
It can be overwhelming to book the right hotel room. Figure out your budget and decide which features you can’t live without. Remember this advice as you conduct your search.
Do some research on travel websites before you book any hotel. These types of sites let you read about real customers’ experiences with each hotel. Patron reviews can give you valuable information that will help you make a good choice.
You can find good deals on hotel rooms using online and check out some of the travel sites out there. If you are in a hotel loyalty program, don’t forget to add that information as you check rates. You may also be able to get discounts through any memberships you have with organizations such as AAA and 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 part of a loyalty program, make note of that. Also, you might be able to get some discounts offered by organizations that you might be a part of like AAA or AARP.
Consider ordering room service when the urge strikes for a late-night snack with your special meal without needing to go out. While it may cost a little extra, it’s worth having the convenience of staying in your room (and in your pajamas) while you wait to satisfy those nocturnal cravings.
You can enjoy a romantic dinner in your room by calling room service. The cost will be a bit higher, but not having to dress up and go out will be worth it.
You should put any expensive items to keep them secure.
Check with the organizations that you are a member with. Some may offer discounts on hotels. People frequently forget these discounts are available, and they can be 10 percent or more. This can add up to big savings, even more so if you will be staying for many nights. It can add up to equal a free night!
Check with the organizations that you’re a member of. Some offer you discounts on hotels. People frequently forget these discounts are available, which can often be 10% and higher. It can add up to equal a free hotel night!
Inspect the room before unpacking. Is it tidy and sanitary? Do the sink, shower, and toilet all work properly? Are there enough of the right linens? If you see that there are problems with your room, let the people at the front desk know right away so they can get things taken care of. Or, they can move you to another room.
Plan your trip in advance as possible.Many locations offer discounts if you are willing to book more than a few months in advance. You can expect savings up to fifty percent off at some very exclusive hotels.
Make certain you know when your check-in time is. 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.
Do not assume that your pets are welcome at all hotels.
There are three things to do ahead of time if you want to bring your pet to a hotel with you. First, you’ll need to find out if a hotel is even pet-friendly. Also, bring a lot of plastic sacks like ones from the grocery store so you can get your pet’s messes cleaned up. Ask for a corner room so that your pets’ noise doesn’t bother anyone else.
If you have a AAA membership, you should see what your hotel membership discount will be. You might be surprised to learn that your membership to the auto club also includes discounts may be lurking. You may save 5% or even more than five percent on hotels all over the country. It’s a savings that can add up over the nights.
To ensure that you and your special someone get the right couples massage during your stay, book your appointment as early ahead of time as you can. Most of the time, the most reputable masseuses will be booked, so plan early in order to have the most enjoyable experience.
Loyalty Program
If you enjoy a morning run, try booking a hotel room that’s near the beach or an open park. Go for a jog every morning. No matter if you’re on city streets or down some roads, you can easily learn new things about a city doing this.
It may be wise to look into loyalty program if you travel frequently. They offer benefits to people that stay with them often. You can earn things like free upgrades, later check-out options and even free nights once you accumulate enough loyalty program points.
To make sure you don’t have an unexpected expense, ask about how much hotel transfers will cost. Particularly if you are getting a discount, the fee associated with the transfer may be high. You should inquire about this before booking the hotel room.
If you are always staying at the same chain, look into their frequent stay membership programs. These programs give you rack up points. You might earn free stays and discounts, discounts at restaurants, and all types of entertainment.
If you are a frequent business traveler, establishments like Marriott and Choice Hotels offer attractive membership programs. This way, when you stay at a hotel, you can get points and then turn those points into free stuff that you can do with your family.
If preserving the environment is of interest to you, you may want to take a “green” vacation. There are a lot of eco-friendly hotels that feature green amenities. Some of the newer hotels are built with green standards in a way that they get certified green. Many older hotels will still be environmentally aware and have eco-friendly practices. A good travel agent or similar source can help you find hotels that are considered ‘green’.
Being a member of AAA can save you money on hotels. AAA offers their members good discounts on hotels, car rental and other aspects of travel. Those who have small children will be pleased to find car seats available for free.
Join the hotel’s membership program to get deals on business trips. These points that can be applied toward further travels.
If you are worried about bed bugs, start your inspection in the bathroom. This is where you are least likely to find bedbugs. That means that the bathroom is a great place to keep your bags while you check the rest of your accommodations for bedbugs. It can be a temporary haven for children and pets.
Get an AAA membership to facilitate the process of booking a hotel perks when you travel. Parents can also often enjoy the free car seat that comes with some rentals.
Find out if the hotel you want is smoking or non-smoking. If you are a non-smoker, you might want to stay away from 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. By choosing a hotel that does not allow smoking, you can completely avoid the smell of cigarettes.
Be sure you understand your hotel’s smoking policy if you smoke cigarettes.Many have rooms designated rooms for smokers. Ask for those rooms if any of these are available. If they find you have smoked in a non-smoking area, you can be charged hefty fees.
If you smoke, learn the smoking policy of the hotel where you are staying. Most hotels have designated smoking rooms. Ask to see if any of these are available. If you don’t, you can be hit with some major penalties for lighting up in a non-smoker’s room.
Find out how the policy on pets is. These hotels might also suffer from odors because the carpet and bed linens.Some hotels have an extra fee for pets, other do not. The fee may be for any cleaning involved.
If you are going to use a crib or even a rollaway bed, make sure you mention this at the time your reservation is made. Some hotels won’t have these extra amenities, and when they do, there is often an extra cost. Also, these things can cost extra. Before making reservations, explain this.
Early Check
Whenever possible, do not check out prior to the scheduled date of your departure. The hotel might charge you an early departure fee. Booked hotel rooms are taken off the market, so if you leave early, the hotel loses money. So, they may charge you a fee for early departure to replace the loss in revenue.
You should know that you generally aren’t going to be able to do an early check-ins to hotels are not usually possible. Plan your trip right or you might end up waiting in the lobby for hours. Hotels usually need this time to clean and ready before you check in. If you do arrive before the normal check-in, ask at the desk about early check-in, but don’t necessarily expect it.
No matter how clean your hotel seems, never use the hotel bedspread for sleeping. They generally will wash the blankets and sheets that are under the bedspread, but the main bedspread may not be washed. The bedspread can be laden with germs. So take it off the bed, fold it up and stash it in a corner of the room.
Never actually check out earlier than your scheduled departure unless it is absolutely necessary. The hotel could impose a fee for early departure. If you reserve a room for a set number of days but check out a day or two early, the hotel will lose money because they remove the room off the reservation list.
Don’t give into the temptation to take hotel linens home. It seems like a common thing people try to get away with, but the hotel will know when you do this and may charge you later for the missing items. If you do want to take something, ask about a direct purchase when you’re checking out.
Be aware of your rights in case a hotel “walks” you. This will require that you have to go somewhere else.Avoid getting “walked” whenever you can, but if must go to another hotel, make sure you get a comparable or better room and the travel to there paid for.
You can get lower hotel rates by booking during off season. Usually, hotels charge their highest rates during these seasons. Instead, book your room in the off-peak time of year, when hotels are desperate to fill their rooms. You are more likely to find a great rate.
You can often save money if you book a flight and hotel at the same time. Travel websites offer big savings to people who book both your flight and hotel.
Some hotel rooms offer a better view than others. If prices are the same, ask for a room with a good view. Such things can make your stay much more enjoyable. So inquire about the little niceties like a good view, or a room that is has special features.
Try to get a hotel upgrade without paying for it.You can be sure of this if you arrive right at the time when you are supposed to check in. Sometimes, rooms aren’t ready when patrons arrive, which means they offer an upgraded room for free.
Don’t pay the price the hotel advertises. “Rack rate” refers to the premium price and you never have to pay that if you understand a few essential tips. Most hotels expect you to try to bargain about the price. Ask the hotel for a better deal. Don’t be afraid to be bold. Discounts can often be discovered when you visit travel websites.
Don’t ever pay the rate advertised. Contact the hotel and see if there is a discount. You can also be able to locate discounts that are deep on the various travel websites.
When making hotel reservations via a third-party site, watch out for surcharges and hidden fees. The quotes provided don’t always include all charges. Read the fine print when you are booking the room to completely understand the charges.
As you can see, finding the right hotel that you can afford is completely doable. Use the information located above to help you plan your next hotel stay. You will be staying at comfortable hotel at a great price.
All hotels in a hotel chain are not the same. Just because you enjoyed your stay at one of their hotels, don’t expect that you will enjoy your stay at another. Check the information on each hotel before you book a room.