You do not want your hotel you are staying at. A horrible hotel experience, regardless of the reason, can make you feel terrible. Avoid these problems altogether by following the advice presented here.
Take a look into organizations you are part of. Many organizations provide hotel discounts for members. Some discounts can be over ten percent! They can save you plenty of money, especially for prolonged stays. It can add up to equal a free night!
Use websites to find the most competitive prices for great prices. If you are a member of a particular hotel’s loyalty program, make sure to indicate this when searching for rates. You may also be eligible for other discounts through AAA and AARP.
Search for the best deals in hotels online before making reservations. Most of the time, people you speak with over the phone won’t mention any discounts possibly available to you. It’s your job to find them yourself. Review the different websites, such as Jetsetter or SniqueAway.
You should put any expensive items to keep them secure.
Check your room when you arrive. Is the room free of mildew and mold and clean? Check the shower, toilet and sink to ensure they work properly. Are linens and towels in ample supply? Call the front desk if you find any issues; they can either fix the problem or give you a different room.
Check with the organizations you are a member with. Some offer discounts on hotels. People often forget that they are eligible for these discounts, which can often be 10% and higher. It can add up to almost a free night!
Know the check-in times. Sometimes there are people that don’t know when the room will be ready and so they aren’t sure of what to do with the extra time they have since they can’t check in. Call the hotel if you are early and find out if your room is ready.
Inspect the room before unpacking your bags. Is the room clean and devoid of issues like mildew free? Are linens and towels you’ll need present in the room? If there are any obvious problems, let the person at the front desk know so they can help you sort it out or give you a better room.
Plan your trip as far in advance as you can to ensure best rates. The earlier you book, the better rate you should get. Even high end hotels can offer you a substantial savings this way.
Plan your trip as far in advance for the best rates. Many locations offer the best discounts if you book a few months in advance. You can expect savings up to 50 percent if you book months in advance.
Book any massage appointments you make early. In order to get the best masseurs at these top hotels, you must plan early to ensure that you get a good experience.
Don’t make the assumption that all hotels will be pet friendly.
If you run regularly, continue your routine when traveling by bringing running clothes and your GPS. So, make sure you have your running gear and shoes and you will be set to jog anywhere. Running in a city allows you to see things other travelers miss.
Book your appointment as early as possible. The best massage therapists are usually booked up for months ahead of time, so get in while you can.
For people who are frequent travelers, consider signing up for some loyalty programs with your favorite hotels. There are some great benefits offered to clients who often book the same chain. You can earn things like free upgrades, complimentary late check-out times and free stays if you accrue enough loyalty points.
If you belong to the AAA, it may qualify you for a hotel discount. You would be surprised where hidden discounts on hotels. You can save up to an additional five percent at certain hotels in the US. This is a savings that can really add up when you are staying for many nights.
Avoid using the hotel phone to make long distance phone calls. Try using the Internet instead to stay in touch. A lot of hotels have free Wi-Fi that you can use to connect with people. You will be able to stay in touch with family and friends while you are away without the additional expense of costly phone calls.
If you want to keep up your running regimen on the road, continue your routine when traveling by bringing running clothes and your GPS.
Make sure to ask up front if the hotel allows smoking or does not. If you are a non-smoker, you might want to stay at a non-smoking hotel. You can still get a room that’s non-smoking, but the smoke can flow in the air and get on all your clothes. You may find that a smoker has been in your non-smoking room before you and ignored the rules. If you just can’t stand the smell of stale smoke, look for a hotel that doesn’t allow it at all.
It is wise to join a hotel loyalty programs that your favorite hotels offer. These programs provide perks to those who frequently use a particular chain of hotels. You can earn things like free upgrades, later check-out options and even free nights once you accumulate enough loyalty program points.
Know whether or not smoking is allowed in your room. Most hotels have designated smoking rooms. If you smoke, you should make a specific reservation for this type of room. If you smoke in one of the hotel’s non-smoking room, you can be charged hefty fees.
The cost of your room booking often determines the dates on which you pay. Rooms are priced according to availability. This will allow you receive the best available price.
Find out what the policy on pets is. If you’re terrified pets or are allergic to them, it may be best 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. Some hotels add an extra charge for pets, other do not. The fee charged may not be adequate to cover the extra cleaning needed to completely remove the odors.
Distance Calls
It’s not often possible to check in to a hotel room early. Plan accordingly or you will find yourself waiting a long time to access your room. Hotels need the time to clean your room so it is ready for you to check in. 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 to avoid long distance calls from your hotel room. Many hotels now offer Skype connections on their Wi-Fi.You can stay in touch with people back home by using this instead of making expensive long distance calls from your room.
If you’re going to need to get a crib or a rollaway, you need to let the people at the hotel know before you arrive. These items are not available at all hotels. When they are available, they are often in limited supply. Hotels also charge extra for these items, sometimes. Talk about these things when you make your reservations.
It can prove rather frustrating for you check in to your room with the kids screaming “pool” only to find out it’s closed.
Some people choose not to use the bedspreads provided by the hotel staff for hygienic reasons. While the staff may have washed the sheets prior to your stay, the comforter is not always washed. That means it could harbor contaminants you don’t want to be in contact with. Just take that blanket off the bed.
Start by inspecting the hotel bathroom if you need to make sure there are no bed bugs in a hotel. This is where you are least likely to have bedbugs. It is a convenient place for pets or children to sit for a couple minutes as well.
If you want an upgrade, use an approach that may snag it for free. To do this, arrive at the hotel when you are supposed to check in. If the room you are booked for has not been cleaned yet, you may be offered a better room at no additional charge.
You should know that early check-ins to hotels are not usually possible. Plan your trip right or you want to wait in a hotel lobby. Hotels usually need to get the room cleaned and prepare your room. If you should happen to get there early, check with the desk to see if you can check in, but be prepared if they can’t accommodate you.
If you’re on the road and need a place to stay, check out rest areas, gas stations and travel centers for guide books that have maps and lists of hotels in the area. You may even find discount coupons! You can now make a call to book a room rather than having to drive around to find one.
Never actually check out before the departure date unless it is absolutely necessary. The hotel may charge you a fee for your early departure fee. If you check out too early, that hotel may charge a fee because they couldn’t book that room.
A better view is sometimes available from certain rooms in the hotel. If the great view doesn’t cost more, see if you can get a room with a view. Although a great view is not the most important thing when booking a hotel room, it can maximize your enjoyment. It’s a simple thing to ask whether there are rooms available where the view is better.
Avoid sleeping under the hotel bedspread.The bedspread usually get washed between bookings. This means they may be a source of germs. Remove the blanket from the bed.
You should never pay the price posted at a hotel. They call this the “rack rate,” which most travelers know not to pay. The hotel expects you to haggle. Contact the hotel and see if there is a promotion currently taking place. Stay strong! A number of travel websites provide deep discounts.
You can often save money saved if you book your flight and hotel at the same time. Travel sites typically offers savings when you book more than one service at the same time.
If you are traveling due to a special occasion, be sure to let the hotel management know. Hotels will give you some extra stuff if you let them know you’re trying to travel while it’s your birthday. They may offer you free champagne or some other goodie. But of course don’t lie as that is wrong to do.
If you need to book a room while driving, check rest areas, prices, maps and great discounts. This will help you can just call ahead to book a room instead of driving around looking for you.
Go to online websites like Travelocity or Expedia to find the best prices. These websites have deals that aren’t found anywhere else. For some, you must bid, but others provide you with a price but withhold the name of the hotel until you commit to purchase, so beware.
Never pay the full advertised price at hotels. Contact the hotel and then ask them for a promotion currently taking place.You can also locate great discounts on travel websites.
Tipping the housekeeper at a hotel is a routine practice. While you can get away without tipping for other things, you should certainly tip the maid. So show her that you appreciate how she cared for you during your stay with a nice tip.
Use a special occasions to book your hotel room. Hotels sometimes offer freebies to guests when they know you are celebrating a special day for them. They might give you a complimentary bottle of bubbly.
Always inquire about any extra charges or hidden fees when you book a hotel room using a third party. Many times the quotes you are given do not reflect all of the charges. Do your research so that you know what the final cost will be.
It is customary to tip the housekeeper when checking out of a hotel. You don’t have to tip everyone during your stay, as the bill usually includes extra charges, but your maid needs a tip. Unless you were very obsessively clean and made your own bed every day, remember to tip your maid.
Hotel chains may not offer consistent quality. If you had a good experience with the chain in one city, that does not guarantee a good experience in another city. Check out hotels individually and compare them apples to apples.
You won’t know if you don’t ask so don’t be afraid to ask.
A lot of hotels will digitally manipulate their room photographs to make them look better. For instance, that lovely pool may only be the size of a kiddie pool, or a shabby neighborhood may have been brushed out. Be sure to understand what’s being offered in the hotel.
Watch out for extra charges and hidden fees whenever you are using a site other than that of the hotel’s to make hotel reservations from third-party websites. The quotes provided don’t always include the additional charges.
To be sure you stay at a great hotel, use the above advice. If you’re able to figure out what needs to be watched for and what to do to get good deals, your experience will go just fine. When you are traveling, a hotel should be a restful place, not a source of unhappiness.
