There are countless hotels across the country, ranging from small, outdated shabby motels by the road to luxurious five-star establishments. A nice hotel makes your trip that much better but a bad hotel can quickly ruin any trip. So, to find the best hotel for your needs, continue reading.
Put your electronics into the room’s safe. 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.
Use websites like Orbitz and Expedia for great prices. Join the loyalty program for any hotel chain that you love and believe you’ll stay with often. You may also be able to get discounts through AAA or AARP.
The organizations that you are a member of might be of help. Do they offer hotel discounts? Many people forget to do this and miss out on saving a sizable amount of money. This can lead to a great amount of money saved, especially for those spending multiple nights at the hotel. This can rack up a free night over the entire course of a whole week.
To get a meal later at night order yourself some room service. Even though this will cost a bit more, the convenience and comfort are worth it.
Take advantage of online hotel searching tools. You can use such websites to discover great deals with ease and speed. On this type of site, you can find out the average and discounted rates of most hotels. They also can help with figuring out when the ideal time to go on vacation is and what you can do once you are there.
Look at organizations you’re part of for discounts. Sometimes you can get discounted hotel prices through these organizations. A lot of people don’t use these discounts, and you may save 10% or even more. They can save you plenty of money, especially for prolonged stays. A stay of 5 days or more could add up to one free hotel night stay!
Search for hotel deals online. Often, the only way to learn about discounts is to look online. This is why you should always do your research well online to find these hidden discounts. Look at Jetsetter, RueLaLaTravel or similar websites for discounts.
When thinking about the type of hotel you would like to stay at, there are plenty of options to consider. Price is one thing you should consider, but when you get a hotel you may want it near a certain place. You may or may not care about such amenities such as a gym, large pool, WiFi or a free breakfast buffet. You want to secure a room at a hotel that provides the things you desire.
Ask the hotel about their check-in time.. Many people forget the time, then they show up early and the room isn’t ready yet. If you’re going to come to the hotel before you should be checking in, call them first to see if there’s anything they can do for you.
Always look for deals online when reserving a hotel room. It’s not uncommon for a hotel employee to not mention to you that it is possible to receive a great discount online. It is your responsibility to scour the Internet for these savings. Look at Jetsetter, Enrovia and Hotels.com.
If you want a couples massage, book early. The best professionals are often in high demand, so get in while you can.
Once you get to your hotel, do not unpack until you check the room. Is the room clean and free from mildew or mold? Does your shower, sink, and toilet work in the right way? Make sure you have the linens, bath supplies and towels that you will need. If you spot any problems, immediately notify the hotel staff so they can fix it or move you to another room.
Bring your running clothes with you on your trip. Head out early in the morning after donning your running gear. Spending time on the road with your own two feet will give you a perspective that you’ll never get while riding in a car.
Be aware of when you can check into your room. Many hotel guests will forget their check-in time; therefore, they will arrive at the hotel just to discover that they cannot check in yet. If you might be arriving before the check-in time, ask the hotel whether it’s okay to come.
Frequent travelers can benefit from loyalty programs offered by many hotels. These programs provide benefits to guests who book the same hotel regularly. There are many rewards given when you accumulate loyalty points such as free stays, free upgrades and later than usual check out times.
Plan your trip in advance for the best rates. Some hotels have a discount if you book your room a month or more ahead of time. You may even be able to cut the price down by half!
If you tend to stay at the same hotel a lot, see about signing up for their frequent guest program. These programs give you points every time you stay there. These points can add up to hotel restaurant discounts, spa deals, free nights and much more.
Hotel Discounts
A membership in AAA can make booking a hotel easier when you travel. AAA members receive excellent discounts on hotels, car rentals and other attractions. Those with youngsters will be grateful for the free car seats.
If you have a AAA membership, look into hotel discounts included. Did you know that this membership entitles you to hotel discounts? You can save five percent or more on certain hotels. Over multiple nights, that five percent will really add up.
If you are traveling with kids, make sure the hotel you book has a working pool. There is nothing worse than getting to a hotel with kids to find the pool is closed.
It is wise to join a hotel loyalty program if you travel frequently. This type of program provides discounts and benefits for frequent visitors. 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 are going to inspect if your hotel room has bed bugs, then start looking in the bathroom. This is probably not where you will find bedbugs. That makes the bathroom the safest place to keep the luggage while you look through the remainder of the accommodations. It is a safe place for pets and kids to stay.
Remember that hotel chains often provide loyalty programs offering excellent discounts. These programs give you points every time you stay there. Use them for discounts, entertainment tickets and other things.
Learn about the smoking policies if you smoke. Some have rooms for smokers. Ask for those rooms if you are a smoker. If you smoke in a room designated as non-smoking, a big penalty can come along with it.
How much you pay for a hotel room depends on when you book your room. Availability sets pricing. Book your room more the day before you need it if you can. You may find the best prices this way. A room that’s empty won’t help the hotel, so generally they will get the price lowered.
Find out what the policy on pets is. If you’re allergic to pets or fear them, then you may want to avoid hotels that allow pets. Usually, hotels that do allow pets will have a strong odor coming from the linens as well as the carpeting. Some hotels charge extra fees for pets, but some do not charge much. Depending on the hotel, that fee may or may not be enough to cover extra cleaning.
Before you decide to book, always find out if there are any hotel transfer fees so you won’t be surprised on your bill. If the room is the bargain, then an expensive transfer can ruin the whole savings. Inquiring in advance will mean more savings for you.
It may come as a shock to you, but most hotels don’t allow you to check-in early. If you are going to arrive early, plan on doing something to fill your time. Hotels use these in between hours to make sure rooms are cleaned and ready for the next occupant. Having said that, don’t hesitate to ask the front desk about checking in if you do arrive early; however, you shouldn’t expect to be able to do this. The best thing you can do is arrive on time.
When you travel, go through AAA to find hotel accommodations easier.` 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. Those with youngsters will be grateful for the free car seats.
If you need a crib, ask for it as you reserve the room. Some hotels don’t have these things, while others do have a few. 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.
Try to avoid long distance calling in hotel rooms. Use your cell phone or the Internet. Most hotels offer Wi-Fi, but you will probably need their password and may have to pay a fee to use this service. This will help you converse with those back home without racking up a lofty bill.
If it all possible, never check out before your scheduled departure date. The hotel may charge you a fee for your early departure. When a hotel room is something you book, they are taking it away from other people and will lose some money if you leave early. So, they may charge you a fee for early departure to replace the loss in revenue.
If you are traveling with children, be sure the hotels you book have clean swimming pools that are up and running. It can be extremely frustrating if you arrive at your hotel only to find out the pool is shut down for maintenance.
Don’t use the hotel bedspread if you can avoid it. They generally will wash the blankets and sheets that are under the bedspread, but the main bedspread may not be washed. That means it could harbor contaminants you don’t want to be in contact with. Remove the blanket and sleep in peace.
Think about whether or not you are going to be staying at a smoking or nonsmoking hotel. If you’re not a smoker, you might want to skip a smoking hotel. You may be able to get a non smoking rooms still, but you can get smoke in the air which will stick to you. There are even cases where people are smoking in non-smoking rooms before you arrive. 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.
You have rights in the event where a hotel needs to “walk” you. Hotels will overbook, leaving you without a room. The hotel will then send or “walk” you to another hotel. If you cannot avoid this situation, you need to be booked at a comparable hotel or upgraded room for your troubles.
Some people rush while looking for their hotel, and often take the first room they find. Doing so can really cause a lot of problems. Use the tips from this article so that you do not have to spend the night in unpleasant accommodations.
Don’t steal hotel linens. Keeping linens, a robe or some similar item will likely not go unnoticed. You will be issued a bill for the items taken. If you like the linens so much, you should ask about purchasing them.
