Sooner or later, you’re going to find yourself in need of a decent hotel room. You should know how to look for a nice hotel, either for vacation or for business. Here are some tips that will prove to be of help.
See if your organizational memberships offer any benefits. Do they offer hotel discounts? Some discounts can be over ten percent! These discounts can save you quite a bit of cash, particularly if your stay involves several nights. If you are staying for a week, you can pay for a whole night’s lodging with these discounts.
Use Orbitz or Expedia to find a great deal. Input your loyalty info when you are looking for rates online. You might also have other discounts from a membership in the AARP or AAA.
Search online tools for hotels. Some websites are designed to help you find the best deals. They display the average rates of hotels so that you can see if the deal you are getting is good. In addition, these tools can help you determine the best time to go on vacation and the things that you can do there.
Use your hotel room’s safe to keep your valuables secure. You can use it to store your tablet and other expensive items to keep them secure.
Always check for online deals prior to booking your hotel room. Many times, the reservation specialist won’t tell you of discounts when you call to book your room. For this reason, making a proactive search is advisable. Look to websites like RueLaLaTravel or Jetsetter for more help.
See if your organizational memberships offer any benefits. Many of these places will give you cheaper hotel prices. Many people forget to do this and miss out on saving a sizable amount of money. These discounts can save you quite a bit of cash, particularly if your stay involves several nights. That’s almost an extra free night throughout an entire week.
When you arrive at your hotel, thoroughly check your room previous to unpacking. It should be free of any mildew or mold. Does the plumbing work right? Are linens and towels in ample supply? If you notice any problems, report them immediately. If your issues are not resolved, ask to move to another room.
There are several things you should consider when booking a hotel. Price is one thing you should consider, but when you get a hotel you may want it near a certain place. Amenities like a swimming pool, a gym, free local calls or breakfast, and other amenities may be things that you prefer. Seek out hotels that offer amenities that appeal to you.
Check your AAA membership for a hotel discount. AAA members actually receive hotel discounts at specific hotel chains! You can save more than five percent on hotels all over the country. This can add up on a long trip.
Check the Internet for the best deals before you book a hotel room during your next trip. Most of the time, people you speak with over the phone won’t mention any discounts possibly available to you. So, it’s up personally to you to go searching for such discounts. Websites like Travelocity and Expedia can be a great way to do research on hotels.
To keep from having an unwanted major expense on your hotel bill, ask about the cost of hotel transfers before booking them. If the rooms are cheap, the transfer could ruin the deal. Ask about this beforehand to save more.
Be sure to look at your room before unpacking your suitcase. Is it tidy and sanitary? Do the toilet, sink and shower work properly? Count how many linens and towels you were given and make sure there are enough for everyone traveling with you. If you quickly note any problems, let the person at the front desk know so they can help you sort it out or give you a better room.
If you wish to get a lot out of a hotel stay, especially if you’re traveling for your business, get a membership program and join it like what the Marriott or Choice Hotels offers. This allows you to earn points each time you book a room. You can use these points to purchase perks in the future.
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. If you anticipate arriving early, check with the hotel to find out if your room will be ready.
A membership in AAA can make booking a hotel easier when you travel. AAA members can receive great hotel discounts as well as locate a rental car much more easily. If you have young kids, find out if they have a free car seat service.
To benefit from the best prices at hotels, start planning your trips several weeks or even months in advance. Most hotels have serious discounts for early booking customers. You might even be able to save up to 50 percent off at some very exclusive hotels.
Don’t call long distance in your hotel room. Instead, you should try the Internet. A lot of hotels offer wi-fi, making it possible for you to use Skype. But the Internet is infinitely useful while traveling so it is usually worth it.
Although many hotels have certain rooms that allow pets, never assume your hotel will without researching ahead of time. You should call ahead to double check, even if it was stated on the website that this is a pet friendly hotel. Also, find out if there are any size or breed restrictions.
If you are traveling with children, be sure the hotels you book have clean swimming pools that are up and running. There are few things as frustrating as showing up to a hotel, with your kids chomping at the bit to get in the pool, only to have it closed for repairs.
See if you can get a hotel discount through AAA if you are a member. You could also get a surprise that you have an auto club membership that gives you hotel discounts. You may save 5% or even more on nationwide hotels. This can add up on a long trip.
Find out if the hotel you want is smoking or non-smoking. If you aren’t a smoker, then you want to avoid smoking rooms and maybe even smoking hotels in general, but most hotel chains do have smoking and non-smoking rooms. Nonetheless, if there are smokers in the hotel, you may have problems with odors. Sometimes a smoker will get a non smoking room and still smoke in it. If you don’t want to smell like cigarettes after leaving your hotel room, you might want to look for a non-smoking hotel.
From time to time, you will need to reserve a hotel room. Whatever your reason for staying in one, it is important to do plenty of research first. With the tips from this article, you will be sure to find a great hotel at a good price.
Find out how the hotel handles pets. If you fear pets or have allergies it may be best to make reservations at hotels that have a strict no pets policy. They may have a hidden smell that the hotel tries to mask with a strong fragrance, which is also an irritant. Most hotels charge a pet fee; however, sometimes this is negligible. It might not cover deep cleaning.