It is not easy planning a vacation. Besides choosing a destination, you must also locate a place to stay as well as making your travel arrangements. The wrong room can set you up for disaster. Continue reading to learn helpful ideas on selecting the best hotel.
Find great hotel room prices by checking out travel websites like Orbitz and Expedia. If you have a hotel loyalty program your a part of, be sure you enter this information while looking through rates. You may also be able to get good discounts due to AAA or AARP membership.
Make sure you put your valuables inside the safe in your hotel room. Place all electronics there along with important documents, such as your passport or plane tickets.
Room service can be a great way to have a private, comfortable meal. Although you’ll probably pay more, it is worth being able to comfortably dine in the room while in pajamas.
See if your organizational memberships offer any benefits. Some organizations will receive discounts for different reasons from different hotels. Many people forget to do this and miss out on saving a sizable amount of money. When you’re staying for more than one night, this can add up to a decent savings. It may equate to one whole free night.
It’s important to make sure that your valuables are safe during a hotel stay, so make use of the room’s safe. You can put your iPad, GPS watch, and other small, costly items into the safe, and then head out for the day with peace of mind about their security.
Figuring out which hotel you want to book isn’t an easy process. Price is important but a shabby, dirty hotel room is no bargain at any price. Other amenities, such as a swimming pool, an onsite restaurant and free continental breakfast are important to travelers. Choose an establishment that offers the amenities you desire.
Make sure you check with any organizations of which you are a member. Some organizations offer discounts on hotels to their members. It is easy to forget about the discounts. On a multiple night stay, these savings can really add up. Within a week’s time, you are basically getting a free night’s stay.
Once you get to your hotel, do not unpack until you check the room. Is the room free of mildew and mold and clean? 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 notice a problem, be sure to inform the front desk right away to have these problems resolved.
There are a number of things to consider when deciding which hotel to stay at. Price is always important, of course, but you might also want to find a hotel near a certain attraction or business. Things like free breakfast can make a big difference for some families. Find a hotel room that includes all of the features that you demand. There’s sure to be one out there.
For the best hotel rates, plan your trip weeks or months ahead of time. Many hotels offer the best discounts if you book a few months in advance. This will allow you to save up to 50 percent even when staying at an elite hotel.
Prior to making a hotel reservation, check for deals online. The reservation clerk won’t offer these details to you over the phone. You have to look for the discounts. Review the different websites, such as Jetsetter or SniqueAway.
Pet Friendly
When you arrive at your hotel, thoroughly inspect your room before unpacking. Is it clean? Does the plumbing work right? Are all the towels you’ll need present in the room? If you see that there are problems with your room, let the people at the front desk know right away so they can get things taken care of. Or, they can move you to another room.
You don’t want to assume that the hotel you will be staying in is considered pet friendly. Even if a web listing says a hotel is pet friendly, call the hotel to verify. Also ask exactly what they mean by pet-friendly, as there might be restrictions on certain breeds and sizes of pet that they allow on their premises.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking all hotels will accept pets. Call and ask before you reserve. Always ask about what exactly a pet-friendly policy entails, as there could still be limits on breeds and sizes.
If you wish to include amenities such as massage while staying at a hotel, be sure to make your reservations in advance. Resorts that have masseurs often have very fully booked massage schedules, so it is important to plan ahead.
There are three things to do ahead of time if you want to bring your pet to a hotel with you. First, inquire as to whether the hotel really is a pet-friendly place. Pack a supply of plastic grocery bags with you – you will need to clean up any pet waste. When you call to make reservations, try getting a room away from other guests so any noise your pet makes won’t bother people.
Hotel Discounts
For members of AAA, hotels offer discounts that are exclusive to members. Your membership in this auto club has just such a discount available to you. Membership in AARP, a union, an auto club or even being a police officer can get you a discount. It’s a savings that really adds up over the nights.
If you have a AAA membership, look into hotel discounts included. It may surprise you that AAA gives hotel discounts, but most of them do. It will let you save 5% or so on hotels that are around the nation. This can add up in time!
For people who are frequent travelers, consider signing up for some loyalty programs with your favorite hotels. These programs provide perks to those who stay at a particular chain regularly. You can often earn free upgrades, free stays, and complimentary late check out with enough points accrued.
You may wish to consider a “green” vacation if the environment is one of your concerns. Fortunately, there are many green hotels available nowadays. Green certification is something some of the newly built hotels are quite proud of promoting. Some older inns just select one or more of several eco-friendly strategies to show environmental awareness. Request the help of the travel agent in identifying hotels that are environmentally friendly.
The price for any give hotel room is going to affected by how early you book the room. The price of a hotel room varies with availability. If it’s possible, your room should be booked around a day in advance or more. This will allow you to get a great price on a hotel room. An empty room will earn the hotel no money; so, they generally slash the price.
To make sure you don’t have an unexpected expense, ask about how much hotel transfers will cost. Hotel transfer costs can be extremely large, especially in hotels that appear to offer an incredible deal on their room rates. Be sure and inquire about this beforehand so that you get your savings.
To keep from having an unwanted major expense on your hotel bill, ask about the cost of hotel transfers before booking them. Especially in situations where the price of the room represents a major deal, the hidden cost of the transfer can often make the difference. You can increase the amount you save by simply finding this information out in advance.
Get a AAA membership to facilitate the process of booking a hotel when you travel. The discounts at many hotel chains and deals on car rentals can more than pay for the AAA membership fees. Many car rental agencies add perks, such as a child car seat at no charge, for AAA members.
Join a membership program if you travel frequently. This way, when you stay at a hotel, you can get points and then turn those points into free stuff that you can do with your family.
Avoid making long distance calls from the hotel room phone. Instead, use the Internet. Skype connections that are accessed through Wi-Fi are offered by many hotels. You will be able to stay in touch with family and friends while you are away without the additional expense of costly phone calls.
If you wish to see if a hotel room has bed bugs, check out the bathroom. Bedbugs usually won’t stay here. That is what makes it the best place to start. You can store your luggage there and search the rest of your room for those bedbugs. It’s also a safe spot for kids and pets to sit for a bit too.
Do not let bad hotel accommodations spoil your trip. Always do plenty of research before booking your trip. The more educated you are about finding and reserving great accommodations, the more options you will find. Your vacation should be enjoyable, especially your hotel room. So make sure to book a hotel that is sure to keep you comfortable and happy.
GUests should be aware whether or not the hotel allows pets. If you’re scared of pets or are allergic, you might want to stay away from pet-friendly hotels. They may have a hidden smell that the hotel tries to mask with a strong fragrance, which is also an irritant. Some hotels are pet-friendly and don’t charge for it, while other hotels will add a hefty fee for keeping a pet. Depending on the hotel, that fee may or may not be enough to cover extra cleaning.
