You certainly want to feel taken advantage of when booking a hotel room. Whether it is paying too much or a room isn’t as expected, a bad experience can ruin a vacation. The following information will help you avoid these issues.
Prior to booking a hotel, refer to TripAdvisor and similar online travel review sites. These reviews can give you a customer’s perspective of the hotel you are planning on staying at. Their opinions can help you decide whether or not a certain hotel is the right one for you.
You should put any expensive electronics and jewelry in the safe and go about your day without worry.
Online travel sites like Expedia or Orbitz can help you get the best price for rooms at the hotel you would like to stay at. If you are a member of a particular hotel’s loyalty program, remember to include that information when you are checking on rates. Additionally, there may be other price breaks for you through various organizations, like AAA or other exclusive clubs.
Check in on the organizations you are a member with. Some of these organizations will offer discounts on hotels. People frequently forget these discounts are available, which may be for 10 percent or more off of your stay. It can add up to equal a free hotel night!
If you want a nice meal at night with your special someone, and you are too comfortable in your room to go out, order some food through room service. While this could cost you a little more, it will be worth it because you can stay in your room and take care of the cravings you’re having.
Use online hotel search tools online. These sites can help you quickly find the best value.
When you get to your hotel room, look over the room before unpacking. Make sure the room is entirely clean and free from any mildew or mold. Are the facilities operating correctly? Make sure you have the linens, bath supplies and towels that you will need. 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.
Check the Internet for the best deals before you book a hotel deals. This is why it’s up to you should always do your research well online to find these hidden discounts. Check out websites like SniqueAway, RueLaLaTravel, and SniqueAway.
Know your check-in time in advance. If you show up too early, you may find yourself sitting around the lobby, waiting for your room to be ready. If you might be arriving before the check-in time, ask the hotel whether it’s okay to come.
Check your room prior to unpacking. Is it without mildew and mold and clean? Are linens and towels? If you notice a problem, make the front desk aware immediately so they can take care of it or move you to a room that meets your needs.
Do not assume that each hotel welcomes pets. Ask the hotel if pets are allowed, no matter what their site says. Ask what pet-friendly means at the establishment. There may be some restrictions.
Plan your trip as far in advance for the best rates. Many locations offer the best discounts if you are willing to book more than a few months in advance. You may save 50 percent off at some very exclusive hotels.
There are three things to do ahead of time if you want to bring your pet to a hotel with you. Be sure that the hotel really does allow pets. Take some bags to clean after your pet. When you call to make reservations, try getting a room away from other guests so any noise your pet makes won’t bother people.
Don’t think that all hotels will welcome your pet.
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. Often the best masseurs and masseuses at top resorts are booked by name, so if you do your planning early, you can make your experience sublime.
If you are a runner, make sure you pack exercise clothes and a GPS watch.
If you belong to AAA, see what kinds of discounts the hotel offers. It may surprise you that AAA gives hotel discounts, but most of them do. You can save 5 percent or more motels and hotels in the US. It’s a savings that really adds up over the nights.
It may be wise to join a hotel loyalty programs that your favorite hotels offer.These are exceptional benefits reserved for customers who frequently use a particular chain regularly. You can get a free upgrade, complimentary late check-out times and free stays if you accrue enough loyalty points.
If you enjoy a morning run, try booking a hotel room that’s near the beach or an open park. Go for a run when you wake up in the morning. Even if your route takes you through the street of a city, at least you will get a glimpse of the area you are visiting.
If you stay in a particular hotel chain, find out about the programs they offer to frequent guests. These programs give you rack up points. These points can be traded in for restaurant discounts, discounts at the hotel restaurants, free nights at the hotel, and much more.
Do you care about your environment? If so, a “green” hotel may be for you. There are plenty of “green” hotels that take the environment into consideration. Many new hotels are constructed to meet green standards, earning green certification. Older hotels may choose to take “green” standards seriously, which is a great thing. Talk to your travel agent about what you want to do and let them seek out a few appropriate hotels.
The cost of your room booking often determines the dates on which you pay. Rooms in hotels are priced in accordance with availability. This will usually ensure that you receive the best prices in reserving hotel rooms.
If you must make a hotel transfer, find out about the fees. If you’re getting what appears to be a nice deal on the room, these types of hidden charges can sometimes surface. Asking before you arrive can really increase your overall savings.
Be sure to avoid hotel transfers when booking a room.If you are getting a very low price on the room, the transfer could ruin the deal. Inquiring in advance will maximize any savings.
To get the most out of your hotel stays, particularly if you travel a great deal for business, join a membership program such as that offered by Choice Hotels or Marriott. That way, each time you stay, you accrue points that you can turn into vacation freebies when it’s time to take the family on an adventure.
Get an AAA membership for hotel when you travel. Parents with young children will appreciate the car set offered in some locations.
Do not make long distance calls from your hotel room. Use your cell phone or the Internet. With a Wi-Fi connection, you can use Skype for your calls. Use these types of services to keep in contact with loved ones back home instead of having exorbitant charges added to your bill from the costly phone calls.
Try not to make long distance calling in hotel rooms. Many hotels will give you complimentary Skype connections via Wi-Fi. You will be able to stay connected with family and friends while you are away without the additional expense of making expensive long distance calls from your hotel phone.
Call ahead of arrival to see if the pool is open to keep the family happy. There is nothing worse than getting to a hotel with kids to find the pool is closed.
Check if a hotel is non-smoking or smoking. If you are not a smoker, you might want to skip a smoking hotel. Smokers also sometimes smoke in rooms that the room they are renting is a non-smoking room.
Inspect your room for bed bugs, starting with the bathroom. This is the place least likely to have bedbugs. This makes the perfect location to place your belongings while you inspect your hotel room for bedbugs. It can be a temporary haven for children and pets.
You should understand that early hotel check ins are not always possible. Plan your time accordingly unless you might end up waiting in a hotel lobby. Hotels need to get a room so it is ready for you get to check into it. If you do arrive early, you can ask if it’s possible to do so early, but don’t expect that request to be honored.
Always review the policy of 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. Also, pet friendly hotels may have lingering odors that have been absorbed by carpeting or linens. Depending on the hotel, you may be expected to pay extra for keeping a pet, but it isn’t usually a large sum. The fee might be too low to cover the extra cleaning costs.
Some hotels have a limited number of them. Talk about these issues as you make your room.
If you are going to use a crib or even a rollaway bed, make sure you mention this at the time your reservation is made. Not every hotel will have these items available, and the ones that do only have limited quantities. In addition, there is sometimes an extra charge for these items. Discuss your needs at the time of booking.
Never actually check out earlier than your scheduled departure date unless it’s an emergency. The hotel might charge a fee for early departure. If you reserve a room for a set number of days but check out a day or two early, the hotel will lose money because they remove the room off the reservation list.
If you must secure a room when you are driving to a location, visit a rest stop in the state you are going to. Pick up a few tourist brochures which should have hotel information and possibly even discounts. This will give you the opportunity to call for a room, instead of driving around for hours trying to get the best deal.
You know your rights if a hotel needs to “walk” you. This means that you have to stay at a different hotel. Avoid having this happen if you can, but if must go to another hotel, be certain that your reservation there is equivalent or even an upgrade.
Tipping for maid service and room service can improve the quality of your trip. Remember that room service bills include a tip; however, the person who cleans your room will not receive a tip unless you provide it. When you tip well, you will receive better service.
You can get some money saved if you book your flight and hotel at the same time. A lot of travel online sites feature serious savings for anyone who reserve a hotel and a rental car or flight from them.
Some rooms have better views than others. Request a room with a great view if you can. Your hotel experience can improve by these little things. So inquire about the little niceties like a good view, or a room that is has special features.
You can often get a free upgrade. You can do this by going at your expected arrival time. Sometimes, your room is not yet clean, and the hotels give them better rooms for no extra charge.
Go to online websites like Travelocity or Expedia to find the best prices. Both of these websites book large quantities of hotel rooms. This allows them to have cheaper rates than the competition. You may be required to bid on some, while others provide a price and star rating without showing the name unless you buy, so make sure you are aware of that.
Maid Service
Watch out for surcharges and hidden fees when making reservations with any third-party site. Sometimes, your quotes do not include each of the charges. Taking a close look at the fine print can help you be aware of these type of charges.
Tipping for maid service and room service can improve the staff will ensure that you have a much better time at your hotel. For instance, the bill for room service usually includes the tip; however, the bill for maid service doesn’t. Tipping will ensure that you’re respected and well liked during your hotel stay.
Hotel chains may have inconsistent quality in each establishment. You might like a hotel from a chain located in one city but not find the same experience in the next city. You should always check every hotel separately so you will not be greeted by any unpleasant surprises when you arrive.
Some hotels rooms offer good views than others. If rooms with good views do not cost more, always go for a room with the best view. This can improve how you think about your experience great. It won’t hurt you to ask them if they can get you a room with a better views available.
Many hotel websites and brochures use Photoshop to enhance their hotels image. For example, the beautiful pool on the website may only be a tiny sized kiddie pool. Try to look at as many photos as possible on different sites to get a realistic look at the hotel you’re interested in.
If you want avoid bad hotel stays, consider this article’s advice. Once you understand what to look for and how to find a great deal, you can really enjoy yourself. A stay in a hotel room should be a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Whether it’s for a single night or an entire week.