There are many steps to take in preparation for a vacation. There’s plenty of packing to be done. Then you’ve got to put gas in the car or shop for plane tickets. Another thing that must be done is you must make hotel reservations. Continue reading to find some great information on doing this.
To help you make a good choice, you should check out hotel review websites like TripAdvisor online. Websites like TripAdvisor will give you some first-hand accounts of hotel experience from actual customers. Factor former guests’ reviews into your final decision.
Prior to booking a hotel, refer to TripAdvisor and similar online travel review sites. Here, you can read what people had to say about their hotel stay. What people say about their experiences at the hotels you’re thinking of booking can aid you in coming to the right decision.
Make use of the room safe to ensure the safety of your electronics when you are not in your room. You can put just about anything in there, as long as it isn’t too big, and you won’t have to worry about it.
To get the very best prices for the hotels that you’d like to visit, use travel sites online 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. Find out if you can get a discount for being an AAA or AARP member, too.
When you’re looking for the perfect hotel, there are a few different things you should always check for first. Price is always a big factor, but you also need a hotel that’s geographically proximate to your target destinations. For example, you might want a room that is in walking distance to gym, or a hotel that has free Wi-Fi. Choose a hotel that meets all of your needs.
Hotel Safe
Use online hotel search tools. Travel websites are very helpful when seeking the best deals. Hotel search websites also let you see the regular rates of hotels, so you can compare and see whether a supposed deal is really a good one. You can also use them to explore the area around the hotel for recreation.
Be sure to put all valuables, such as jewelry and electronics, in the hotel safe. Putting your valuable jewelry and electronic items in the hotel safe allows you to feel secure as you enjoy your vacation.
Check your hotel room prior to unpacking. Is the room clean and free from mildew or mold? Do the sink, shower, and toilet all work properly? Do you have an adequate number of towels? If any issues are immediately prevalent, call the front desk that instant so they can address them or move you to another room.
A number of factors all need consideration in your hotel reservation process. Of course you want to consider price, but you should also consider the hotel’s location. Things like free breakfast can make a big difference for some families. Look for a hotel that gives you a lot of the things you are looking for.
If you’re going to be wanting a massage at your hotel, book it well in advance. Usually, the best massage therapists are booked well in advance at top resorts. If you plan early, you will have the best experience possible.
Check your room when you arrive. Is the room free of mildew and mold and clean? Do the sink, shower and toilet work properly? Are there enough of the right linens? If you spot any problems, immediately notify the hotel staff so they can fix it or move you to another room.
One of the best bonuses of a AAA membership is great discounts on booking a hotel. It might be surprising to learn that some auto club memberships include hotel discounts. It will let you save 5% or so on hotels that are around the nation. It’s a savings that really adds up over the nights.
Use your AAA discount at hotels. Your membership may entitle you to hotel discounts. You can save 5 percent or even more on hotels around the country. These savings quickly add up, especially if you are staying for multiple nights in a row.
If you are a runner, be sure to bring your running clothes and shoes. When you wake up in the morning, throw on your gear and head out for a morning jog. Even if you’re running down the city streets of roads, it will give you a new perspective of the city that you’re visiting.
If you are someone who travels a lot, signing up for any hotel loyalty programs is probably a good idea. They have benefits for those who frequently stay at a hotel. These programs can assure you niceties such as the best prices, room upgrades, and special perks such as free meals or late checkouts.
If you book accommodations often, hotel loyalty programs are good to participate in. They offer rewards to guests who book the same hotel chain frequently. You might earn a free upgrade, late checkout time, or other great perks.
If you often frequent the same hotel chains, look into their frequent stay membership programs. 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 there’s a hotel chain you stay at often, check out their membership programs for frequent guests. Similar to frequent flyer programs, hotels have programs that add points on to your account each time you stay with them. In time you may even get to stay there for free!
If you are worried about the environment, consider taking a “green” vacation. There are a lot of eco-friendly hotels out there. Green certification is something some of the newly built hotels are quite proud of promoting. Other older hotels will just provide green options for you. Talk to a travel agent if you want to find hotels that are eco-friendly.
If preserving the environment is of interest to you, you can chose a “green” vacation. These are much more common today than they were in the past. Some of the newer hotels were built with green standards in mind. Eco-friendly strategies are also now commonly adopted by many older hotels. Your travel agent can help to identify the environmentally friendly hotels.
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. You will build up points with that hotel for added benefits. It works a lot like frequent flier miles do for airlines.
The price of a hotel room is often a mix of many factors. Rooms in hotels are often priced based on their availability. Try to book a specific room at least 24 hours ahead of time, but it’s even better if you book weeks ahead of schedule. This can get you a seriously discounted rate. Empty rooms don’t make money, so hotels slash prices to fill the building.
If you are concerned about bed bugs, look in the bathroom first. This is the place where you are least likely to find them. That makes the bathroom the safest place to keep the luggage while you look through the remainder of the accommodations. It’s also safer to the pets and kids you may have.
If you must make a hotel transfer, find out about the fees. Especially if you’re in a situation where the room’s price is a really good deal, the price of your transfer can make a big difference. Inquiring in advance will mean more savings for you.
See if the hotel is non-smoking or smoking. If you’re not a smoker, it may be wise to stay away from rooms that are for smoking. You can still get a room that’s non-smoking, but the smoke can flow in the air and get on all your clothes. Smokers often don’t care that their room is non-smoking, too. Think about staying at a hotel that is totally nonsmoking if you don’t want to stink when you check out.
Become a member of AAA in order to make your travel arrangements easier. Members of AAA will get additional hotel discounts up to five percent, but you’ll also get discounts on rental cars as well. Many car rental agencies add perks, such as a child car seat at no charge, for AAA members.
Be sure you understand the pet policy of the hotel. If you’re terrified pets or are allergic to them, it may be best to make reservations at hotels that have a strict no pets policy. Pet odor lingers. There may be an extra fee to have a pet stay. It does take extra effort and expense to take care of pets issues and some hotels do not take the time necessary.
Do not make long distance calls from your hotel room. Use the Internet, instead. Some hotels now provide Skype via Wi-Fi. You can stay in touch with work or family without the high cost of a call from the phone in your room.
In order to have an enjoyable trip, you need to choose a great hotel. Regardless of whether your trip is romantic, family oriented or for business, your trip is better off with a good hotel. When you want to make your hotel reservations, keep these tips in your mind.
Do you smoke? If so, it is important that you are aware of a hotel’s smoking policy in advance. Some hotels offer smoking rooms. If the hotel has one, ask for this kind of room. Some hotels charge large penalties if they find that smoking occured in a room not designated for it, so make sure you follow the hotel’s smoking rules.