It’s never fun to feel like the hotel has taken advantage of you and your money. Whether you’re charged too much money or the place isn’t what you expected, a bad experience leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Rather than experiencing these problems, use the following advice to enjoy the next time you stay in a hotel.
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. This will give you valuable information about the recent experiences of people at each hotel. Patron reviews can give you valuable information that will help you make a good choice.
Prior to making reservations, research hotels on sites like TripAdvisor. Here, you can read what people had to say about their hotel stay. Consider what they say to help you make your decision.
Use the closet safe to protect your electronics. You should put any expensive items in the hotel safe.
Compare prices at websites like Orbitz and Expedia to ensure that you receive the best available rate. If you are a member of a hotel loyalty program, make sure to indicate this when searching for rates. You may also be able to get discounts through AAA or AARP.
Take a look into organizations you are part of. Sometimes you can get discounted hotel prices through these organizations. Discounts of 10% or more are often available, and people sometimes forget that they are eligible to claim them. This can lead to a great amount of money saved, especially for those spending multiple nights at the hotel. This can rack up a free night over the entire course of a whole week.
You can enjoy a romantic dinner in your room by calling room service. Room service can be expensive, but the luxury of being able to lounge about in your room in your jammies can make it worthwhile.
There are many different things to consider as you search for a hotel to stay in. Price is always a big factor, but you also need a hotel that’s geographically proximate to your target destinations. Amenities that you might personally want or need include a swimming pool or gym, on-site restaurant, continental breakfast and free Wi-Fi or local calls. Ensure the hotel you are planning on staying at has the amenities you desire.
It’s important to make sure that your valuables are safe during a hotel stay, so make use of the room’s safe. Your small electronic devices can be left in the safe when you are out, so you will not have to worry about them.
Prior to making a hotel reservation, do some research online in order to discover the best deals. It’s not uncommon for a hotel employee to not mention to you that it is possible to receive a great discount online. This is why it’s up to you to search for these discounts. Use websites such as Jetsetter, SniqueAway or RueLaLaTravel.
Consider the benefits of any organization memberships you have. Some may offer discounts on hotels. These discounts are often forgotten about, and they can provide significant savings. This can lead to a great amount of money saved, especially for those spending multiple nights at the hotel. That can give you close to a completely free night when it adds up.
Upon arriving at your hotel, check your room before you unpack. Is the room clean? Do the sink, shower, and toilet all work properly? Do you have an adequate number of towels? Call the front desk if you find any issues; they can either fix the problem or give you a different room.
To get the best prices on hotel rooms, start your trip planning weeks, or even longer in advance. You can get some great discounts if your trip is booked several months into the future. You might only pay half price for premium hotels.
Make sure that you know the check-in time for the hotel that you book. Some people end up waiting for their room to be available because they forget to check this critical detail. If you can’t help your arrival time being early, you can ask for an early check-in but it might cost a bit extra.
To ensure that you and your special someone get the right couples massage during your stay, book your appointment as early ahead of time as you can. The best massage therapists are usually booked up for months ahead of time, and you don’t want to miss out.
Don’t think that all hotels will be pet friendly. Even if a web listing says a hotel is pet friendly, call the hotel to verify. In addition, get specifics with regard to the pet policy, because only particular breeds or sizes of pets may be permitted at the hotel.
If you are a daily runner, make sure you pack exercise clothes and a GPS watch. You can still enjoy your early morning jog while on vacation if you have your gear and the right room booked. Spending time on the road with your own two feet will give you a perspective that you’ll never get while riding in a car.
If you plan on taking a family pet with you to a hotel reservation, do three things in advance. First, you’ll need to find out if a hotel is even pet-friendly. Be sure to bring some bags with you so you can pick up your pet’s waste. Finally, ask the hotel staff if you can have a room on the far end away from guests so that you don’t interfere with their visit.
If there’s a hotel chain you stay at often, check out their membership programs for frequent guests. Similar to how you earn points from frequent flyer programs, hotels offer you similar rewards for your stay. These points can be used to earn free nights, discounts and more.
If you tend to return to the same family of hotels for your vacation, consider joining their membership reward programs. These programs usually work by letting you rack up points. 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 frequently, you can maximize your hotel benefits by looking into reward programs from large hotel chains. When you do, you get points every time you stay at a hotel.
Get a AAA membership to facilitate the process of booking a hotel when you travel. 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. Parents with young children will appreciate the complimentary car set offered in some locations.
Being a member of AAA makes travel very easy. Your AAA membership will pay for itself right away in hotel and car rental discounts and availability. In addition, free car seats are usually provided, which parents are certain to enjoy.
Find out if the hotel you’re staying at has a functioning pool for the kids. If you arrive at your hotel and the pool is closed, your kids will be very disappointed.
Don’t call long distance in your hotel room. Use the Internet, instead. Hotels usually have Wi-Fi, so you can call using Skype. This will help you converse with those back home without racking up a lofty bill.
Always review the policy of whether or not the hotel allows pets. If you fear pets or have allergies it would be best if you make reservations at hotels that have a strict no pets policy. Rooms that allow pets may also have the odor of animals. This can be in the linens and carpet. Some hotels add an extra charge for pets, other do not. In fact, the extra charge for pets might not even cover the costs of cleaning; therefore, you should make sure you know all this ahead of time.
When you feel the need to check the room in your hotel for signs of bed bugs, begin in the bathroom. This is probably not where you will find bedbugs. That means that the bathroom is a great place to keep your bags while you check the rest of your accommodations for bedbugs. It is also a safe spot for your pets and kids.
You should know that it is not usually possible to check into your hotel early. You need to plan appropriately to avoid waiting in the lobby all day. It is usually necessary for hotels to service your room prior to allowing you to check in. If you do arrive before the normal check-in, you can ask if it’s possible to do so early, but this should not be expected.
What is the policy on pets? If you do not like pets, or you are allergic to them, then you should probably avoid pet-friendly hotels. Usually, hotels that do allow pets will have a strong odor coming from the linens as well as the carpeting. Some hotels add an extra charge for pets, other do not. It does take extra effort and expense to take care of pets issues and some hotels do not take the time necessary.
If you will be in need of a roll-away bed or a crib, be sure to let the hotel management know in advance. Some hotels don’t have them, and others have a limited amount. They may charge extra for this. Talk about your needs when you reserve a spot so you don’t get surprised with something you won’t like.
In most cases, checking into a hotel room ahead of schedule isn’t possible. You need to plan appropriately to avoid waiting in the lobby all day. Usually, hotels have your room cleaned prior to check-in time. If you happen to show up early just ask if your room was prepared early, but they’re most likely going to say no.
If you can, avoid checking out before the day you are scheduled to. Your hotel may charge you a fee to do so. If you check out too early, the hotel will lose money because they remove the room off the reservation list. Therefore, some will charge the early departure fee.
Don’t check out early, if possible. Some hotels charge early departure fees. By booking a room, you are preventing other potential guests from staying in the hotel. Therefore, by leaving early, you are costing the hotel extra revenue. This is why they have the departure fee, to get their money back that they would have otherwise lost.
When your hotel attempts to “walk” you, don’t stand for it! Hotels routinely overbook, which means that you could find that there is no room available for you when you arrive at the hotel. This will require that you have to stay at a different hotel. Avoid this if possible, but if must go to another hotel, make sure you get a comparable or better room and the travel to there paid for.
For a cheaper room, don’t book during a busy tourist season. Hotels usually know in advance when they expect high occupancy due to the season or events in town so they can help you choose a time when rates and occupancy are lowest. Go for the off season instead, as hotels will want to make a deal to sell their rooms. You will normally receive a discounted rate.
Remember that booking both your flight and hotel can often save you money. Travel sites typically offers savings to people who book more than one service at the same time. For best results, do a rate comparison of various carriers and hotels.
Try to get a hotel upgrade without spending any money. You might be able to do this by arriving on time. Because many of the rooms may not be cleaned yet, you may score a better room.
To get the best hotel rate, do not book at the height of the tourist season. Usually, hotels charge their highest rates during these seasons. Hotels are looking to increase occupancy during off-season months and this is the ideal time to book a room. You can get a better rate during this time.
By following this smart advice, you can avoid negative experiences when staying in hotels. You will have a much better experience if you use these tips to help you book a great hotel. Traveling and staying at a hotel should be relaxing, and you should never feel unhappy or uncomfortable with your hotel room.
If you want an upgrade, use an approach that may snag it for free. You might be able to do this by arriving on time. Because many of the rooms may not be cleaned yet, you may score a better room.