Ditch Expensive Travel Agents With This Hotel Advice

A lot of people out there have had a hard time because of a bad hotel. It can be a costly and unforgettable mistake that nobody wants to repeat. So, read this article to learn how you can get the best value on the perfect hotel for you.

Before booking your hotel room, look to online review sites for in depth reviews from recent travelers. These types of sites let you read about real customers’ experiences with each hotel. What people say about a hotel can help you figure out where you should be staying.

TIP! Check for online reviews before making any reservations. This gives you first-hand accounts of people’s experiences in each hotel.

Do some research on travel websites before you book any hotel. Online review websites will allow you to see previous guests’ experiences at the hotels you are considering. Their opinions can help you decide whether or not a certain hotel is the right one for you.

When you arrive at your hotel, thoroughly check your room previous to unpacking. Is the room free of mildew and mold and clean? Are all bathroom fixtures in proper working order? Are linens and towels in ample supply? 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.

TIP! Prior to emptying out your suitcase, carefully look over your room. Is the room clean? Do you see any mold or mildew? Are the showers, sinks, toilets, etc.

If you belong to any organizations, find out if they get any discount from certain hotel chains. Hotel discounts are often one of the benefits offered. People often forget about these discounts, which can be 10% or more. On a multiple night stay, these savings can really add up. Within a week’s time, you are basically getting a free night’s stay.

If you need to have a pet stay with you in your hotel room, do a few things ahead of time. First, find out if the hotel allows pets. Also, take a good supply of plastic bags, such as grocery bags, to clean up after your pet. Reserving a room near the end of a hallway will keep other guests from being disturbed by your pet.

TIP! If you’re thinking of taking your pet to a hotel with you, there are some things you need to do first. First, inquire as to whether the hotel really is a pet-friendly place.

There are many different things to consider as you search for a hotel to stay in. Price is always important, of course, but you might also want to find a hotel near a certain attraction or business. Other amenities that people look for are a gym, pool, free local phone calls, free Wi-Fi, and free breakfast. Try locating a tip that checks off as much of your wish list as is realistic.

If you want to arrange for a couples massage at your hotel, be sure to book the appointment right away. Many of the top masseuses out there are booked far ahead of time.

TIP! If you wish to include amenities such as massage while staying at a hotel, be sure to make your reservations in advance. Often the best masseurs and masseuses at top resorts are booked by name, so if you do your planning early, you can make your experience sublime.

Check out the search tools offered by online travel sites. These kinds of websites allow you to locate great deals fast. They can also provide you with the average rate for a room at a particular hotel, so you can see if your offer is really a good deal. In addition, these tools can help you determine the best time to go on vacation and the things that you can do there.

Bring your running clothes with you on your trip. If you want to jog early in the morning, don your gear and then go for it. Even if you have to run down roads or the streets in the city, you can learn a lot more about the city when you get finished.

TIP! If you are an avid jogger, a GPS watch is a great investment so you can always find your way back to your hotel. Also, don’t forget your exercise clothes! Simply set an alarm or get a wake up call and take an early morning run.

Prior to making a hotel reservation, check for deals online. Sometimes, the person at the hotel desk might forget to mention a discount for booking online. That’s why it’s always your duty to search the web for better deals whenever you are booking a hotel room. Use popular websites such as Jetsetter, SniqueAway, or RueLalaTravel.

If you go to the same hotel often, see if they have frequent stay programs you can become a member of. These programs usually work by letting you rack up points. You might earn free stays and discounts, show tickets, or other things.

TIP! If you are always staying at the same chain, find out about the programs they offer to frequent guests. Similar to frequent flyer programs, hotels have programs that add points on to your account each time you stay with them.

Do not assume that each hotel welcomes pets. Even if the website says they are pet-friendly, always call in advance to verify. In addition, get specifics with regard to the pet policy, because only particular breeds or sizes of pets may be permitted at the hotel.

You may wish to consider a “green” vacation if the environment is one of your concerns. There are plenty of “green” hotels that take the environment into consideration. There are newer hotels that were built to be environmentally friendly. Older hotels can go green by making environmentally friendly choices in energy use. Ask your travel agent to help you identify environmentally friendly hotels.

TIP! Choose a green vacation if you care for the environment. Green hotels can feature specialized recycling programs, may only use recyclable products and use environmentally friendly cleaning supplies.

If you’re taking your pet with you, do these things in advance. Find out if the hotel allows pets. Make sure you have some plastic bags to get rid of pet messes. 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.

In order to avoid an unwanted expense on the hotel bill, inquire about any hotel transfer fees prior to booking them. Hidden transfer costs can really make a room not worth it. Ask the hotel representative ahead of time to make sure you get the most savings.

TIP! Find out about hotel transfer costs prior to booking a room to avoid hefty fees. Especially if you’re in a situation where the room’s price is a really good deal, the price of your transfer can make a big difference.

If the hotel you stay at offers a couples massage, it is very important that you make an appointment well ahead of time. Most of the time, the most reputable masseuses will be booked, so plan early in order to have the most enjoyable experience.

Maximize your hotel stays with membership programs like the ones that Marriott or Choice Hotels offer. That way, each time you stay, you accrue points that you can turn into vacation freebies when it’s time to take the family on an adventure.

TIP! Consider joining a membership program if you travel often. When you do that, you accumulate points for every stay, and that can add up to free nights or vacation discounts.

Bring your running clothes with you on your trip. 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. Even if you’re running down the city streets of roads, it will give you a new perspective of the city that you’re visiting.

One way to get discounts on hotel rooms is to join AAA. If you do a lot of traveling, the AAA membership can pay for itself, and you can also get deals on rental cars. Parents with young children will appreciate the complimentary car set offered in some locations.

TIP! Become a member of AAA in order to make your travel arrangements easier. AAA members can receive great hotel discounts as well as locate a rental car much more easily.

Environmentally Friendly

If you are planning on staying in a hotel room with your children, make sure you call the hotel in advance to ensure they provide a working pool or some other fun activities for your children to do. It is extremely frustrating for you and your children to arrive at a hotel expecting a pool and/or other activities only to discover that there are none.

TIP! 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. You don’t want to get there, only to disappoint your children when you find out the pool is closed.

Try out a green vacation. The great thing is there are plenty of green hotels you can select from. There are newer hotels that were built to be environmentally friendly. Older hotels can go green by making environmentally friendly choices in energy use. Talk to your travel agent if you prefer to stay at this type of hotel.

When you first arrive, inspect your hotel room’s bathroom. This is where you won’t find them. This is why you should keep your luggage in there while you go on a search for bedbugs. It’s also a safe spot for kids and pets to sit for a bit too.

TIP! When checking your hotel accommodations for bed bugs, begin in the bathroom. The bathroom is not a common place where bedbugs would be.

The timing of your room booking often determines the price you pay. Availability dictates the prices of hotel rooms. If possible, book your room no more than 24 hours in advance. You may find the best prices this way. An empty room will earn the hotel no money; so, they generally slash the price.

Determine what the policy on smoking is if you smoke. Some have smoking rooms. Ask to see if any of these are available. Some hotels charge a hefty penalty if they find any evidence that you were smoking in a non-smoking room, so be sure to adhere to the hotel’s rules with regard to smoking.

TIP! Know whether or not smoking is allowed in your room. Some hotels offer smoking rooms.

To make reserving a hotel easy, use AAA. Not only will AAA members receive discounts for a lot of hotel chains that make it worth getting into, you may also find rental cars more easily than those without the membership. Parents with young children will appreciate the complimentary car set offered in some locations.

You should be aware whether or not the hotel allows pets. If you fear pets or have allergies to them, it may be best to make reservations at hotels that have a strict no pets policy. They may have a hidden smell that the hotel tries to mask with a strong fragrance, which is also an irritant. While some hotels charge fees for pets, they don’t always charge a lot. It does take extra effort and expense to take care of pets issues and some hotels do not take the time necessary.

TIP! Know what the pet policy is before you book. If you fear pets or have allergies to them, it may be best to make reservations at hotels that have a strict no pets policy.

If you are planning on staying in a hotel room with your children, make sure you call the hotel in advance to ensure they provide a working pool or some other fun activities for your children to do. There is nothing worse than having to tell your excited kids they cannot swim.

It is usually not possible to check into your hotel early. Plan your trip right or you might end up waiting in a hotel lobby. The room must be cleaned and prepared so the next guest can check in. If you happen to show up early just ask if your room was prepared early, but they’re most likely going to say no.

TIP! It may come as a shock to you, but most hotels don’t allow you to check-in early. Plan accordingly or you will find yourself waiting a long time to access your room.

Nobody out there wants to get booked at a terrible hotel. Regardless of how cheap the hotel is, staying in a bad hotel is not worth it. The trip will be a bust in any event. Therefore, implementing the tips given here will help you find the best hotel. Once you decide on one, you’ll also be able to get a good deal on it.

Let the hotel know if you will be needing a crib or a rollaway bed. Not all hotel chains do offer these and those that will often have a very limited supply. Sometimes, there is an additional charge for these items. Talk about these when reserving your room so you aren’t hit with unexpected expenses.

TIP! Let the hotel know if you will be needing a crib or a rollaway bed. Not every hotel offers these items, and the ones that do only have limited quantities.