Finding a good hotel can make or break an entire vacation. Read on to find out how to find the perfect 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. Websites like TripAdvisor will give you some first-hand accounts of hotel experience from actual customers. What patrons have to say about the hotels you are considering can help you make the best decision about where to stay.
Check for online hotel reviews before making any reservations. These provide you with first-hand information about people’s recent experiences at that certain hotel. What others say about their experiences at the hotels you’re thinking of booking can aid you in coming to the right decision.
Double-check your organizational memberships. Some organizations will receive discounts for different reasons from different hotels. These discounts are often forgotten about, and they can provide significant savings. This is especially useful if you plan to book a longer stay. This can also net you a free hotel night.
Use websites like Orbitz and Expedia to find a great prices. If you have a hotel loyalty program your a part of, make note of that. You may also have other discounts through AAA or AAA.
Always see if you can find deals online when you’re thinking of getting a hotel room. Usually, when you try to book a room over the phone, the clerk will not let you know that there is a better deal online. For this reason, making a proactive search is advisable. Look to websites like RueLaLaTravel or Jetsetter for more help.
Check in on the organizations that you are a member with. Some of these organizations will offer you discounts on hotel stays. People often forget about these discounts, and they can be 10 percent or more. It can add up to almost a free night!
Inspect your room before unpacking your bags. Is it free of mildew and mold while being clean? Are all bathroom fixtures in proper working order? Do you have an adequate number of towels? This quick check can keep you from discovering a problem later, after you have unpacked and all other good rooms are taken. Tell the front desk immediately.
There are things to think about when booking a hotel. Amenities like free WiFi, fitness facilities, continental breakfast and free Wi-Fi or local calls. Try locating a tip that checks off as much of your desired amenities as possible.
Make sure that you know the check-in time for the hotel that you book. If you don’t know you may end up waiting a long time. Call the hotel desk and find out if your room has been prepared if you know that you’ll be arriving early.
Plan your trip as far in advance for the best rates. Many hotels offer the best discounts if you are willing to book a few months in advance. You may find yourself saving as much as half off of the price down by half!
If you want to get a low rate at your hotel, start planning early for your vacation. If you chose to book a month or even two ahead of your arrival date, you can get great discounts. You might only pay half price for premium hotels.
There are three things you must do in advance if you’re going to be traveling with a pet. Be sure that this hotel really does allow pets. Be sure to have plenty of plastic bags with you so you can pick up your pet’s waste.
Don’t assume a hotel is pet-friendly. Put a call into the front desk just to be sure, no matter what it says on their website. Find out what their rules on pets are also, as they may not let large pets or certain breeds stay with them.
If you belong to the AAA, ask about a hotel discount. You would be surprised where hidden discounts on hotels. You can save 5 percent or even 10% on hotels around the country. This can add up over several nights.
If you’re going to be wanting a massage at your hotel, book it well in advance. Experience a truly special moment with a top masseur or masseuse by asking for your appointment well in advance.
If you are a daily runner, make sure to bring your running gear with you.
AAA members get an extra discount at certain hotel chains. AAA members actually receive hotel discounts at specific hotel chains! You can save upwards of 5% on your hotel stays. The more nights you stay, the more you will save.
Be sure to avoid hotel transfers when booking a room.Especially in situations where the price of the room represents a major deal, the price of your transfer can make a big difference. You will save by asking about such a thing in advance.
If you tend to return to the same family of hotels for your vacation, consider joining their membership reward programs. Just like frequent flyer mile programs, these hotel programs offer you points for your stay. As a result, you could have your next stay discounted or receive other benefits, like tickets to a show.
Join a loyalty program if you frequently stay there on your stays. These programs allow you to collect points can be applied toward further travels.
If you care about the environment, then you may be interested in taking a “green” vacation. Many hotels offer environmentally friendly standards today. Many new hotels are constructed to meet green standards, earning green certification. Other older hotels will just provide green options for you. Ask your booking agent about green hotels.
Sign up for AAA to ensure easier hotel arrangements while you travel. Parents of small children will appreciate the complimentary car seat that’s provided for free in a lot of locations.
Being a member of AAA makes travel very easy. People who are AAA members receive discounts at many hotel chains. In addition, having a AAA membership will make it easier to get a rental car when it’s needed. Parents can also often enjoy a free car seat that comes with some rentals.
Ask if your possible hotel reservation is either smoking allowed in the hotel.If you are a non-smoker, you probably want to avoid staying in a smoking room. Smokers don’t always respect the fact that the room they are not supposed to smoke in.
Your children will be happy when you call the hotel to make sure their pool is open and working. Imagine arriving at your destination looking forward to a dip in the pool, only to discover that you can’t use it.
You should be aware whether or not the hotel’s policy concerning pets. These hotels sometimes have odors because the floor and bed linens. Some hotels are pet-friendly and don’t charge for it, while others charge substantially more. The fee may cover the cost of the extra cleaning needed to completely remove the odors.
Ascertain whether or not the hotel you plan to stay at allows smoking. If you aren’t a smoker, then you want to avoid smoking rooms and maybe even smoking hotels in general, but most hotel chains do have smoking and non-smoking rooms. Even if you stipulate that your room should be non-smoking, second hand smoke can still enter your room. There are times when smokers end up staying in non-smoking rooms, and smoking in them. To be sure you don’t absorb cigarette smoke, think about staying at a nonsmoking hotel.
You should know that it is not usually possible. Plan your trip right time if you don’t want to wait. Hotels need to get the time to clean your room so it is ready for you check in. If you do happen to arrive early, you can ask if it’s possible to do so early, but this should not be expected.
If needed, always ask about the availability of a crib or roll-away at the time you reserve the room. Hotels don’t typically have a lot of these, so be sure to ask in advance. Sometimes, there is an additional charge for these items. Before making reservations, explain this.
Not all hotel will be able to accommodate you. Talk about these issues as you make your room.
Avoid sleeping under the bedspread. The bedspread isn’t washed often, while the sheets are. As a result, the bedspread will likely contain all kinds of germs and bacteria. Take the bedspread off of the bed.
Don’t take hotel linens home.
If a hotel is trying to “walk” you, then you’ll know what the rights are you have. Sometimes a hotel will overbook and you will find the room you booked is not available. They might try and send you to a different hotel. This is inconvenient, and try to avoid it if possible. If you must go elsewhere, make sure transportation is paid and you get a better room than you originally booked.
You can get some money if you book a flight and hotel at the same time. A lot of travel websites provide significant savings for people who bundles things together.
You can get a cheaper price on a nice hotel if you book during their slow times of the year. It is during this time when rates are more. You should book a room during the off season as hotels are desperate then for their rooms to be occupied. You can get a better rate during this time.
You will be able to get better hotel rates when you book during peak tourist seasons. Rates are at this time. You will have a better chance of getting a good rate.
You may be able to receive an upgrade without being charged for one. To help you get an upgrade, arrive at the front desk at check-in time. Many times the room you booked will not be clean yet, so they may offer you a better room for no additional charge.
Some hotels rooms have a nicer view than others. If rooms with good views do not cost more, ask for one. A good view will make your vacation to another level. It never hurts to ask if there are rooms with better view.
Some hotel rooms have excellent views, while others do not. If there is not a price difference between rooms, opt for the one with the best view. Just having a better view can enhance your enjoyment of your hotel stay. It doesn’t hurt to ask the hotel for rooms that have better views.
You should never pay the price at any hotel. Contact the hotel and see if there is a discount. You can find great discounts on various travel websites.
Do not pay the posted price at any hotel. Hotels post this rate, referred to as a “rack rate”, in hopes that uninformed travelers will pay it. Hotels generally think you’re going to barter with them anyways. Therefore, never accept full price and get in touch with the hotel in order to work up the best deal. Be confident and bold. There also many websites that offer great discounts.
Book hotel stay for a special occasions. Hotels often provide perks if you let them know you are celebrating your anniversary or something similar. You might even get a bottle of champagne or something similar.
Check online websites such as Expedia or Travelocity to help you find great prices. These sites help to sell lots of hotel reservations, so hotels will inform them of any discounts that may not be offered elsewhere. You may have to place a bid, while others give you the price up front.
Check out online sites like Expedia or Travelocity to help you find good deals. Some sites need you to bid on a room, while others may give you a price and the star rating but not tell you the name until you decide to buy, so watch out for that.
At the end of your hotel stay, normally you should leave a tip for the housekeeper. You don’t have to tip everyone, but you should definitely tip your maid. The person who cleans hotel rooms encounters many challenges in his or her job, so don’t forget the tip!
As already discussed, staying in an expensive hotel takes away from money you could spend on other things. Put these tips to use in order to find an affordable, but comfortable hotel. Refer back to this information when you are working on your travel plans.
When making hotel reservations via a third-party site, watch out for surcharges and hidden fees. Frequently, the price that is displayed to you is not the net price. Do your research so that you know what the final cost will be.