When planning a trip, you need to pay attention to certain things. After you’ve chosen your trip destination, you have to figure out what mode of transport you’ll use. You also need to make reservations for your accommodations, this this may be difficult if you are unfamiliar with the area. This article will help you find that hotel room and get it for a great price.
There are plenty of websites that offer reviews for local hotels, for example TripAdvisor. Use these websites to review a hotel before you make the actual reservation. These types of sites let you read about real customers’ experiences with each hotel. Other customers can give you some valuable insight and help you choose the right place to stay.
Check the organizations that you’re a member of. Some of these organizations will offer you discounts on hotel prices. People frequently forget these discounts are available, and they can be 10 percent or more. They can save you plenty of money, especially for prolonged stays. If you stay for a week, these discounts will almost add up for a free night.
When checking for good prices at hotels, refer to online travel sites like Orbitz and Expedia. Are you a member of a certain hotel’s membership program? If so, make sure you put this information into the travel site. You might also have other discounts from a membership in the AARP or AAA.
Check out the search tools offered by online travel sites. These kinds of websites allow you to locate great deals fast. You can see the average price of the rooms, and you can check to see how those rates stack up to the rates you’re being offered now. They also help you decide the dates for your vacation and the activities you’ll want to partake of.
You can enjoy a romantic dinner in your room by calling room service. It may cost more, but it’s convenient when you don’t feel like leaving.
Be clear about check-in time at the hotel you have booked. Many hotel guests will forget their check-in time; therefore, they will arrive at the hotel just to discover that they cannot check in yet. Call the hotel desk and find out if your room has been prepared if you know that you’ll be arriving early.
If you take a lot of electronic gadgets with you on a trip, lock them up in the safe when away from the room. Your small electronic devices can be left in the safe when you are out, so you will not have to worry about them.
If you’d like to bring Fido on your next trip, you must make some advance plans. Find out if the hotel you have selected is pet-friendly. Bring along lots of plastic bags for clean ups. Ask for a corner room so that your pets’ noise doesn’t bother anyone else.
If you belong to any organizations, check with them for travel deals. You may be able to receive discounts on hotel through these organizations. Discounts of 10% or more are often available, and people sometimes forget that they are eligible to claim them. You end up with an even bigger savings if your hotel stay is going to be for multiple nights. It can add up to almost a free hotel night!
AAA members get an extra discount at certain hotel chains. It may come as a surprise to find that an auto club membership offers hotel discounts, but that is the case. You can save five percent or more on certain hotels. This really adds up when you are staying for many nights.
Before you book a hotel, look for deals online. Often, the reservations clerk will not advise you that a better deal is available online. This is why you should look for discounts yourself. There are many travel websites that offer discounts.
Loyalty Program
Planning for a trip months or even just weeks in advance can often get you a better rate for your hotel room. Many locations offer discounts if you are willing to book more than a month or two ahead of time. That saves you 50 percent or more frequently!
Do you travel on a periodic basis? If so, consider joining your hotel’s loyalty program. A loyalty program offers many benefits. Rewards can include free hotel stays, upgrades and late check-out times if you save up enough points.
If you are a daily runner, make sure you pack exercise clothes and a GPS watch. Get up early and dress for a jog in the early morning. Even if you stick to city streets, you will gain a better perspective on your destination city before you leave.
There are membership programs that hotels offer for those that stay frequently at their chains. Many hotels offer membership programs that allow you to earn points for each of your stays. You can exchange these points for discounts and freebies at the hotel and its restaurant. You may also be able to use them on local amenities.
If you travel a lot, you should consider joining hotel loyalty programs. There are many benefits you may be able to get. You will be able to earn stuff like a free upgrade, an allowance to check out late, and even free stays when you get enough points.
If you are an environmentally conscious traveler, you should look into “green” hotels. Fortunately, there are many green hotels to choose from today. Newer hotels are often certified green and designed and built using green standards. Also, older hotels often make several changes to become eco-friendly. Finding hotels that are environmentally friendly can be as easy as asking your favorite travel agent.
If you are concerned about the environment, you may want to take a “green” vacation. Green hotels can feature specialized recycling programs, may only use recyclable products and use environmentally friendly cleaning supplies. Many new hotels are constructed to meet green standards, earning green certification. Other older hotels will just provide green options for you. Your travel agent can help to identify the environmentally friendly hotels.
If you are a frequent business traveler, establishments like Marriott and Choice Hotels offer attractive membership programs. When you stay at a hotel, you get points you can use later on.
Be sure you know the cost associated with hotel transfers when booking a room. If you are getting a very low price on the room, it is especially important that you ask about any hidden fees that might be tacked onto your bill. You save the most money when you ask about this beforehand.
Check with the hotel to make sure the pools are ready to go if you are traveling with children. If you arrive at your hotel and the pool is closed, your kids will be very disappointed.
If you wish to have happy kids while you’re on the road, be sure you call a hotel to see if they have a working pool at the time. Your kids and you will be very frustrated if the pool at your hotel is closed because of repairs when you arrive.
Think about whether or not you are going to be staying at a smoking or nonsmoking hotel. If you are not a smoker, you might want to choose a hotel that does not have smoking rooms. Even in a non-smoking room, the smoke from other rooms is in the air and might infiltrate your clothing. In addition, previous travelers could have smoked in the room, even if it is a non-smoking room. If you don’t want to smell like cigarettes, consider staying at a hotel that’s non-smoking.
When you look for bed bugs, start in the bathroom. Bedbugs are rarely seen in this room. Stow you suitcases and other items here and then take a good look at the rest of your room. Kids and pets can safely wait there too.
Clearly, it is possible to find an affordable, comfortable hotel. With this knowledge in mind, get started. Simply make some calls and get ready for a great room. Your stories will be worth sharing when you are back home!
Is your room non-smoking or not? If you don’t smoke, you may wish to avoid those that have smoking rooms. 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. If you want to avoid smelling like cigarettes when you leave, you may wish to consider a non-smoking hotel.