Everybody has to stay at a hotel at some time. You should know how to look for a nice hotel, either for vacation or for business. This article will help you learn more.
Keep your electronics secure by using the hotel safe located in your hotel room. You should put any expensive items in the hotel safe.
Prior to making reservations, research hotels on sites like TripAdvisor. Reviews allow you to read about recent experiences at a hotel. This can help you choose which hotel to stay at.
When thinking about the type of hotel you would like to stay at, there are plenty of options to consider. Price is always important, of course, but you might also want to find a hotel near a certain attraction or business. Amenities like free WiFi, fitness facilities, a pool and free meals may also be important considerations. Try locating a tip that checks off as much of your wish list as is realistic.
Check out online travel websites in order to discover the best deals on hotels. Examples include Orbitz and Expedia. If you are a member of the hotel’s loyalty program, don’t forget to add that information as you check rates. You may also be eligible for deals that are offered to members of certain organizations, like AAA or AARP.
Make use of online tools to find a hotel. There are a lot of websites that have great deals and other useful tools to help you comparison shop to find the right hotel at the right price. They will also let you know what people pay on average when they go to that hotel. This lets you figure out if the deal you’re getting is a good one. They can also give you information on nearby attractions, too.
To get a meal later at night order yourself some room service. While it may cost a little extra, it is worth it if you can stay in your comfortable room as you satisfy your cravings.
If you want to find the absolute rock bottom hotel prices, plan your trips weeks or months ahead of time. The earlier you book, the better rate you should get. This will allow you to save up to 50 percent even when staying at an elite hotel.
Expensive Electronics
If the hotel you stay at offers a couples massage, it is very important that you make an appointment well ahead of time. The best professionals are often in high demand, so get in while you can.
Look for a closet safe in your hotel room, and use it for any expensive electronics you may have brought with you. You can stash your expensive electronics and jewelry in the safe and go about your day without worry.
If you travel a lot, you should consider joining hotel loyalty programs. These programs provide benefits to guests who book the same hotel regularly. You might earn a free upgrade, late checkout time, or other great perks.
Take a look into organizations you are part of. Many organizations provide hotel discounts for members. These discounts are often forgotten about, and they can provide significant savings. This can add up to big savings, even more so if you will be staying for many nights. That’s almost an extra free night throughout an entire week.
Think about going on a “green” vacation. There are many hotels that feature green amenities. Some of the newer hotels were built with green standards in mind. Other older hotels will just provide green options for you. Ask your booking agent about green hotels.
When picking a hotel, there is a lot to think about. Of course you want to consider price, but you should also consider the hotel’s location. Amenities such as complimentary WiFi, free local calls, complimentary breakfast, a gym and pool and a convenient restaurant are also important considerations. You want to secure a room at a hotel that provides the things you desire.
The price you pay at a hotel often depends on the time frame in which you reserve the room. The price of a hotel room varies with availability. Try booking your hotel room within 24 hours of your stay. This is the best way to get the best prices. Hotels don’t like to have vacancies so they often provide better prices.
Use online hotel search tools. You will typically find websites that provide deals on certain hotel chains. On this type of site, you can find out the average and discounted rates of most hotels. They might even offer some decent entertainment venues that you should experience while you’re in the local area.
Make sure you know hotel transfer costs prior to booking a hotel room in order to avoid a large unexpected cost. 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 will save more by asking about such a thing in advance.
Before you book a hotel, look for deals online. Many times, the reservation specialist won’t tell you of discounts when you call to book your room. You will have to learn how to find these great discounts yourself. Websites like TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Jetsetter always have promising bargains for certain hotels that you won’t find anywhere else for a better price.
In order to enhance your hotel visits, especially when traveling for work, you should consider joining membership programs that hotels provide. Examples include membership programs provided by Marriott or Choice Hotels. Each hotel stay can accrue points towards vacation perks.
Check your room when you arrive. Make sure there is no mold or mildew anywhere in the room. Check the toilet, the shower, and the sink to make sure they are clean and function properly. Have the staff provided all the necessary soap, shampoo, towels, etc. that you will be needing? If you notice a problem, be sure to inform the front desk right away to have these problems resolved.
The bathroom is the first place to go when checking for bed bugs in your hotel room. You probably won’t find any bedbugs in the bathroom. That makes the bathroom the safest place to keep the luggage while you look through the remainder of the accommodations. It’s also safe for pets and kids this way.
If you want to get a low rate at your hotel, start planning early for your vacation. Many locations offer discounts if you are willing to book more than a month or two ahead of time. That saves you 50 percent or more frequently!
Ask if there is smoking allowed in the hotel. If you are a non-smoker, then you should probably stay away from hotels that allow smoking. Although certain hotels that allow smoking will provide guests with non-smoking rooms, smoke will still be in the air. There are times when smokers end up staying in non-smoking rooms, and smoking in them. Instead of choosing a non-smoking room, you can actually find an entire non-smoking hotel if you really want to avoid nasty, secondhand smoke.
If you’re thinking of taking your pet to a hotel with you, there are some things you need to do first. Be sure that the hotel really does allow pets. Pack a supply of plastic grocery bags with you – you will need to clean up any pet waste. And, ask if your room can away from guests.
If you will need a crib or rollaway, be sure to specify this fact when you make your reservation. The hotel may not have these items on hand. If they do, quantities may be limited. There can be extra charges for these items, as well. Let the hotel know what you need to avoid anything that you will turn in a bad surprise.
If you and a loved one are wanting to go to a hotel and get massages, it is important that you book the appointment way in advance. In order to get the best masseurs at these top hotels, you must plan early to ensure that you get a good experience.
If possible, do not check out earlier than your scheduled departure day. Some hotels charge a fee for early departure. Upon reserving a hotel room, you tie up that room in the hotel. This means that your early departure results in the hotel losing money. This is why they have the departure fee, to get their money back that they would have otherwise lost.
For members of AAA, hotels offer discounts that are exclusive to members. It may be surprising that auto clubs members receive hotel deals, but they do. 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.
For the sake of hygiene, avoid the bedspread provided by the hotel. Sheets and blankets are washed regularly, while bedspreads usually aren’t. This bedspread is where you would find the bacteria and germs. Just remove it from the bed.
If you want to keep up the running regimen you have while traveling you should get your GPS watch packed with some running clothes. If you want to jog early in the morning, don your gear and then go for it. When you go running in a new city, you will get a free tour, up-close and personal.
If a hotel tries to “walk” you, know what your rights are. Hotels routinely overbook, which means that you could find that there is no room available for you when you arrive at the hotel. The hotel will then send or “walk” you to another hotel. This should only be a last resort and the other accommodations should be just as good or better and your trip there should be paid for as well.
Do you travel a lot? Consider using a hotel loyalty program. They provide rewards to those who stay with them often. You might receive an upgrade at no cost or be allowed to check out later than others with your points.
Save your money when on the road by making your flight and hotel reservations together as a bundle. It is not unusual for travel websites to provide large savings when a hotel is booked along with a rental car or a flight. For best results, do a rate comparison of various carriers and hotels.
Environmentally Friendly
If you want an upgrade, try to get one for free. You have a better chance of this if you arrive right at the time when you are supposed to check in. A lot of the times your room may not be ready yet so they’ll give you a deal on a different room that’s better for free.
If you want to work on saving the environment, a green vacation is something to look into. Green hotels can feature specialized recycling programs, may only use recyclable products and use environmentally friendly cleaning supplies. Some of the newer hotels are certified green. Eco-friendly strategies are also now commonly adopted by many older hotels. Ask your travel agent to help you identify environmentally friendly hotels.
If you’re on the road and need a place to stay, check out rest areas, gas stations and travel centers for guide books that have maps and lists of hotels in the area. You may even find discount coupons! This will help you call ahead and reserve the room that’s right for you.
As previously mentioned, everyone stays in a hotel at one time or another. Before you make your reservation, you need to do some research first. With the tips from this article, you will be sure to find a great hotel at a good price.
Never pay the advertised price at hotels. Experienced travelers never actually pay the “rack rate”, or advertised rate. It is just assumed that a hotel will let you haggle over a better price. Call them and ask for a better deal. Being bold is a good idea. Travel websites are notorious for offering large discounts.
