You are going to need to book a hotel room sooner or another. Whether you are traveling for business or personal reasons, you should know what you’re looking for in any given hotel. Here are some advice that will help you with this quite a bit.
Make sure you check out online review websites prior to making a reservation for a hotel. These reviews can give you a customer’s perspective of the hotel you are planning on staying at. You can make a wise choice when you know what others think about a hotel.
Check online hotel reviews before making any reservations. This gives you first-hand accounts of people’s experiences of people at each hotel. What people say will help you in coming to the right decision.
Room service can make your stay more enjoyable. This service comes at a premium, but you can stay comfortable in your room while enjoying you eats.
Consider taking advantage of room service during your stay. While it may cost more, it will be worth it because you can stay in your room and take care of the cravings you’re having.
See if your organizational memberships offer any benefits. Hotel discounts are often one of the benefits offered. Many people forget to do this and miss out on saving a sizable amount of money. This can help you to save some cash, especially if you’re going to be staying for a few nights. If you are staying for a week, you can pay for a whole night’s lodging with these discounts.
Check in on the organizations that you belong to. Some may offer discounts on hotels to their members. People often forget that they are eligible for these discounts, which can often be 10% and higher. It can add up to equal a free hotel night!
When thinking about the type of hotel you would like to stay at, there are plenty of options to consider. Of course price is a big deal, but a hotel close to where you are head is a big consideration. Amenities like free WiFi, fitness facilities, a pool and free meals may also be important considerations. So decide on the amenities that mean the most to you and start looking.
There are many different things to think about when choosing a hotel to stay in. Amenities that you might personally want or need include a swimming pool or gym, fitness facilities, continental breakfast and free Wi-Fi or local calls. Try to find a hotel with what you need in it when possible.
You can use online travel sites to find great 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. Finally, you can also use these to help you learn what there is to do when you get to your destination.
Take advantage of tools provided online hotel searching tools. You will typically find websites that provide deals with ease and speed.
Before you book a hotel, look for deals online. Often, the only way to learn about discounts is to look online. It is your responsibility to find these discounts. RueLaLaTravel, SniqueAway and Jetsetter are all good Internet sites to check with.
Inspect your room before unpacking.Is the room clean and free of issues like mildew and mildew? Are linens and towels? If there are any obvious problems, report it immediatlely to have it fixed as soon as possible.
Planning for a trip months or even just weeks in advance can often get you a better rate for your hotel room. Most hotels have serious discounts for early booking customers. You may save 50 percent or more.
Do not assume that your pets are welcome at all hotels.
Don’t make assumptions about pet policies of hotels. 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.
There are some things you should do before taking your pet on a pet. Be sure that this hotel really does allow pets. Be sure to bring some bags on hand to make pet cleanup easy.
If you’re a member of the AAA, you should see what your hotel membership discount will be. It might be surprising to learn that some auto club memberships include hotel discounts. You can save 5 percent or more on your hotel stay just by showing your membership card. These savings quickly add up, especially if you are staying for multiple nights in a row.
If you go to the same hotel often, see about signing up for their frequent guest program.These programs give you points for each stay. These points can be traded in for restaurant discounts, discounts at the hotel restaurants, free nights at the hotel, much more.
If you are a runner, be sure to bring your running clothes and shoes. For an early morning jog, get up and throw your gear on, and then head out the front door. You’ll get plenty of good exercise and a better understanding of the city around you.
If you are an environmentally conscious traveler, consider taking a “green” vacation. There are plenty of “green” hotels that feature green amenities. Some of the newer hotels are built with green standards and are certified green. Some older inns just select one or more of several eco-friendly strategies to show they care. A good travel agent or similar source can help you find hotels that are environmentally friendly.
How much you’re going to pay for your hotel room will depend on when your room is booked. Availability sets pricing. Try to always book your hotel room only a day in advance. This will net you the best price when it comes to hotel rooms. Empty rooms earn no money, so the hotels often slash the prices.
Join a membership program if you frequently stay there on business trips. These points can be applied toward further travels.
Before you decide to book, always find out if there are any hotel transfer fees so you won’t be surprised on your bill. A transfer can sometimes come with a substantial hidden cost. If you know this upfront, you can save more money.
Distance Calls
Join the hotel’s membership program if you frequently stay there on business trips. The more points you get, the more free stays you can use for vacations.
Don’t make any long distance calls on your hotel phone.Many hotels now offer Skype connections on their Wi-Fi.You can stay connected with work or family without the high cost of making expensive long distance calls from the phone in your room.
Become a member of AAA in order to make your travel arrangements easier. Not only will AAA members receive discounts for a lot of hotel chains that make it worth getting into, you may also find rental cars more easily than those without the membership. Also, if you require a car seat, the rental company may provide you with one if you are a member of AAA.
It can prove rather frustrating when you and your children to arrive at a hotel expecting a pool and/or other activities only to find out it’s closed.
If you’re traveling with kids, be sure that you check on the pools to ensure they’re open and in service. It can be extremely frustrating if you arrive at your hotel only to find out the pool is shut down for maintenance.
Start looking in the bathroom if you need to make sure there are no bed bugs. This is the place least likely to be. It is a convenient place for pets or children to sit for a couple minutes as well.
When you first arrive, inspect your hotel room’s bathroom. Bedbugs usually won’t stay here. This is why you should keep your luggage in there while you go on a search for bedbugs. It is a good place for pets or children to wait for a couple minutes as well.
Ask if your possible hotel reservation is either smoking allowed in the hotel.If you don’t smoke, you may not want to stay in a smoking room. Smokers also sometimes smoke in rooms that you are renting is a non-smoking room.
Look into a hotel’s pet restrictions. People who are allergic to pets obviously want to avoid pet-friendly hotels. Usually, hotels that do allow pets will have a strong odor coming from the linens as well as the carpeting. Certain hotels will charge guests extra for keeping pets in the room; however, many hotels’ extra charge is very little. Depending on what hotel you choose, the fee charged might or might not cover any extra cleaning required.
You should know that it is not usually possible. Plan to get there at the right time if you might end up waiting in a hotel lobby. Hotels need to get the room so it is ready before you to check in. If you’re going to have to show up early, you can ask if it’s possible to do so early, but don’t expect that request to be honored.
Don’t let a hotel take advantage of you. Hotels sometimes over-book, and this can leave you without a room. This means that you’re going to have to go somewhere else. Getting there early can usually prevent this, but if you do get “walked,” make sure your accommodations are not being downgraded in any way.
Never check out before the departure date unless it’s an emergency. The hotel may charge you a fee for early departure. When you book a hotel room, the hotel can’t offer the room to someone else, so they lose money if you leave early.
Resist the urge to abscond with the hotel linens. As soft and luxurious as they are, the housekeepers will likely notice that things are missing, and you might get a bill from the hotel for them. However, you can ask the hotel if you can buy the linen from them directly for a much better price.
Do not take any of the linens with you when you check out of the hotel.
You can save quite a bit on your next vacation when you choose to bundle your hotel room and flight. You may be able to save a lot of money by booking both from the same place. To get a lot from this kind of service, check a number of different rates on the various airlines and hotels.
You can get better hotel if you book during their slow times of the year. Rates are always highest at their peak then. You can get a much better rate during this time.
If you wish to get a low hotel rate, you shouldn’t book when the tourist season is at its peak. This is when rates are highest. Instead, book during off-season for the best prices. This way, your chance at getting a great rate is higher.
You can actually get a room upgrade without being charged for one. You can be sure of this by checking in exactly at your hotel booking. Often your room has not yet been cleaned, so the front desk may offer an upgraded room for no charge.
If you need to book a hotel on short notice while traveling, take a look at different tourist centers, rest stops or gas stations to grab free pamphlets and guides which allow you to get good discounts and find names of hotels. This will allow you to book a room with a phone call instead of traveling from hotel to hotel trying to find a room.
Some hotel rooms will have better views than others. If room prices are not affected by the view, opt for the one with the best view. These small features can enhance your stay better. It won’t hurt you to ask if they can get you a room with better view.
Unfortunately, most people don’t know tipping the housekeeper at the end of a hotel stay is customary. You don’t have to tip everyone, but you should definitely tip your maid. You probably were being messy anyway, so you should try leaving the maid a tip for their good work.
Let the hotel management know that you are there for a special occasion. Hotels often provide some complimentary gifts if you let them know you are celebrating an anniversary or birthday. You might get a free bottle of champagne bottle or a similar thing.
Sometimes asking the hotel clerk for a deal can get you a better rate. They can’t always lower the price, but they may be able to add a few additional perks to improve your stay. It can’t hurt to ask.
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 should always be tipped. You likely made a mess anyway from being travel tired and not at home, so be sure to leave something for the maid.
If you are making hotel reservation through a third-party website, watch out for surcharges and hidden fees. Many times the initial quote does not include all of the fees and charges. Find out what charges are included at the final price by reading all of the fine print.
As discussed here, everybody will need a hotel stay eventually. No matter what your reasoning for needing to stay in one, it’s crucial to do your homework first. The previous article offered great tips for coming up with the right hotel, so implement those tips.