Does your head spin when you think about picking a hotel to stay at during your next vacation? How do you choose a great room with all the choices available? You do not need to worry. The tips that follow will help you with all things related to hotels.
Prior to reserving a room at a hotel, look on the Internet for reviews. One great site is TripAdvisor. Here, you can read what people had to say about their hotel stay. Reading other people’s reviews of the hotels you’re considering can really help you decide which one to choose.
Find out if any organization to which you belong offers good discounts. Sometimes you can get discounted hotel prices through these organizations. People frequently forget these discounts are available, and they can be 10 percent or more. That can add up to huge savings over multiple nights. Over the course of a week it’s nearly a free night!
You can find a lot of great deals on hotels if you go online and check out some of the travel sites out there. Are you a member of a certain hotel’s membership program? If so, make sure you put this information into the travel site. You may also be eligible for other discounts through any memberships you have with organizations such as AAA and AARP.
There are a number of things to consider when deciding which hotel to stay at. Price is always a big factor, but you also need a hotel that’s geographically proximate to your target destinations. Other amenities, such as a swimming pool, an onsite restaurant and free continental breakfast are important to travelers. Try to get yourself a hotel with what you need in it when possible.
What groups are you a member of? There are times when an organization will give you great deals on the price of hotels. These discounts are often neglected; however, they can save you upwards of ten percent. That can save a lot of money, especially if you are staying for multiple nights. For a week of vacation time that adds up to an extra day!
You can use hotel search tools on the Internet. These kinds of websites allow you to locate great deals fast. They can also allow you to look at the average rates of a hotel. The websites can also help you decide the best time to take a trip and where you can eat, shop or sight-see.
Inspect the room before unpacking. Is it clean? Is everything in the bathroom working as it should? Count how many linens and towels you were given and make sure there are enough for everyone traveling with you. If you see that there are problems with your room, let the people at the front desk know right away so they can get things taken care of. Or, they can move you to another room.
Don’t think every hotel is pet-friendly. Call them ahead of time to see if they are even if the website they’re on says yes. Ask what pet-friendly means at the establishment. There may be some restrictions.
Be aware of when you can check into your room. If you don’t know you may end up waiting a long time. If you anticipate arriving early, check with the hotel to find out if your room will be ready.
If you plan on taking a family pet with you to a hotel reservation, do three things in advance. Confirm that pets are allowed in the room you are staying. In addition, take along some plastic bags to pick up your pet’s mess. Also, request a room away from other guests so that your pet does not bother them.
Don’t make the assumption that all hotels will welcome your pet. Call the hotel in advance to ensure the hotel is pet friendly. Find out what their rules on pets are also, as they may not let large pets or certain breeds stay with them.
If you want to arrange for a couples massage at your hotel, be sure to book the appointment right away. Most of the time, the most reputable masseuses will be booked, so plan early in order to have the most enjoyable experience.
Pack your GPS and running clothes while on vacation. Try enjoying an early jog at your new destination. This can be a great way to stay in shape while seeing some of the local scenery. 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.
To keep your running regimen up while you are traveling, pack your GPS watch and plenty of running clothes. In this way, you can simply suit up and enjoy your workout as usual while on the road. Running not only provides you with great exercise, but it also helps you better learn the city in which you are residing.
If you book accommodations often, hotel loyalty programs are good to participate in. They offer perks to folks who frequent their hotel. You might receive an upgrade at no cost or be allowed to check out later than others with your points.
If you stay in a particular hotel chain, ask about their membership program. Similar to frequent flyer programs, some hotels have programs that give point for each stay. These points can add up to hotel restaurant discounts, spa deals, free nights and much more.
Going green is a growing trend so it is no surprise that hotels are going green as well. Fortunately, there are many green hotels available nowadays. Newer hotels are often certified green and designed and built using green standards. Older hotels can’t always do this, but instead choose to adhere to certain green practices. Talk to your travel agent about what you want to do and let them seek out a few appropriate hotels.
If you care about the environment, then you may be interested in taking a “green” vacation. Luckily, many hotels are around these days for you to choose from. Newer hotels are sometimes built according to green standards. Other older hotels will just provide green options for you. Speak with a travel agent to see if they can help you pick out hotels that care about the environment.
The price you pay at a hotel often depends on the time frame in which you reserve the room. The price is subject to the laws of supply and demand like any other product. Whenever you can, don’t book your hotel room until the last 24 hours. 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.
How much you pay for a hotel room depends on when you book your room. Availability is one factor that plays a part in cost. If possible, don’t make your reservation more than a day in advance. This can net you a great deal. Hotels don’t earn money on empty rooms, so they are often willing to reduce the price.
Avoid making long distance calls from the hotel room phone. Try using the Internet, instead. Skype connections that are accessed through Wi-Fi are offered by many hotels. You can still call family members, friends, and colleagues from your room without racking up tons of costly charges.
Membership Program
If you are bringing your kids along for the trip, then it’s a good idea to call a hotel in advance and make sure they have working pools. It can prove rather frustrating when you check in to your room with the kids screaming “pool” only to find out it’s closed.
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. By joining a membership program, you earn points during every visit. These points can add up to free items over time.
Learn about the smoking policies if you smoke. Many hotels have rooms designated for smokers. If this applies to the hotel of your choice, request that type of room specifically. Certain hotels will charge you a steep fee if you get caught smoking in a room that is non-smoking. Be sure to follow the rules of the hotel.
Your children will be happy when you call the hotel to make sure their pool is open and working. There is nothing worse than having to tell your excited kids they cannot swim.
You should always be aware whether or not the hotel allows pets. If you fear pets or have allergies it may be best to make reservations at hotels that have a strict no pets policy. Rooms that allow pets may also have the odor of animals. This can be in the linens and carpet. You may get charged extra for having a pet, but a lot of places don’t charge all that much. The fee charged may not be adequate to cover the extra cleaning needed to completely remove the odors.
Smokers should always learn the smoking policy at any hotel before they book a room. Most hotels have designated smoking rooms. If so, you should avail yourself of this option. If you smoke in one of the hotel’s non-smoking room, you can be charged hefty fees.
You should know that it is not usually possible to check into your hotel early. Plan to get there at the right time if you don’t want to wait. The room must be cleaned and prepared so the next guest can check in. Check with the front desk if you arrive early, but do not be angry if they can’t get you in early.
Try to avoid checking out of the hotel ahead of your scheduled checkout time. The hotel could impose a fee if you check out early. Booking that room means it wasn’t available when others were reserving. This is why they usually charge you an fee for early departure.
When reserving your room, be sure to ask for a roll-away bed or crib if you will be in need of these extra sleeping accommodations. Hotels don’t typically have a lot of these, so be sure to ask in advance. Additionally, you may need to pay an extra fee. Make sure these needs are discussed during the initial reservation so you don’t get any surprises.
The information in this article should help you in your search for a hotel room you can afford. Take the time to do the proper research before making a decision. After you go over all of this information things will go well for you so you can get a great place when you go on a vacation.
If you book a room during a heavy occupancy period, don’t be surprised if you have a mandatory stay of a few days or more. Some hotels charge early departure fees. 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.
