When you want to go on a vacation, there will be quite a few details you need to think over. You must choose your vacation destination and make transportation arrangements. Also, you need to plan on where you will stay. But, choosing a hotel can be hard, especially when you are unfamiliar with the area. The following tips should help you make an informed choice.
Before you make reservations at a particular hotel, check its reviews on websites like TripAdvisor. This gives you first-hand accounts of people’s experiences in each hotel. Other customers can give you some valuable insight and help you choose the right place to stay.
Be sure to read online review websites prior to booking a hotel. These reviews can give you a customer’s perspective of the hotel you are planning on staying at. What patrons have to say about the hotels you are considering can help you make the best decision about where to stay.
If you have a safe in your closet, then you should use it to keep your valuables safe while you are outside of the room. Put all of your valuables and small electronics into the safe, such as your jewelry and iPad. They’ll be safe in there and you can leave the hotel room without worry.
Get room service if you don’t want to leave. This service comes at a premium, but you can stay comfortable in your room while enjoying you eats.
You want to look at a number of different things when booking a hotel stay. You should look at the price, but you should also look at the location that is most convenient for what you want to do. Amenities such as complimentary WiFi, free local calls, complimentary breakfast, a gym and pool and a convenient restaurant are also important considerations. Look for the hotel that gives as many of the extra you desire as possible.
When leaving your hotel room, keep any electronics you have secure by putting them in the room’s safe. You should put any expensive items in the hotel safe.
Search online tools for hotels. There are a lot of websites that have great deals and other useful tools to help you comparison shop to find the right hotel at the right price. They display the average rates of hotels so that you can see if the deal you are getting is good. On top of that, they can help you determine the cheapest destinations.
Consider your organizational memberships. Many organizations provide hotel discounts for members. Some discounts can be over ten percent! That can save a lot of money, especially if you are staying for multiple nights. If you stay for a week, these discounts will almost add up for a free night.
Always see if you can find deals online when you’re thinking of getting a hotel room. It’s not uncommon for a hotel employee to not mention to you that it is possible to receive a great discount online. It’s your job to find them yourself. Review the different websites, such as Jetsetter or SniqueAway.
Know your check-in time in advance. Many people forget the time, then they show up early and the room isn’t ready yet. If you will be arriving early, call and ask if this is okay.
If you want to take your pet along on a trip, take care of three tasks before you leave. Be sure that this hotel will be friendly to pets. Additionally, bring along a few plastic bags suitable for cleaning up after your animal. If you can arrange a corner room, there will be less likelihood of your pet disturbing other guests.
Plan your trip in advance for the best rates. The earlier you book, the better rate you should get. That saves you 50 percent or more frequently!
The price for any give hotel room is going to affected by how early you book the room. Availability sets pricing. Whenever you can, don’t book your hotel room until the last 24 hours. This can net you a great deal. The hotel will earn no money at all if the room is empty, which gives you a much better bargaining position.
Don’t assume a hotel is pet-friendly. Call them ahead of time to see if they are even if the website they’re on says yes. Also, find out if there are any size or breed restrictions.
Before you decide to book, always find out if there are any hotel transfer fees so you won’t be surprised on your bill. Particularly when the room price is a big deal, the hidden fee of transfer often can be the difference. If you know this upfront, you can save more money.
For members of AAA, hotels offer discounts that are exclusive to members. You may not have known that, but it’s true. There are discounts at hotels around the country of 5 percent or more. It’s a way to save money that can add up fast.
Being a member of AAA can save you money on hotels. AAA members get good hotel discounts and can also find good car rental rates much more easily. Many car rental agencies add perks, such as a child car seat at no charge, for AAA members.
If you like running and frequently stay in hotel rooms, be sure and pack up a GPS watch, along with your favorite running clothes. If you want to jog early in the morning, don your gear and then go for it. Even if you have to run down roads or the streets in the city, you can learn a lot more about the city when you get finished.
In hotel rooms, avoid calling long distance if possible. Use the Internet, instead. Some hotels offer free Wi-Fi, so you can use Skype. This can be a much cheaper option than calling from a hotel room and getting hit with lots of fees.
Vacation “green” if you are worried about the environment. Many hotels offer environmentally friendly standards today. Some of the newer hotels were built with green standards in mind. Eco-friendly strategies are also now commonly adopted by many older hotels. Request the help of the travel agent in identifying hotels that are environmentally friendly.
If you are concerned about bed bugs, look in the bathroom first. This is where you are least likely to find bedbugs. This is the best place to put your bags while you look around. Kids and pets can safely wait there too.
Hotel Transfer
Ask if your possible hotel reservation is either smoking or non. If you are a non-smoker, you might want to stay at a non-smoking hotel. Even if you reserve a non-smoking room, the smell of smoke can circulate through the hotel’s air vents and cause your clothes to pick up the odor. 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.
If you must make a hotel transfer, find out about the fees. Hotel transfer costs can be extremely large, especially in hotels that appear to offer an incredible deal on their room rates. Ask the hotel representative ahead of time to make sure you get the most savings.
If you smoke, learn the smoking policy of the hotel where you are staying. Hotels normally have rooms set aside for smokers. If they do, ask for this 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.
If you want to save money, and you stay at the same place a lot, consider signing up for the hotel’s version of a frequent guest program. These programs allow you to collect points that can be applied toward further travels.
Be aware that you can’t normally check-in early at your hotel. Unless you’re okay with waiting for your room to be ready, plan your timing wisely. Hotels need this time to clean and prepare your room. If you’re going to have to show up early, speak with the people at the front to see if you’re able to get into the room, but don’t think that it will happen.
Do not make long distance calls from your hotel room. Look to the Internet, instead. You’ll often find hotels have free Wi-Fi, which allows for Skype calling long distance numbers for free. But the Internet is infinitely useful while traveling so it is usually worth it.
When reserving your room, be sure to ask for a roll-away bed or crib if you will be in need of these extra sleeping accommodations. Hotels don’t typically have a lot of these, so be sure to ask in advance. Sometimes, there is an additional charge for these items. Make your needs known at the time you place your reservation so that you do not have any unpleasant surprises.
Your children will be happy when you call the hotel to make sure their pool is open and working. There is nothing worse than arriving at your destination anxiously looking forward to splashing around in the pool, only to find that it is closed.
Whenever possible, do not check out prior to the scheduled date of your departure. If you do, then you could be charged an extra departure fee for early checkout. Booking that room means it wasn’t available when others were reserving. That’s why they will charge you a fee for early departure.
Inspect your room for bed bugs, starting with the bathroom. This is the place where you are least likely to find them. This makes the perfect location to place your belongings while you inspect your hotel room for bedbugs. It’s also safe for pets and kids this way.
No matter how clean your hotel seems, never use the hotel bedspread for sleeping. Sheets and blankets are washed regularly, while bedspreads usually aren’t. It could have acquired a lot of invisible germs and other things you want to avoid. So take it off the bed, fold it up and stash it in a corner of the room.
If you have a young child, ask for a crib when you call to make your reservation. Your hotel may not have these things or may have only a few, so it is smart to reserve in advance. Additionally, there may be an extra fee for these items. Discuss these needs when making your reservation to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Do not take anything from the hotel. You will find yourself receiving a nice bill in the mail later. If you find you really like these items, then ask the hotel if you could purchase them instead.
If it’s possible, try not to check out before the departure date you had originally scheduled. If you check out early, you could be liable for early checkout fees. When a hotel room is something you book, they are taking it away from other people and will lose some money if you leave early. They have to at least get something for the loss, thus an early departure charge.
Booking your flight and hotel at the same time may save some travel expenses. Many times, travel websites offer discounts for booking the hotel, flight and rental car at the same time. For best results, do a rate comparison of various carriers and hotels.
Know what the industry term “walk” means when booking a room. You might find that a room you booked isn’t available when you arrive because they overbooked. The hotel will then “walk” you, or direct you to a different hotel. If you cannot avoid this situation, you need to be booked at a comparable hotel or upgraded room for your troubles.
Your hotel stay will be more pleasant if you tip well. Room service includes a tip in the bill, while you are supposed to tip your maid before you leave. You can ensure you will be respected and well liked during your stay when you tip.
Choosing a good hotel is easy, once you know what to do. You are ready to begin, now that you are aware of things to avoid. So turn you attention to your packing and start anticipating a great trip. Travel memories are those that last lifetime, so make sure you take the choice of a hotel seriously.
Look at different websites online to find cheap prices. Hotels offer these sites special discounts because of the high volume of rooms that are booked this way. Some may require you to bid, while others may give you a price and the star rating but not tell you the name until you decide to buy, so be aware of that.
