Have you booked a hotel room? Have you ended up with a sub-par room or paid too much? This is all too common and can ruin your vacation entirely. Read on to learn some valuable tips that will help you find a good hotel at a great price.
It’s important to make sure that your valuables are safe during a hotel stay, so make use of the room’s safe. This safe will store your small important items, such as your iPad, iPod, GPS, jewelry, etc. By doing this, you can keep these items secure and enjoy your day without fretting about someone stealing them.
Find great prices at online travel websites like Orbitz and Expedia. If you have a hotel loyalty program your a part of, use that info when checking rates. You might also be able to get discounts from a membership in the AARP or AARP.
You want to look at a number of different things when booking a hotel stay. Price is always important, of course, but you might also want to find a hotel near a certain attraction or business. You may want free WiFi access, a convenient location, free long distance or a nice pool or gym. Seek out hotels that offer amenities that appeal to you.
Consider taking advantage of room service if you want a late-night snack with your special meal without needing to go out.While you’re likely to pay a little more, it will be worth it because you can stay in your room and take care of the cravings you’re having.
Make sure that you know the check-in time for the hotel that you book. If you are early, your room may not be ready. Call and ask if you think you’ll be early.
Check with the organizations that you are a member of. Some organizations will offer discounts on hotels to their members. People don’t always remember to check out these discounts, and they can be 10 percent or more. It can add up to almost a free night!
Plan your trip as far in advance as you can to ensure best rates. Some hotels have a discount if you book your room a month or more ahead of time. With elite brands, this can translate into savings of up to 50 percent.
There are things you should consider when booking a hotel. You may or may not care about such amenities such as a gym, a convenient location, WiFi or a free breakfast buffet. Try to find a tip that offers as much of your wish list as possible.
Don’t think that all hotels will be pet friendly. Be sure to call in advance and find out about their policies, regardless of website info. Verify exactly what is meant by “pet-friendly” since certain breeds and pets over a certain size may not be allowed.
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.
If you’re thinking of taking your pet to a hotel with you, there are some things you need to do first. First, find out if the hotel allows pets. It is also a great idea to bring along some plastic bags to clean up when your pet makes a mess. Also, request a room away from other guests so that your pet does not bother them.
If you’re a member of the AAA, it may qualify you for a hotel discount. You might be surprised to learn that your membership to the auto club also includes discounts may be lurking. You can save more on hotels all over the country. This is a savings that can add up on a long trip.
If you want to have a massage with your partner on your vacation, make sure that you schedule an appointment with a masseuse as early as possible. Many of the top masseuses out there are booked far ahead of time.
Green Hotels
Are you a AAA member? If so, hotels may provide you a discount. You might be surprised to learn that your membership to the auto club also includes discounts on hotels. You can save 5 percent or more on your hotel stay just by showing your membership card. The savings can really add up nightly.
If you are an environmentally conscious traveler, a green vacation is something to look into. There are several green hotels that feature green amenities. Some of the newer hotels were built with green standards in a way that they get certified green. Some older inns just select one or more of eco-friendly strategies to show environmental awareness. Talk to your travel agent to find the best green hotels for your needs.
There are membership programs that hotels offer for those that stay frequently at their chains. Just like with a frequent flyer mile program, you can get points for staying a hotel. Over time, these points can really add up, allowing you to enjoy numerous upgrades, spa visits, restaurant discounts, and even free nights at the hotel.
The cost of your room largely depends on the dates on which you pay. Rooms in hotels are priced based on their availability. This can get you the best hotel rates.
If you care about the environment, then you may be interested in taking a “green” vacation. There are plenty of “green” hotels that take the environment into consideration. Certain hotels provide green rooms, and in fact, some are even certified as green hotels. Other older hotels will just provide green options for you. Finding hotels that are environmentally friendly can be as easy as asking your favorite travel agent.
Join the hotel’s membership program if you frequently stay there on your stays.These programs allow you to collect points can translate into some major perks when you’re vacationing.
If you don’t want to get a big expense on the hotel bill you get, speak to the place about hotel transfers prior to booking things. In many situations in which the room’s price is a great deal, the undisclosed price of your transfer can frequently eat up the savings. Inquiring in advance will mean more savings for you.
Start by inspecting the hotel bathroom when checking for bed bugs. This is where you won’t see any. It is usually a good place for pets or children to sit for a moment too.
If you are concerned about bed bugs, look in the bathroom first. This is where bedbugs are least likely to be. Therefore, you can put your luggage here while you look over the remainder of the room. Have kids and/or pets wait for you in the bathroom while you look around.
Find out how the policy on pets is. These hotels might also suffer from odors because the carpet and linens have absorbed them. Some hotels are pet-friendly and don’t charge for it, but some do not charge much. The fee charged may not be adequate to cover totally or partially the cost of the extra cleaning involved.
Find out if the hotel you want is smoking or non-smoking. If you’re someone who doesn’t like cigarette smoke, you may want to find a different hotel. The smoke can settle into your clothing and luggage. There are times when smokers end up staying in non-smoking rooms, and smoking in them. Instead of choosing a non-smoking room, you can actually find an entire non-smoking hotel if you really want to avoid nasty, secondhand smoke.
Some hotels have a limited number of them. Talk about these issues as you make your room.
Be sure you understand your hotel’s smoking policy if you smoke. Hotels normally have rooms set aside for smokers. If that happens to be the case, then you need to ask for that type of room. If you stay in a room that doesn’t allow smoking and the hotel staff discover evidence of you smoking in this room, then you could be charged a large penalty. Therefore, it is important that you always follow the hotel’s rules when it comes to smoking.
Avoid sleeping under the hotel bedspread.The bedspread usually isn’t washed like the sheets or blankets underneath. It may be a lot of germs. Just make sure you remove this covering from the bed.
GUests should be aware whether or not the hotel allows pets. It may be best to stay clear of hotels that accept pets if you are afraid of dogs or are allergic to pets. Rooms that allow pets may also have the odor of animals. This can be in the linens and carpet. Some hotels charge a nominal fee for pets, while others charge substantially more. The fee might be too low to cover the extra cleaning costs.
Do not open that bottled water in your hotel room. You may be thirsty and tired when you check in. You may decide to reach for that bottled water beckoning on the mini fridge. Hotels take advantage of guests by charging ridiculous amounts for that already exorbitantly priced bottled water. Check the hotel gym and see if they may have free water. It’s better to simply pack your own bottled water.
It is not always possible to check-in early. Plan for this, or you may risk waiting in the hotel lobby for an hour or more. Most hotels clean and prepare rooms at a certain time, so that they are ready for check-in. You can inquire about checking in early, but do not expect that you’re going to be able to do it.
You can often save money saved if you book a flight and hotel at the same time. Travel sites typically offers savings to people who book both your flight and hotel.
Don’t open the bottled water! You will likely be thirsty when you check in. This could tempt you to open the water that is in the mini-fridge or on the desk. Hotels are counting on this, and they jack up the price of the water accordingly. Sometimes it is possible to get bottled water at no cost in the hotel gym. The best option, however, it to bring your own bottled water.
You can get better hotel rates when you don’t book during peak tourist season. Rates are always highest during this time. You can get a much better rate during this time.
Don’t steal hotel linens. Housekeeping will generally notice when something like pillows, towels or washcloths are missing, which may lead to the hotel charging you for the missing items. It’s better to ask the hotel management if you can buy new ones of your own.
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, prices, prices and discount offers. This way you can just call ahead to book in advance and get a deal without visiting a hundred different hotels.
Bundle your flight and your accommodations for greater savings. A lot of travel online sites feature serious savings for anyone who bundles things together. Be sure to compare rates from airline to airline and hotel to hotel to get the very best deals.
Now that you’ve read this, you should know how to find an affordable hotel. It is easy to get great value in hotel accommodations when you have good information. Just keep the advice of this article in mind.
In order to pay the lowest rate possible, don’t travel during the peak season. This is the time that hotel rates are at their highest. You should book a room during the off season as hotels are desperate then for their rooms to be occupied. You are more likely to find a great rate.