to check in. If you happen to show up early just ask if your room was prepared early, but they’re most likely going to say no.

If you will be needing a rollaway or a crib, alert the hotel to this fact when making your reservation. Not every hotel will carry them, and the ones that do may not have enough to go around. There can be extra charges for these items, as well. Make sure these needs are discussed during the initial reservation so you don’t get any surprises.

TIP! If you are a parent who needs a roll-away or a crib in their hotel room, then you’ll need to call prior to making your reservation and find out if they are available. Some hotels do not offer cribs or rollaways; while others have a limited number of them.

If you need an extra bed or crib, make sure you discuss this when making your reservation. Some hotels don’t have them, and others have a limited amount. They may charge extra for this. Make sure these needs are discussed during the initial reservation so you don’t get any surprises.

It you’re able to, try not to check out until it’s time for you to depart. Some hotels charge a fee for early departure. A booked hotel room is taken off the market, meaning your early departure would cost them money. Therefore, some will charge the early departure fee.

TIP! Whenever possible, do not check out prior to the scheduled date of your departure. The hotel could impose a fee if you check out early.

Unless it is an emergency, always stay for the total number of nights that you have booked. The hotel could impose a fee if you check out early. Booking a hotel room means the hotel is going to take that specific room off of their market. If you wind up leaving early, then they’ll be losing money for every day that you don’t stay. This is why they have the departure fee, to get their money back that they would have otherwise lost.

Stay away from the bottled water! You may be very thirsty upon arrival. You might feel the urge to untwist the cap on the bottled water sitting in the mini-fridge. There is a huge mark-up in price because the hotel knows this fact. Sometimes the gym at the hotel will provide free bottled water. Pack a couple bottles of water.

TIP! Don’t be tempted to open bottled water! After traveling and checking in, you might be feeling tired and/or thirsty. As a result, that bottle of water on the little fridge may look very good to you.

You have learned a few tips that can assist you in finding the perfect hotel. Reread this article, if necessary, to get a complete understanding. When you have the knowledge here down pat, you’ll be ready to find the best hotel room for any of your future trips.

Do not take the linens with you when you check out of the hotel. Housekeeping will generally notice when something like pillows, towels or washcloths are missing, which may lead to the hotel charging you for the missing items. It is sometimes possible to buy linens or pillows from the hotel if you want them so badly.

TIP! Resist the urge to abscond with the hotel linens. You may really like those towels, pillowcases and washcloths, but their absence will not go unnoticed.