Ditch Expensive Travel Agents With This Hotel Advice

Is it important for you to book a great hotel the easy way? Well, your luck has changed for the better. This article will help you learn about the basics of booking a hotel room. Continue reading if you are ready to learn more.

Be sure to read online review websites prior to booking a hotel. Here, you can read what people had to say about their hotel stay. What former guests have to say with regards to a hotel being considered can ensure you make an informed decision.

TIP! Before you make reservations at a particular hotel, check its reviews on websites like TripAdvisor. These sites will allow you to see previous guests’ experiences at the hotels you are considering.

Be sure to keep your valuables and electronics secure by locking them in your hotel room’s safe. Valuables can be placed there with confidence, allowing you to enjoy your day without worries.

To get the very best prices for the hotels that you’d like to visit, use travel sites online like Orbitz and Expedia. Make sure you notify the reservation clerk about any loyalty program you belong to with the hotel. Find out if you can get a discount for being an AAA or AARP member, too.

TIP! Find great hotel room prices by checking out travel websites like Orbitz and Expedia. If you are a member of the hotel’s loyalty program, don’t forget to add that information as you check rates.

Find out if any organization to which you belong offers good discounts. Hotel discounts are often one of the benefits offered. It is easy to forget about the discounts. This is especially useful if you plan to book a longer stay. After a week has gone by it will add up to a free night almost!

Make sure you put your valuables inside the safe in your hotel room. Place your iPad, GPS and other small electronics in the safe when you are not in your room.

TIP! Use the closet safe to protect your electronics. Place your iPad, GPS and other small electronics in the safe when you are not in your room.

When thinking about selecting a hotel, there are quite a few salient points to consider. Price is always important, of course, but you might also want to find a hotel near a certain attraction or business. Amenities, such as a gym, room service, or free Wi-Fi, might be of importance to you. Choose an establishment that offers the amenities you desire.

Look at organizations you’re part of for discounts. Some organizations will receive discounts for different reasons from different hotels. These discounts are often neglected; however, they can save you upwards of ten percent. These discounts can save you quite a bit of cash, particularly if your stay involves several nights. This adds up to a night’s stay that is almost free.

TIP! Consider the benefits of any organization memberships you have. You may be able to receive discounts on hotel through these organizations.

When you arrive at your hotel, thoroughly check your room previous to unpacking. Is it clean? Are the showers, sinks, toilets, etc. properly functioning? Do you need extra linens or towels? If you find obvious problems, notify the front desk right away so the hotel can correct the problems or they can assign a different room.

There are things to think about when choosing a hotel. You must consider price of course, and you might want to be close to a specific location within the city you’re staying. Other amenities that people look for are a gym, pool, free local phone calls, free Wi-Fi, and free breakfast. Choose an establishment that offers the amenities you desire.

TIP! When making a hotel selection, you should consider many things. Price is always important, of course, but you might also want to find a hotel near a certain attraction or business.

In order to get the best hotel deals, always plan your trips weeks ahead of schedule, or even a few months. If you can book early, you may get a huge discount. This will allow you to save up to 50 percent even when staying at an elite hotel.

If you want to get a low rate at your hotel, start planning early for your vacation. If you can book a couple of months early, a lot of locations will give you a steeper discount. Some of the most popular hotel chains can end up giving you up to 50 percent in savings.

TIP! Plan your trip as far in advance as you can to ensure best rates. If you can book early, you may get a huge discount.

Are you a member of the AAA? If so, find out about membership discounts at hotels. Your membership may entitle you to hotel discounts. You can save more than five percent on hotels all over the country. Over multiple nights, that five percent will really add up.

AAA members get an extra discount at certain hotel chains. AAA members actually receive hotel discounts at specific hotel chains! It’s possible you could save 5 percent or higher on hotels across the United States. Those discounts add up to great savings, especially if you will be having an extended stay.

TIP! Are you a member of the AAA? If so, find out about membership discounts at hotels. You would be surprised where hidden discounts may be lurking.

If you tend to stay at the same hotel a lot, see about signing up for their frequent guest program. Similar to frequent flyer programs, some hotels have programs that give point for each stay. These points can be used to earn free nights, discounts and more.

For people who are frequent travelers, consider signing up for some loyalty programs with your favorite hotels. These programs provide benefits to guests who book the same hotel regularly. 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.

TIP! Many hotels have loyalty programs available to customers who travel often. These are exceptional benefits reserved for customers who frequently use a particular chain of hotels.

You may wish to consider a “green” vacation if the environment is one of your concerns. It is fortunate for you that there are quite a lot of green hotels available. Some hotels are certified to be green. Some hotels that aren’t that new will pick out some ways to be more eco-friendly so they can show they care. Talk to a travel agent if you want to find hotels that are eco-friendly.

The price of a hotel room is often a mix of many factors. Rooms prices are based on their availability. Try booking your hotel room within 24 hours of your stay. You can often get the best price if you do it this way. They’ll lower the price to fill the room.

TIP! The amount you pay for the hotel room is determined by when you book it. Hotel rooms are priced based on how many are available.

Find out about hotel transfer costs prior to booking a room to avoid hefty fees. If the rooms are cheap, the transfer could ruin the deal. Inquire before you book, so you aren’t hit with an unexpected price increase.

In order to avoid an unwanted expense on the hotel bill, inquire about any hotel transfer fees prior to booking them. If the rooms are cheap, the transfer could ruin the deal. Be sure and inquire about this beforehand so that you get your savings.

TIP! 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. Especially in situations where the price of the room represents a major deal, the hidden cost of the transfer can often make the difference.

Become a AAA member if you want to make arranging hotel accommodations a bit simpler. 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. They even throw in free car seats at most locations if you’re a parent.

Get a AAA membership to facilitate the process of booking a hotel when you travel. Your AAA membership will pay for itself right away in hotel and car rental discounts and availability. You might even get a free car seat if you have kids.

TIP! Being a AAA member has many advantages when it comes to booking a hotel room. AAA members not only get discounts at many hotel chains, it will also make it much easier to rent a car.

If you’re traveling with kids, be sure that you check on the pools to ensure they’re open and in service. There aren’t many things that are as frustrating as going to your hotel with kids that really want to swim only to see that it has been closed.

Try to avoid long distance calling in hotel rooms. Rather, use a web tool. With a Wi-Fi connection, you can use Skype for your calls. Take advantage of these options to keep in touch with family, friends and coworkers rather than incurring high costs by using the hotel’s phone system.

TIP! Don’t make any long distance calls from your hotel room. Make use of the Internet, instead.

Know what the pet policy is before you book. If you dislike or are allergic to pets, you should avoid hotels allowing them. These hotels could have weird odors because of smells getting into the linens and the floor. Some hotels may charge you extra for pets, and some may not charge at all, or the fees are lower. The fee might be too low to cover the extra cleaning costs.

Call ahead of arrival to see if the pool is open to keep the family happy. Your kids and you will be very frustrated if the pool at your hotel is closed because of repairs when you arrive.

TIP! If you want your family to have a happy stay, call the hotel ahead and ensure that their swimming pools are available and in good working order. Nothing is quite as frustrating as arriving at a hotel with children clamoring to jump in the pool only to find that it is closed.

If you are going to need a rollaway or a crib, make sure that the hotel knows this in the reservation process. Not every hotel will have these items available, and the ones that do only have limited quantities. Also, you may face extra charges for the use of these items. Ask about this before you finalize your reservations, to make sure your needs are fully met.

Start looking in the bathroom when checking for bed bugs in a hotel. This room is usually free from bugs. This is why you should keep your luggage in there while you go on a search for bedbugs. Put kids and pets in there, too.

TIP! When you look for bed bugs, start in the bathroom. This is usually one of the few places you won’t see any.

Never check out earlier than your scheduled departure unless it is absolutely necessary. An early departure charge may be added to your bill if you leave sooner. You reserve a room when you book it, so if you leave early they lose money. They will charge a departure fee so they get back what they lose.

In most cases, checking into a hotel room ahead of schedule isn’t possible. Plan to get there at the right time if you don’t want to wait. Before you can enjoy your room, hotels need to clean the room properly. If you happen to show up early just ask if your room was prepared early, but they’re most likely going to say no.

TIP! It is not always possible to check-in early. If you are going to arrive early, plan on doing something to fill your time.

To be safe, avoid the top bedspread that is provided by the hotel. Although hotels will wash the sheets that lie underneath the bedspread, the bedspread itself is not typically washed. It could have acquired a lot of invisible germs and other things you want to avoid. Just take that blanket off the bed.

Know what the hotel’s policy is for overbooking. Hotels sometimes over-book, and this can leave you without a room. The hotel will then “walk” you, or direct you to a different hotel. Avoid getting “walked” whenever you can, but if you have to switch hotels, be certain that your reservation there is equivalent or even an upgrade.

TIP! Be aware of your rights in the event that a hotel attempts to “walk” you. Sometimes hotels are going to overbook and then your room that you reserved won’t be there.

Know your personal rights when any hotel tries to “walk” you. There may be times when a hotel overbooks, leaving with no room. They might try and send you to a different hotel. This should only be a last resort and the other accommodations should be just as good or better and your trip there should be paid for as well.

Sometimes, you can save some money by bundling your flight and hotel. Travel booking sites often provide significant discounts for combining your room and flight and perhaps even a rental car. To get the best deal, compare the rates between several airlines and hotels.

TIP! Save your money when on the road by making your flight and hotel reservations together as a bundle. Check travel websites to see if you qualify for these savings.

Avoid the bottled water! After you check-in you may feel tired and thirsty. You might feel the urge to untwist the cap on the bottled water sitting in the mini-fridge. Hotels are counting on this, and they jack up the price of the water accordingly. Check if the gym offers free water. Or, if you are thinking ahead, just bring a bottle with you.

Try your best to score a free upgrade during your hotel stay. Your chances of accomplishing this will be greater if you show up exactly at your scheduled check in time. If the room you are booked for has not been cleaned yet, you may be offered a better room at no additional charge.

TIP! If you want a hotel room upgrade, try to get one without paying anything extra. To help you get an upgrade, arrive at the front desk at check-in time.

Having mastered this information, booking a hotel will be a breeze. You may find it to be a breeze. Just spend some time going over the information, and you will make the right choice.

You can make your stay at any hotel more pleasant by tipping when it is appropriate. You will probably remember to tip the person who brings you room service, but you may forget to tip your maid. When you tip you, will get more respect and people will like you more, too.

TIP! If you tip well, your hotel stay will be more pleasant. Room service charges usually include a tip in the bill, but maid service does not include tips for the maids.