Have you ever booked a bad hotel room that turned out to be a complete dump? This can ruin your vacation entirely. The information below will help you find a great hotel at an affordable price.
Prior to reserving a room at a hotel, look on the Internet for reviews. One great site is TripAdvisor. Here, you can read what people had to say about their hotel stay. Reading other people’s reviews of the hotels you’re considering can really help you decide which one to choose.
Check for online reviews prior to booking your stay. This will give you valuable information about the recent experiences have been like. What others say about their experiences at the hotels you’re thinking of booking can aid you make a wise decision.
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.
You can find a lot of great deals on hotel rooms using online and check out some of the travel sites. If you have a hotel loyalty program your a part of, make note of that. You may also be able to get good discounts through any memberships you have with organizations such as AAA or AARP membership.
Be sure to put all valuables, such as jewelry and electronics, in the hotel safe. Place all electronics there along with important documents, such as your passport or plane tickets.
Consider ordering room service when the urge strikes for a special someone. This service comes at a premium, but the convenience it provides is worth it.
Check with any membership programs for deals. Many of these places will give you cheaper hotel prices. It is easy to forget about the discounts. This can add up to big savings, even more so if you will be staying for many nights. A stay of 5 days or more could add up to one free hotel night stay!
You can stash your expensive items in the hotel safe.
There are many different things to consider as you search for a hotel to stay in. Of course price is a big deal, but a hotel close to where you are head is a big consideration. Amenities such as complimentary WiFi, free local calls, complimentary breakfast, a gym and pool and a convenient restaurant are also important considerations. So decide on the amenities that mean the most to you and start looking.
There are several things you should consider when choosing a hotel. You may want free WiFi access, large pool, free long distance or a nice pool or gym. Try locating a hotel that offers as many of your wish list as possible.
Check out the search tools offered by online travel sites. These sites can help you get good deals. You can see the average price of the rooms, and you can check to see how those rates stack up to the rates you’re being offered now. You can also use them to explore the area around the hotel for recreation.
Check out your hotel room ahead of unpacking. Is the room clean and devoid of mold and mold? Are all the towels in the room? If there are any obvious problems, notify the front desk right away so the hotel can correct the problems or they can assign a different room.
Check the Internet for the best deals before you book a hotel room during your next trip. In a lot of cases, the person booking your room isn’t going to tell you about online discounts. So you should always search on your own for discounts prior to booking. There are many travel websites that offer discounts.
There are three things you must do in advance if you’re going to be traveling with a pet. Be sure that this hotel really does allow pets. Be sure to have plenty of plastic bags with you so you can pick up your pet’s waste.
In order to save money on hotel stays, book far in advance. If you book one or two months in advance, you can often receive a discount. You can expect savings up to fifty percent if you book months in advance.
It may be wise to look into loyalty program if you travel frequently. They provide benefits to anyone who frequently stay at a hotel chain frequently. You can score things like complimentary upgrades, restaurant gift certificates or even a free stay!
If you run regularly, continue your routine when traveling by bringing running clothes and your GPS. Head out early in the morning after donning your running gear. Even if your route takes you through the street of a city, at least you will get a glimpse of the area you are visiting.
If you want to work on saving the environment, consider taking a “green” vacation. There are a lot of “green” hotels out there. Some of the newer hotels are built in a way that they get certified as green. Some older inns just select one or more eco-friendly so they can show environmental awareness. Talk to your travel agent if you want to find the best green hotels for your needs.
Never use the hotel phone for long distance calls. Instead, use the Internet. Some hotels now provide Skype via Wi-Fi. Take advantage of these options to keep in touch with family, friends and coworkers rather than incurring high costs by using the hotel’s phone system.
The cost of your room booking often determines the price you pay. Rooms in hotels are priced in accordance with availability. This will net you the very best rate on your hotel rooms.
If you are worried about bed bugs, start your inspection in the bathroom. This is the place least likely to have bedbugs. That means your luggage will be safe there while you check out the other areas of the room. It is also the safest place for children and pets, too.
Join a membership program to get deals on your stays. These programs allow you to collect points that can translate into some major perks when you’re vacationing.
You should know that it is not usually possible to check into your hotel early. Be sure you plan according to this rule unless you desire to sit in the lobby for quite some time. Hotels use these in between hours to make sure rooms are cleaned and ready for the next occupant. Should you arrive early, ask at the desk if it is possible to check in, but do not be surprised if they say no.
Try not to make long distance calling in hotel rooms. Many hotels now offer Skype connections on their Wi-Fi.This saves you a bunch of long distance calls from your hotel room.
When reserving your room, be sure to ask for a roll-away bed or crib if you will be in need of these extra sleeping accommodations. The hotel may not have these items on hand. If they do, quantities may be limited. They may charge extra for this. Avoid difficulties by making these arrangements in advance.
It is extremely frustrating for you and your room with the kids screaming “pool” only to find out it’s closed.
Whenever possible, do not check out prior to the scheduled date of your departure. Some hotels charge early departure fees. When you book a hotel room, the hotel takes that room off the market; thus, if you depart early they will lose money. To earn back this money they will lose, they charge you an additional departure fee.
Start looking in the bathroom if you need to make sure there are no bed bugs in a hotel. This is where bedbugs are least likely to find them. It is also a safe place for children and pets.
Don’t drink the 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. Hotels are aware of this; therefore, their bottled water prices are very expensive. Sometimes the gym in the hotel will give you free bottled water. It is best to simply bring your own bottled water.
Check to see if your prospective hotel you’re looking to stay at is non-smoking or smoking. If you’re someone who doesn’t like cigarette smoke, you might want to skip a smoking hotel. Smokers don’t always respect the fact that the room they are not supposed to smoke in.
Do not take any of the hotel’s linens with you when you leave. They might be lovely, but you will be charged for them. Ask the hotel upfront if you can buy similar items from them directly.
Find out what the hotel handles pets. These hotels might also suffer from odors sinking into the carpet and bed linens. Some hotels charge a nominal fee for pets, and the charge is not much in some places. The fee may not be adequate to cover the extra cleaning involved.
If you want a hotel room upgrade, try to get one without paying anything extra. The best way you can do this is to show up at the hotel exactly at your scheduled check in time. Hotels often count on their guests being late; therefore, they will often not have their rooms ready at the set time; therefore, by showing up on time, the hotel may provide you an upgraded room at no extra cost to you.
Some hotels don’t offer cribs or rollaways; while others have a limited number of them. Talk about these issues as you make your reservations.
To get good service and keep the mood happy all around, tip when the situation calls for it. Room service charges usually include a tip in the bill, but maid service does not include tips for the maids. This keeps the staff happy, which in turn will help you to have a more pleasant stay.
Avoid using the bedspread. The bedspread usually isn’t washed like the sheets or blankets underneath. This bedspread is where you would find the comforter has tons of germs and germs. Just remove it from the bedspread.
A better view is sometimes available from certain rooms in the hotel. If there is not a price difference between rooms, opt for the one with the best view. This can improve how you think about your hotel stay. It doesn’t hurt to ask the hotel for rooms that have better views.
Be aware of your rights in case a hotel “walks” you. The hotel will then send or “walk” you off on another hotel. Avoid getting “walked” whenever you can, but if you have to switch hotels, make sure you get a comparable or better room and the travel to there paid for.
Tell your booking agent that you are staying at the hotel for a special occasion. Hotels may throw in complimentary stuff if they know you are celebrating a milestone birthday or anniversary. They may provide a bottle of wine or champagne to help you celebrate. However, make sure you always tell the truth about these events.
Do not open the bottled water! You may be very likely to be tired and thirsty when finally arriving to a hotel. You can be tempted to casually open that bottle of water beckoning on the mini fridge. Hotels take advantage of guests by charging ridiculous pricess for bottled water. You might be able to get bottled water for free in the hotel gym. It’s best to simply bring your own bottled water.
To get great prices, use websites like Travelocity or Expedia. The websites really help the hotel’s business, so the hotel’s offer them exceptional deals. Some sites need you to bid on a room, while others may withhold the actual price until you commit to buy, so watch out for that.
Do not give in to the temptation to run off with you when you leave.
When you depart from your hotel, be sure to tip the head of housekeeping. You can skip tipping for certain things because you’re billed for them anyways, but you should definitely give a tip to the maid. You probably were a little messy, so be nice and leave a little something for the maid.
Gas Stations
Sometimes asking the hotel clerk for a deal can get you a better rate. If the rate can’t be lowered, they also sometimes offer other things like a free breakfast or dinner vouchers. If you don’t speak up, you can’t get perks!
If it becomes necessary to book a hotel from the road, check out rest areas or gas stations to find tourist books which will have maps, gas stations and tourist centers for complimentary tourists books which contain hotel prices, maps and great discounts. This will help you call ahead to book a room that’s right for you.
If you use a third-party site to book your hotel, identify any hidden fees or surcharges. A lot of the time you’ll get a quote that doesn’t include every charge. Read the fine print so you know any additional charges you’ll be paying.
Now that you have read this article, you should have a better idea of how to find a great hotel without having to pay through the nose. It is easy to find deals once you are aware of where to look. Follow the tips presented here to get great accommodations.
Various hotels within a single chain or brand may not be of the same quality. A good experience at a particular hotel that belongs to a chain does not mean that you will have a good experience at a hotel of the same chain in another city. That’s why you must individually check every hotel you stay at, even if you’ve stayed there before.
