You have probably heard of people loving their vacation, but hating the hotel they stayed in. The place you stay is a major part of the impression your vacation leaves. You naturally want to stay in an affordable establishment with great service. Read on to learn how.
Compare prices at websites like Orbitz and Expedia to ensure that you receive the best available rate. If you are in a hotel loyalty program, put your information in. You may also be able to get discounts through AAA or AARP.
Use online travel sites, such as Expedia and Orbitz, to find the best prices at the hotels you want to stay at. If you are a member of a hotel loyalty program, make sure to indicate this when searching for rates. Don’t neglect to check for other discounts in which you may qualify, including AAA and AARP.
If you want a meal at night, it is much more comfortable to enjoy room service. Room service can be expensive, but the luxury of being able to lounge about in your room in your jammies can make it worthwhile.
Be sure to keep your valuables and electronics secure by locking them in your hotel room’s safe. Place all electronics there along with important documents, such as your passport or plane tickets.
Be sure to keep your valuables and electronics secure by locking them in your hotel room’s safe. You should put any expensive items in the hotel safe.
You want to look at a number of different things when booking a hotel stay. While price is obviously a factor, you may want to think about room size and amenities as well. Amenities, such as a gym, room service, or free Wi-Fi, might be of importance to you. Seek to locate a hotel that provides lots of attractive amenities.
What groups are you a member of? Some offer big discounts on hotel rooms. The discounts could be 10% or even higher! When you’re staying for more than one night, this can add up to a decent savings. This can rack up a free night over the entire course of a whole week.
Check the Internet for the best deals before you book a hotel room during your next trip. Many times, the reservation specialist won’t tell you of discounts when you call to book your room. So you should always search on your own for discounts prior to booking. Use popular websites such as Jetsetter, SniqueAway, or RueLalaTravel.
When you arrive at your hotel, thoroughly inspect your room before unpacking. Is it tidy and sanitary? Do the sink, shower, and toilet all work properly? Do you have all the towels and linens you need? Any problems that you notice should be reported to front desk staff right away. That way, they can be rectified or you can change rooms.
Make sure that you know the check-in time for the hotel that you book. Some people forget to find out what time they are allowed in their room; they show up at the hotel only to find their room is not yet ready. If you anticipate arriving before check-in time, make a call to the hotel and inquire if you can arrive early.
You can get better deals on hotel rooms if you book several weeks or months ahead. Many locations offer discounts if you are willing to book more than a month or two ahead of time. With elite brands, this can translate into savings of up to 50 percent.
Plan your trip as far in advance as you can to ensure best rates. A lot of hotel locations offer discounts for reservations a month or more in advance. You may even be able to cut the price down by half!
Don’t think that all hotels will be pet friendly. Call and ask before you reserve. Be sure you know what pet-friendly means because there could be specific restrictions on sizes or certain breeds of dogs.
If you need to travel with your pet, you need to make three advance preparations. First, ensure that the hotel actually allows pets. Make sure you bring along plenty of plastic bags to dispose of any pet waste. And, ask if your room can away from guests.
If you are an avid jogger, a GPS watch is a great investment so you can always find your way back to your hotel. Also, don’t forget your exercise clothes! Try enjoying an early jog at your new destination. This can be a great way to stay in shape while seeing some of the local scenery. Even if you stick to city streets, you will gain a better perspective on your destination city before you leave.
If you are a member of AAA, ask about a hotel discount. It may come as a surprise to find that an auto club membership offers hotel discounts, but that is the case. You can save 5 percent or more on your hotel stay just by showing your membership card. The savings can really add up nightly.
It may be wise to look into loyalty programs that your favorite hotels offer. There are many benefits you may be able to get. Enjoy late check out, bonus upgrades and free nights with the loyalty paints you have earned.
If you are always staying at the same chain, find out about the programs they offer to frequent guests. Similar to frequent flyer programs, hotels have programs that add points on to your account each time you stay with them. These points can be used to earn free nights, discounts and more.
The amount you pay for the hotel room is determined by when you book it. Hotels price rooms based on availability. If possible, book your room no more than 24 hours in advance. This will get you the very best rate on your hotel room. An empty room will earn the hotel no money; so, they generally slash the price.
The price you pay at a hotel often depends on the time frame in which you reserve the room. Rooms prices are based on their availability. Don’t book a room more than a day in advance. This is the best way to get the best prices. This is because the hotel will want to book rooms that are currently empty.
If you are a frequent business traveler, establishments like Marriott and Choice Hotels offer attractive membership programs. When you do that, you accumulate points for every stay, and that can add up to free nights or vacation discounts.
If you do a great deal of traveling, consider joining hotel chain loyalty programs. When you do that, you accumulate points for every stay, and that can add up to free nights or vacation discounts.
If you are going to inspect if your hotel room has bed bugs, then start looking in the bathroom. You probably won’t find any bedbugs in the bathroom. This makes it an ideal spot to put your luggage as you check out the rest of your room for bedbugs. It’s safe for pets and kids too.
When you travel, go through AAA to find hotel accommodations easier.` The discounts at many hotel chains and deals on car rentals can more than pay for the AAA membership fees. People that have young kids will get a car seat for free in a lot of different places.
Is your room non-smoking or not? If you are a non-smoker, you might want to stay away from hotels that offer smoking rooms. You may be able to get a non smoking rooms still, but you can get smoke in the air which will stick to you. In addition, previous travelers could have smoked in the room, even if it is a non-smoking room. To avoid the experience of breathing in smoke during your stay, try to stay in a hotel that doesn’t allow smoking.
Do not make long distance calls from your hotel room. Try using the Internet instead to stay in touch. A lot of hotels offer Skype connections over Wi-Fi. You can stay connected with friends, family and business colleagues this way, rather than making expensive long distance calls.
You should be aware whether or not the hotel permits guests to have pets in the rooms. If you have an allergy, or you just don’t like dogs, it may not be in your best interest to book a hotel that lets guests bring their pets. Because odors have a tendency to linger on fabrics and rugs, the hotel may have an odor about it. Some hotels are pet-friendly and don’t charge for it, while other hotels will add a hefty fee for keeping a pet. The fee may cover the cleaning, and it may not.
When you first arrive, inspect your hotel room’s bathroom. This is probably not where you will find bedbugs. Stow you suitcases and other items here and then take a good look at the rest of your room. Put kids and pets in there, too.
It is not always possible to check-in early. Plan your time accordingly unless you want to wait in the lobby for hours. It is usually necessary for hotels to service your room prior to allowing you to check in. You can see if your room is ready should you arrive early. However, do not count on it.
Ask if your possible hotel reservation is either smoking or non. If you are a non-smoker, then you should probably stay away from hotels that allow smoking. You can still get a room that’s non-smoking, but the smoke can flow in the air and get on all your clothes. In addition, some smokers will rent out non-smoking rooms and smoke in them. To avoid the experience of breathing in smoke during your stay, try to stay in a hotel that doesn’t allow smoking.
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. Some hotels have these in short supply. Sometimes, there are also extra charges for items like these. Make your needs known at the time you place your reservation so that you do not have any unpleasant surprises.
Be sure you understand your hotel’s smoking policy if you smoke. Some have rooms for smokers. If the hotel has one, ask for this kind of room. If they find you have smoked in a non-smoking area, they may charge you a fine.
Try to avoid checking out of the hotel ahead of your scheduled checkout time. Some hotels charge early departure fees. When you make your reservation, the hotel can’t offer the room to someone else, so they lose money if you leave early. To earn back this money they will lose, they charge you an additional departure fee.
Early Departure
Avoid sleeping under the bedspread. The bedspread usually isn’t washed like the linens are. That can make it rife with germs and bacteria and who knows what. Pull it off for peace of mind.
Whenever possible, do not check out prior to the scheduled date of your departure. The hotel may charge you a fee for your early departure. A booked hotel room is taken off the market, meaning your early departure would cost them money. So, they may charge you a fee for early departure to replace the loss in revenue.
Do not open that bottled water! Sure, you’re thirsty and hot. 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. Some hotels give free bottles of water to their guest in their gyms. Or, to be sure you save money, you can just pack a few water bottles from home.
When you know what to look for, you can find any hotel room you want. The information provided here should help in doing just that. It doesn’t need to be one that’s too expensive. Use these tips to find a great room that is affordable.
Don’t take any of the linens. No matter how much you love them, housekeeping will note missing linens and the hotel is likely to bill you for them. If you just fall in love with the towels or pillows, ask if you can buy them directly from the front desk of the hotel.