Your hotel accommodations can make or break your vacation that you have. You have to know what’s important to search for and what really isn’t important when you’re looking for the right hotel so that your trip is not ruined. So following is some tips to help you in obtaining a good room at a fair price.
Online travel sites like Expedia or Orbitz can help you get the best price for rooms at the hotel you would like to stay at. Input your loyalty info when you are looking for rates online. You may also be eligible for other discounts through any memberships you have with organizations such as AAA and AARP.
Check for online reviews before booking a room. This will give you first-hand accounts of people’s experiences of people at each hotel. What people say about their experiences at the hotels you’re thinking of booking can ensure you make an informed decision.
Room service can make your stay more enjoyable. While you’re likely to pay a little more, it’s worth having the convenience of staying in your room (and in your pajamas) while you wait to satisfy those nocturnal cravings.
Use websites like Orbitz or Expedia for great prices. If you are in a hotel loyalty program, remember to include that information when you are checking on rates. You may also be eligible for other discounts due to AAA or AARP membership.
Be sure to put all valuables, such as jewelry and electronics, in the hotel safe. You can use it to store your tablet and other expensive items to keep them secure.
Always look for online deals prior to booking your hotel room. This is why you to search for these hidden discounts. Check out websites like SniqueAway, RueLaLaTravel, and SniqueAway.
The Internet is a great place to research hotels. These websites can help you quickly find the best value. They can tell you what the average rate at a hotel is, ensuring you know the general pricing. They can also give you information on nearby attractions, too.
Plan your trip in advance as possible.Many hotels offer the best discounts if you are willing to book a few months in advance. You might even be able to save 50 percent off at some very exclusive hotels.
Know the check-in times. People sometimes forget when they will be let into their rooms, showing up early only to learn that their room isn’t ready yet. If you will be arriving early, call and ask if this is okay.
Don’t think that all hotels will welcome your pet.
To get a good price when you want a hotel room, get your trips planned quite a few weeks or so in advance. If you can book early, you may get a huge discount. Doing this could save you up to 50 percent off your room, and this holds true with the more elite brands as well.
There are three things you should do before bringing your pet along on your vacation.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.
Book any massage appointments you make early. The best masseuses are booked well in advance.
If you are an AAA member, ask about a hotel discount. You would be surprised where hidden discounts on hotels. You can save more than five percent on some rooms. This can add up over several nights.
Always remember to pack running clothes and any thing else you need for exercising while on your trip. Simply set an alarm or get a wake up call and take an early morning run. It’ll let you explore the city in a new way.
If you run regularly, try booking a hotel room that’s near the beach or an open park.
Join a frequent customer program if you stay at the same hotel chain a lot. Similar to frequent flyer programs with an airline company, hotel programs will typically give you points for each visit. In time you may even get to stay there for free!
If you are always staying at the same chain, look into their membership programs for frequent guests. These programs give you points for each stay. These points can quickly add up to many perks such as a free night, tickets to shows, spa deals and much, much more.
Try out a green vacation. Luckily, many hotels are around these days for you to choose from. Many newer hotels are environmentally friendly. Hotels that have been around for a while may employ a variety of eco-friendly practices. Your travel agent can help to identify the environmentally friendly hotels.
If you care about the environment, a green vacation is something to look into. There are a lot of “green” hotels out there. Some of the newer hotels were built with green and are certified green. Some older inns just select one or more eco-friendly so they can show environmental awareness. Talk to your travel agent in order to find hotels for your needs.
You can get great hotel discounts by becoming a member of AAA. 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.
The timing of your hotel room largely depends on the price you plan to stay there. Rooms are often priced based on their availability. This will get you the best hotel room.
Don’t call long distance in your hotel room. Use the Internet, instead. Skype connections that are accessed through Wi-Fi are offered by many hotels. This is much cheaper than paying for a bunch of long distance calls from your hotel room.
Be sure to avoid hotel transfers when booking a room.Especially if you’re in a situation where the room’s price is a really good deal, the hidden cost of the transfer can often make the difference. You save the most money when you ask about such a thing in advance.
If you wish to see if a hotel room has bed bugs, check out the bathroom. This is where bedbugs are least likely to be. That means that the bathroom is a great place to keep your bags while you check the rest of your accommodations for bedbugs. It’s also safe for pets and kids this way.
It can prove rather frustrating for you check in to your children to arrive at a hotel expecting a pool and/or other activities only to find out it’s closed.
Is your room non-smoking or not? If you are not a smoker, you might want to avoid hotels with smoking rooms. However, even with non-smoking rooms, there’s no telling if the guy next door is smoking. There are times when smokers end up staying in non-smoking rooms, and smoking in them. If you don’t want to smell like cigarettes, consider staying at a hotel that’s non-smoking.
Start looking in the hotel bathroom when checking for bed bugs in a hotel. This is the place least likely to be. It can be a safe spot for your pets and pets.
Understand the smoking rules in your hotel, especially if you smoke. Some have smoking rooms. If that happens to be the case, then you need to ask for that type of room. Some hotels fine guests if they find that they smoked in a designated non-smoking room. This means that you must be sure to obey the hotel’s smoking rules.
Be sure you know what the hotel smoking policy is if you smoke. Many hotels set aside certain rooms or wings for smokers. Ask to see if you are available. If they find you have smoked in a non-smoking area, you can be hit with some major penalties for lighting up in a non-smoker’s room.
Know what the pet policy is before you book. If you’re fearful of pets or have an allergic reaction to them, it would be in your best interest to make reservations at hotels that have a strict no pets policy. Hotels that allow pets typically have rooms that have a pet odor in them. Certain hotels will charge guests extra for keeping pets in the room; however, many hotels’ extra charge is very little. The fee might be too low to cover the extra cleaning costs.
Find out how the policy on pets is. These hotels might also suffer from odors sinking into the floor and linens have absorbed them. Some hotels add an extra charge for pets, while others charge substantially more. The fee charged may not be adequate to cover the extra cleaning involved.
You should understand that early check-ins to hotels are not usually possible. Plan accordingly or you will find yourself waiting a long time to access your room. Hotels need this time to clean and prepare your room. You can request an early check-in ahead of time, but it may cost more.
Never actually check out before the departure unless it’s an emergency. The hotel might charge you a fee for early departure fee. When you book a hotel room, the hotel can’t offer the room to someone else, so they lose money if you leave early.
When making your reservation, make sure to specify if you need a rollaway or a crib. Hotels usually have a limited number of these, and you don’t want to ask at the last minute. Sometimes, there is an additional charge for these items. Talk about these things when you make your reservations.
You have rights if a hotel attempts to take advantage of you. This means that you have to go somewhere else. If you can’t avoid this, be sure that you get a better room and your travel is paid for.
Try to avoid checking out of the hotel ahead of your scheduled checkout time. 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. They have to at least get something for the loss, thus an early departure charge.
Do not open the bottled water! You are very thirsty when finally arriving to a hotel. You can be tempted to casually open that bottle of water beckoning on the mini fridge. Hotels are aware of this and have hiked up the price of that tempting bottled water. Check the gym instead; they may have free water.It’s best to simply bring your own bottled water.
If you find your reserved room is not available, you do have rights. Hotels will overbook, leaving you without a room. In such cases, the hotel “walks” you, or sends you to another hotel. If you do choose to move, be sure that you get a better room and your travel is paid for.
Do not give in to the linens with you when you leave.
Do not take the linens with you when you check out of the hotel. No matter how much you love them, housekeeping will note missing linens and the hotel is likely to bill you for them. Ask if you can buy the linens from the hotel if you like them a lot.
You can get some money saved if you book your flight and hotel at the same time. Travel sites typically offers savings to people who book both your flight and hotel.
Booking your flight and hotel at the same time may save some travel expenses. Check travel websites to see if you qualify for these savings. If you want to maximize your possibilities, comparison shop the rates of multiple hotels and airlines.
As you can now see, preparation is key to finding a great deal on a great hotel. You need to know how and where to look. Use the above tips and you’ll find the perfect hotel.
Your hotel stay may become even more pleasant if you are willing to tip appropriately. While some services, such as room service, are included in the bill, maid services deserve a tip outside of the bill. When you tip, people will like you more at the hotel and you’ll get their respect too.
