It can be arduous to make vacation plans. You not only need to choose a vacation location and arrange transportation, you also need to make hotel reservations. Your hotel choice is crucial because the wrong room can ruin the entire vacation. This article explains how to find a good hotel.
Check out online travel websites in order to discover the best deals on hotels. Examples include Orbitz and Expedia. Always remember to give your loyalty program information to the clerk when you book your room or search for prices. You might also be entitled to additional discounts through your other organizations, such as AAA or AARP.
Think about using room service if you want to enjoy late-night dining without needing to leave your hotel room. This service comes at a premium, but you can stay comfortable in your room while enjoying you eats.
Be sure to keep your valuables and electronics secure by locking them in your hotel room’s safe. You can stash your expensive electronics and jewelry in the safe and go about your day without worry.
If you wish to keep things safe in a hotel, use the hotel’s safe that’s in the closet of your room. You can place your costly items that are small into their safe, and then you won’t have to worry about these things as you go out.
There are things to think about when choosing a hotel. Price is one, but a prime location is another. Amenities that you might personally want or need include a swimming pool or gym, on-site restaurant, continental breakfast and free Wi-Fi or local calls. Seek to locate a hotel that provides lots of attractive amenities.
Take a look into organizations you are part of. Do they offer hotel discounts? Many people don’t remember these discounts, which can save them 10% or more. This can lead to a great amount of money saved, especially for those spending multiple nights at the hotel. This adds up to a night’s stay that is almost free.
Check online for great hotel deals. A lot of the time, when you book a room with someone, they’ll tell you there aren’t any online discounts. This leaves the job of finding discounts entirely up to you. Websites like Travelocity and Expedia can be a great way to do research on hotels.
In order to save money on hotel stays, book far in advance. You can get some great discounts if your trip is booked several months into the future. This will allow you to save up to 50 percent even when staying at an elite hotel.
Prior to emptying out your suitcase, carefully look over your room. Is the room free of mildew and mold and clean? Are the showers, sinks, toilets, etc. properly functioning? Are you given the linens and towels that you’re going to need? 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.
Do not make the assumption that your pets are welcome at all hotels. Put a call into the front desk just to be sure, no matter what it says on their website. A hotel may be pet-friendly, but still has restrictions against certain breeds or animals. Find out ahead of time if your pet is acceptable.
If you’re going to be wanting a massage at your hotel, book it well in advance. Most of the time, the most reputable masseuses will be booked, so plan early in order to have the most enjoyable experience.
If you need to have a pet stay with you in your hotel room, do a few things ahead of time. 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. When you go to make the hotel reservation, see if there is room on the end that would prevent the other guests from hearing a noisy pet.
If you travel often, consider signing up for a loyalty program with your favorite hotel chain. They provide benefits to anyone who stays at a hotel chain frequently. Rewards can include free hotel stays, upgrades and late check-out times if you save up enough points.
If you’re interested in the massage services of a hotel you intend to stay at, reserve your appointment ahead of time. Resorts that have masseurs often have very fully booked massage schedules, so it is important to plan ahead.
If you are an environmentally conscious traveler, you should look into “green” hotels. The great thing is there are plenty of green hotels you can select from. Many new hotels are constructed to meet green standards, earning green certification. Some hotels that aren’t that new will pick out some ways to be more eco-friendly so they can show they care. Your travel agent can help to identify the environmentally friendly hotels.
See if you can get a hotel discount through AAA if you are a member. It may surprise you that AAA gives hotel discounts, but most of them do. There are discounts at hotels around the country of 5 percent or more. It’s a way to save money that can add up fast.
When you book has a huge impact on your final bill. The price of a hotel room varies with availability. Book your room more the day before you need it if you can. This will usually ensure that you receive the best available price. The hotel will earn no money at all if the room is empty, which gives you a much better bargaining position.
If you like running and frequently stay in hotel rooms, be sure and pack up a GPS watch, along with your favorite running clothes. 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. You’ll get plenty of good exercise and a better understanding of the city around you.
Make sure to ask up front if the hotel you’ll be staying in allows smoking or does not. If cigarette smoke bothers you, look for a hotel that doesn’t have smoking rooms. Even non-smoking rooms can have smoke billow in from next door. 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.
If you are a person who travels often, it is a good idea to sign up for hotel loyalty programs. They offer perks to folks who frequent their hotel. You can often earn free upgrades, free stays, and complimentary late check out with enough points accrued.
Always read a hotel’s pet policy, whether you are a pet owner or not. If you fear pets or have allergies to them, make reservations at hotels that have a strict no pets policy. Hotel floors and linens can glean unpleasant odors from pets. Some hotels add an extra charge for pets, other do not. The fee may be for any cleaning that needs to be done.
Maximize your hotel stays with membership programs like the ones that Marriott or Choice Hotels offer. Each hotel stay can accrue points towards vacation perks.
If you will require a crib or a rollaway bed during your stay, make sure you make this known at the time your reservation is made. Not all hotels supply these items, and those that do have limited quantities. There can be extra charges for these items, as well. Before making reservations, explain this.
Check with the hotel to make sure the pools are ready to go if you are traveling with children. There is nothing worse than having to tell your excited kids they cannot swim.
If possible, don’t check out earlier than intended. Some hotels charge early departure fees. Booking a hotel room means the hotel is going to take that specific room off of their market. If you wind up leaving early, then they’ll be losing money for every day that you don’t stay. Make sure you understand that you might be charged for an early departure.
One thing you want to go right when booking a trip is the place where you will sleep each night. Research well and create a solid plan. By knowing how to find the right hotel, the more options you can have. You want and deserve to enjoy every moment of your travel, and your hotel stay is part of that. These tips will be a huge help.
No matter how clean your hotel seems, never use the hotel bedspread for sleeping. The bedspread is one item that does not usually get washed between bookings. This might mean the bedspread is carrying bacteria, germs, or bedbugs. Just get that blanket off of the bed.
