Hotel Secrets The Big Chains Don’t Want You To Know

Most everyone will find themselves needing to stay in a hotel from time to time. Many people regret their decision to stay in a particular hotel because they didn’t properly research it beforehand. You have come to the right article. This article provides you tips that will help you stay at a price you can afford.

Prior to choosing and reserving a hotel room, check review sites online like TripAdvisor or Expedia. This will give you valuable information about the recent experiences of people at each hotel. The information provided by patrons of the hotel will help you make a good choice of where to stay.

TIP! Prior to reserving a room at a hotel, look on the Internet for reviews. One great site is TripAdvisor.

Check for online hotel reviews prior to booking your stay. These provide you some information about people’s recent experiences at each hotel. What people say will help you make a wise decision.

Use online travel sites, such as Expedia and Orbitz, to find the best prices at the hotels you want to stay at. Join the loyalty program for any hotel chain that you love and believe you’ll stay with often. You may also qualify for discounts from other organizations you belong to such as AAA or AARP.

TIP! Check out online travel websites in order to discover the best deals on hotels. Examples include Orbitz and Expedia.

Use Orbitz and Expedia to find a great prices. If you have a hotel loyalty program your a part of, put your information in. You may also be able to get discounts through AAA and AARP.

Keep your electronics secure by using the hotel safe located in your hotel room. You can place your small, expensive items such as your iPad in the safe, so you can enjoy your day knowing they are safe and secure.

TIP! It’s important to make sure that your valuables are safe during a hotel stay, so make use of the room’s safe. Place your iPad, GPS and other small electronics in the safe when you are not in your room.

Check the organizations that you’re a member with. Some of these organizations will offer big discounts on hotel rooms. People don’t always remember to check out these discounts, which may be for 10 percent or more off of your stay. It can add up to equal a free hotel night!

Prior to making a hotel reservation, do some research online in order to discover the best deals. Often, the reservations clerk will not advise you that a better deal is available online. It’s your job to find them yourself. Websites like Travelocity and Expedia can be a great way to do research on hotels.

TIP! Always look for deals online when reserving a hotel room. Often, the person booking your room won’t tell you about discounts available online.

Use online search tools online. These kinds of websites allow you quickly find great deals fast.

Check your room when you arrive. Is it clean? Does the plumbing work right? Are there enough linens and towels? Call the front desk if you find any issues; they can either fix the problem or give you a different room.

TIP! Upon arriving at your hotel, check your room before you unpack. Is it without mildew and mold? Do the sink, shower, and toilet all work properly? Have the staff provided all the necessary soap, shampoo, towels, etc.

Search for the best deals online. 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, or RueLaLaTravel.

In order to get the best prices for hotel stays, you will want to plan your trip several weeks or months beforehand. If you can book early, you may get a huge discount. With elite brands, this can translate into savings of up to 50 percent.

TIP! You can get better deals on hotel rooms if you book several weeks or months ahead. Some hotels have a discount if you book your room a month or more ahead of time.

Plan your trip in advance as possible.Many hotels offer discounts if you book a month or two ahead of time. You might even be able to save 50 percent off at some very exclusive hotels.

Don’t think every hotel is pet-friendly. Even if a web listing says a hotel is pet friendly, call the hotel to verify. Make sure they specify what pet-friendly means since there may be certain restrictions on pet sizes and breeds that are allowed on the property.

TIP! Never assume that all hotels are pet-friendly. Even if the website says they are pet-friendly, always call in advance to verify.

Book your appointment as early as possible. The best massage therapists are well-known at resorts, so make your reservation early and book by name where possible.

Book your appointment as far ahead of time as possible to guarantee you get the perfect couples massage for you and your significant other. The best professionals are often in high demand, so get in while you can.

TIP! If you’re interested in the massage services of a hotel you intend to stay at, reserve your appointment ahead of time. Most of the time, the most reputable masseuses will be booked, so plan early in order to have the most enjoyable experience.

It is wise to look into loyalty programs that your favorite hotels offer. They provide benefits for those who frequently stay at a hotel. You might earn a free upgrade, late checkout time, and even free stays when you get enough points.

If you tend to stay at the same hotel a lot, see about signing up for their frequent guest program. These are similar to frequent flyer programs, offering points each time you stay at a particular chain. These points can be used to earn free nights, discounts and more.

TIP! If you tend to return to the same family of hotels for your vacation, consider joining their membership reward programs. Similar to frequent flyer programs, hotels have programs that add points on to your account each time you stay with them.

If you often stay at a certain type of hotel, ask about their membership program. These hotel programs usually work by letting you rack up points. You can accumulate points that you can redeem for free hotel stays, show tickets, and all types of entertainment.

Environmentalists can now enjoy a green vacation. Green hotels can feature specialized recycling programs, may only use recyclable products and use environmentally friendly cleaning supplies. Many newer hotels are environmentally friendly. Many older hotels are environmentally aware and have eco-friendly measures in place. You can ask a travel agent to pinpoint eco-friendly hotels, thus making sure your vacation doesn’t hurt the environment.

TIP! Do you care about your environment? If so, a “green” hotel may be for you. There are many hotels that feature green amenities.

If you want to work on saving the environment, you should look into “green” hotels. The number of green hotels you can select from. Some newer hotels are certified to be green. Some older inns just select one or more of several eco-friendly so they can show they care. Talk to your travel agent in order to find green hotels.

To get optimal value from a hotel stay, especially if you find yourself traveling a lot for your business, sign up for membership programs such as those offered by Marriott or Choice Hotels. By joining a membership program, you earn points during every visit. These points can add up to free items over time.

TIP! To get optimal value from a hotel stay, especially if you find yourself traveling a lot for your business, sign up for membership programs such as those offered by Marriott or Choice Hotels. When you do, you get points every time you stay at a hotel.

Be sure to avoid hotel transfers when booking a room.If you are getting a very low price on the room, these types of hidden charges can sometimes surface. Asking about this ahead of time helps you arrive can really increase your overall savings.

You can get great hotel discounts by becoming a member of AAA. Not only do AAA members get hotel discounts at many chains that are well worth the AAA membership, but you can find it a lot easier to find a rental car where you go. People that have young kids will get a car seat for free in a lot of different places.

TIP! Become a AAA member if you want to make arranging hotel accommodations a bit simpler. AAA members not only get discounts at many hotel chains, it will also make it much easier to rent a car.

Join the hotel’s membership program to get deals on your stays. These points that can translate into some major perks when you’re vacationing.

Making a long distance call from a hotel room should be avoided. If you don’t have a cell phone or the Internet, buy a calling card to keep with you during your trip. Skype connections are available in many hotels these days using Wi-Fi. This is much cheaper than paying for a bunch of long distance calls from your hotel room.

TIP! Be careful not to make long distance phone calls on the hotel phone. Use the Internet, instead.

It can prove rather frustrating for you check in to your children to arrive at a hotel expecting a pool and/or other activities only to discover that there are none.

Think about whether or not you are going to be staying at a smoking or nonsmoking hotel. If you are a non-smoker, then you should probably stay away from hotels that allow smoking. You may rent a non-smoking room, however, the smoke from the smoking rooms can still be present in the air and make your clothes smell like it. Sometimes, smokers rent non-smoking rooms because that is all that is available, and then they smoke in them anyway. If you don’t want to smell like cigarettes, consider staying at a hotel that’s non-smoking.

TIP! Figure out if you want a hotel you can or cannot smoke in. If you are a nonsmoker, you may want to avoid hotels that offer smoking rooms.

Check if a hotel is non-smoking or smoking. If you don’t smoke, you may not want to stay in a smoking room. Smokers also sometimes smoke in rooms that the room they are not supposed to smoke in.

One should always be aware of the hotel’s policy on pets. It may be best to stay clear of hotels that accept pets if you are afraid of dogs or are allergic to pets. Not to mention, you’ll definitely notice unwanted smells in the floor or in the linens if you don’t own a pet yourself. 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 what the hotel is like, you might have to pay an extra cleaning fee.

TIP! Find out how the hotel handles 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.

Early Check

Be aware that you can’t normally check-in early at your hotel. So, you may have to sit for a while in the lobby or find a way to occupy yourself until checking in if you are going to be arriving early. Hotels need this time to clean and prepare your room. Should you arrive early, ask at the desk if it is possible to check in, but do not be surprised if they say no.

TIP! It is not always possible to check-in early. Plan accordingly or you will find yourself waiting a long time to access your room.

You should be aware that you generally aren’t going to be able to do an early check-in at a hotel. Plan your trip right or you don’t want to wait. Hotels have to make sure rooms are cleaned and ready for the next occupant. If you do happen to arrive early, ask at the desk about early check-in, but don’t expect that request to be honored.

For hygienic purposes, you may want to avoid using the bedspread that the hotel provides. The bedspread isn’t washed often, while the sheets are. As a result, the bedspread will likely contain all kinds of germs and bacteria. Remove the comforter from the bed.

TIP! You probably should avoid using the hotel’s bedspread for hygienic reasons. Most hotels only wash the sheets on the bed; however, the bedspread is normally not washed.

Not all hotel will be able to accommodate you. Talk about these things when you reserve your reservations.

If you find your reserved room is not available, you do have rights. Hotels sometimes overbook, which means you discover that your reservation is unavailable. This will require that you have to stay at a different hotel. Avoid this if you can, but if you must go someplace else, make sure the room you get is comparable to the one you booked, and you are paid to travel there.

TIP! You know your rights if a hotel attempts to take advantage of you. Hotels routinely overbook, which means that you could find that there is no room available for you when you arrive at the hotel.

You have rights in the event where a hotel attempts to take advantage of you.This will require that you have to go somewhere else.Avoid this if possible, but if must go to another hotel, be certain that your reservation there is equivalent or even an upgrade.

Don’t take any of the linens. This may be tempting, but it’s easy for the hotel to find out and bill you for the items. If you find you really like these items, then ask the hotel if you could purchase them instead.

TIP! Do not take anything from the hotel. They might be lovely, but you will be charged for them.

Do not take anything from the temptation to run off with hotel towels or sheets.

For a cheaper room, don’t book during a busy tourist season. Rates are highest during this time. Hotels are looking to increase occupancy during off-season months and this is the ideal time to book a room. You are more likely to be offered a good rate.

TIP! If you wish to get a low hotel rate, you shouldn’t book when the tourist season is at its peak. Usually, hotels charge their highest rates during these seasons.

Tipping hotel staff will ensure you have a more pleasant stay. For example, your room service tip may be included in your bill, but the maid service won’t be. Tipping will ensure that the staff respects and well liked during your hotel stay.

If it becomes necessary to book a hotel from the road, check rest areas, tourist centers and gas stations to find tourist books with maps of hotel locations, prices and discount offers. This way you’ll be able to call a place and get your room instead of driving around looking for deals.

TIP! To find great deals on hotels while in transit, check out rest stop tourist booklets. This way you’ll be able to call a place and get your room instead of driving around looking for deals.

Some rooms have better views than other rooms. If rooms with good views do not cost more, request one. These little things that make your hotel experience. It never hurts to ask if a better view is available.

Sometimes, a hotel room will have a view that’s great when compared to others. If the great view doesn’t cost more, see if you can get a room with a view. Small things like this can add to your experience. It can’t hurt to inquire about the availability of rooms with excellent views.

TIP! Some hotel rooms have excellent views, while others do not. If rooms with good views do not cost more, try to get a room with a nice view.

Check out online websites such as Expedia to find great prices. You may have to place a bid, depending on the hotel and the website.

To get great prices, use websites like Travelocity or Expedia. These websites give a lot of business to hotels, so the hotels are going to give out discounts there that you can’t find elsewhere. Some may make you put in a bid while another site may allow you to get a price but they won’t give you the hotel’s name until you’re ready to buy.

TIP! Use online websites to find great deals. These sites help hotels sell a lot of rooms, and they offer discounts that can’t be found elsewhere.

It is customary to tip your housekeeper when checking out of a hotel. You can justify not tipping other services as the bill usually includes these extras, but you should definitely give a tip to the maid. You probably were being messy anyway, so it’s nice to leave a little something for the maid.

To save money on your hotel stay, ask the employee booking your room if you can get a discount. Even if they’re not able to lower a price on a room you may get perks like a free breakfast. Of course you won’t know unless you ask, so make a point of doing so.

TIP! Ask the hotel clerk about the best deals available. They may not lower the price, but they might give you some extra perks for staying.

It can’t hurt to ask them if they can do it.

Some hotel websites or brochures take advantage of Photoshop to give themselves a better image. For instance, the pool you see may be a really tiny one, or a bad neighborhood isn’t shown in the background. Make sure you do your research well and get a good idea of the real environment where your hotel is located.

TIP! Don’t be fooled by the photos the hotel uses in marketing materials. There might be a bad neighborhood shaded out, or the kiddie pool is made to look bigger than it really is.

The hotel’s quality of hotels in a chain may be inconsistent. It is the best to check each hotel individually so that there will be no surprises when you get there.

TIP!

So, when it comes time to plan a trip, keep these tips handy. Whether for business or pleasure, you want to get the best deal. This article and similar ones provide you with the information you need to select the hotel that is best for you.

TIP!