Hotels vary from the luxurious resorts to shabby motels that are downright scary. Picking a good hotel helps make your trip memorable in a good way, but a bad hotel choice does exactly the opposite. Read on to find a great hotel.
Consider taking advantage of room service when the urge strikes for a late-night snack with your special someone. Room service generally costs more than ordering out; however, it is nice to be able to order a meal in the middle of the night if you so choose.
Before you make reservations at a particular hotel, check its reviews on websites like TripAdvisor. These websites have reviews and comments from people who have recent experience with their stay. What former guests have to say with regards to a hotel being considered can ensure you make an informed decision.
To keep your electronics safe when you are out of the hotel room, use the safe that you’ll find in your closet. 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.
Find great prices at online travel sites like Orbitz and Expedia. If you are a member of a particular hotel’s loyalty program, remember to include that information when you are checking on rates. Find out if you can get a discount for being an AAA or AARP member, too.
Look at organizations you’re part of for discounts. Hotel discounts are often one of the benefits offered. Some discounts can be over ten percent! On a multiple night stay, these savings can really add up. It can add up to almost a free hotel night!
If you are hungry when you get to your hotel and do not want to leave, consider ordering room service. This service comes at a premium, but you can stay comfortable in your room while enjoying you eats.
There are things to think about when choosing a hotel. Price is one, but a prime location is another. What about free breakfast, local calls, wifi or swimming pool? Seek to locate a hotel that provides lots of attractive amenities.
If you take a lot of electronic gadgets with you on a trip, lock them up in the safe when away from the room. Putting your valuable jewelry and electronic items in the hotel safe allows you to feel secure as you enjoy your vacation.
Check your hotel room prior to unpacking. It should be free of any mildew or mold. Are all bathroom fixtures in proper working order? Does your room feature the linens and towels you require? 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.
There are a number of things to consider when deciding which hotel to stay at. The location of the hotel may be just as important than the price. Things like free breakfast can make a big difference for some families. Seek out hotels that offer amenities that appeal to you.
In order to save money on hotel stays, book far in advance. If you chose to book a month or even two ahead of your arrival date, you can get great discounts. You may find yourself saving as much as half off of the room’s typical rates.
Check out the search tools offered by online travel sites. It is possible to find good deals fast when using sites such as these. They also let you see what full price is, so you know you are saving money. They also help you decide the dates for your vacation and the activities you’ll want to partake of.
Never make the assumption that all hotels allows pets in your room. Be sure to ask even if the website says it’s ok to bring a pet. Be sure you know what pet-friendly means because there could be specific restrictions on sizes or certain breeds of dogs.
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. Websites like Travelocity and Expedia can be a great way to do research on hotels.
If you’re taking your pet with you, do these things in advance. Take time to ensure that the hotel you’re booking is, in fact, pet-friendly. Be sure to have plenty of plastic bags on hand to make pet cleanup easy. 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.
Check your room when you arrive. Is the room clean and free from mildew or mold? Does everything work? Do you need extra linens or towels? If you find obvious problems, notify the front desk right away so the hotel can correct the problems or they can assign a different room.
For people who are frequent travelers, consider signing up for some loyalty programs with your favorite hotels. These are exceptional benefits reserved for customers who frequently use a particular chain of hotels. You will be able to earn stuff like a free upgrade, an allowance to check out late, and even free stays when you get enough points.
Part of trip planning is knowing what time check-in is at your hotel. Some people forget to find out what time they are allowed in their room; they show up at the hotel only to find their room is not yet ready. If you anticipate arriving early, check with the hotel to find out if your room will be ready.
If you tend to return to the same family of hotels for your vacation, consider joining their membership reward programs. These hotel programs give you points for each stay. In time you may even get to stay there for free!
Do not make the assumption that your pets are welcome at all hotels. You should call ahead to double check, even if it was stated on the website that this is a pet friendly hotel. Also, ask what their definition of pet-friendly is, as there may still be restrictions on size or breed of pet allowed at the hotel.
When you travel, go through AAA to find hotel accommodations easier.` Members of AAA get discounts at lots of hotel chains which more than makes up the membership to AAA, plus it is easier to rent a car anywhere you go. In addition, parents may enjoy the benefit of having free car seats provided.
If you need to travel with your pet, you need to make three advance preparations. Be sure that this hotel will be friendly to pets. Make sure you bring along plenty of plastic bags to dispose of any pet waste. Ask for a corner room so that your pets’ noise doesn’t bother anyone else.
Always avoid making long distance calls from your hotel room. Make use of the Internet, instead. The hotel may even offer Skype calls via Wi-Fi. This can be a much cheaper option than calling from a hotel room and getting hit with lots of fees.
Be sure to consult AAA to help you make excellent plans for your entire vacation. It may come as a surprise to find that an auto club membership offers hotel discounts, but that is the case. You can save 5 percent or more motels and hotels in the US. This can add up in time!
Be sure you understand your hotel’s smoking policy if you smoke. Many hotels have rooms designated for smokers. Ask to see if any of these are available. You may be charged hefty fees if there is evidence that you have smoked in a that is designated as non-smoking.
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. This way, when you stay at a hotel, you can get points and then turn those points into free stuff that you can do with your family.
Know what the pet policy is before you book. If you fear pets or have allergies it may be best to make reservations at hotels which do not have a pet-friendly policy. These hotels may also have an odor due to the smells sinking in the floor and linens. Some hotels only allow pets in certain rooms and charge more for the room because they do extra cleaning to ensure it is up to standards after each guest. Depending on the hotel, that fee may or may not be enough to cover extra cleaning.
When traveling with children, check with the hotel ahead of time to ascertain that the pool is usable. You don’t want to get there, only to disappoint your children when you find out the pool is closed.
Ask for a crib or fold-out bed when you make your reservations. Hotels usually have a limited number of these, and you don’t want to ask at the last minute. Also, you may face extra charges for the use of these items. Talk about your needs when you reserve a spot so you don’t get surprised with something you won’t like.
Look into the smoking policies in the hotel you are considering. If you do not smoke, you might not want to go to a hotel with smoking rooms. Even if you book a non-smoking room, smoke can enter your room through air vents. It is not unheard of for those who smoke to stay in non-smoking rooms and proceed to smoke. Choose a non-smoking hotel to avoid the stench.
Whenever possible, do not check out prior to the scheduled date of your departure. The hotel may charge a fee for early departure. When you reserve a room, the management of the hotel removes that room from the market, so if you leave early, the hotel loses some money. So, they may charge you a fee for early departure to replace the loss in revenue.
Never check out earlier than your scheduled departure unless it is absolutely necessary. Your hotel may charge you a fee to do so. 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. This is why they usually charge you an fee for early departure.
Be aware of your options in case a hotel “walks” you. When you check-in, you may discover the room you secured isn’t actually available. The hotel will then “walk” you, or direct you to a different hotel. Try to avoid this scenario if you can, but if it becomes necessary to secure alternate accommodations, be sure that the room is at least comparable to the one at the hotel you booked, and get compensation for your travel expenses.
Many people pick the first hotel they come across. This can easily backfire and you can wind up paying a lot more for a room than you should. Everyone hates staying in bad hotels; therefore, make use of the great tips provided above in order to prevent you from booking an awful hotel.
Don’t get that bottled water and open it! You may be very thirsty upon arrival. As a result, you likely want to purchase that bottle of water you see sitting on the counter. Hotels are aware of this and have hiked up the price of that tempting bottled water significantly. Some hotels offer free bottles of water in their gyms. Even better, bring along a few of your own bottles.
