A great hotel turns your vacation into a fantasy. Staying in an expensive hotel, can break your budget. Read on, and learn what you can do to make your trip a success.
Room service is one of the best parts about a hotel. How else could you possibly enjoy a midnight snack without leaving your bed? Sure, it might cost a bit more, but it is completely worth it to be able to kick back and relax, while your food comes to you.
Use the closet safe to protect your electronics. Put all of your valuables and small electronics into the safe, such as your jewelry and iPad. They’ll be safe in there and you can leave the hotel room without worry.
Put your electronics into the room’s safe. You can stash your expensive electronics and jewelry in the safe and go about your day without worry.
Find out if any organization to which you belong offers good discounts. Some may offer discounts on hotels. Discounts of 10% or more are often available, and people sometimes forget that they are eligible to claim them. These discounts can save you quite a bit of cash, particularly if your stay involves several nights. Over the course of a week it’s nearly a free night!
There are a number of things to consider when deciding which hotel to stay at. Of course price is a big deal, but a hotel close to where you are head is a big consideration. Other amenities, such as a swimming pool, an onsite restaurant and free continental breakfast are important to travelers. Seek out hotels that offer amenities that appeal to you.
There are several things you should consider when booking a hotel. You must consider price of course, and you might want to be close to a specific location within the city you’re staying. You may want free WiFi access, a convenient location, free long distance or a nice pool or gym. Look for a hotel that provides you with the amenities that are a priority to you.
You can use hotel search tools on the Internet. These kinds of websites allow you to locate great deals fast. Hotel search websites also let you see the regular rates of hotels, so you can compare and see whether a supposed deal is really a good one. You can also find out about local amenities and things offered by the hotels.
When you get to your hotel room, look over the room before unpacking. Is the room clean? Does the plumbing work right? 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.
Always see if you can find deals online when you’re thinking of getting a hotel room. Many times, the reservation specialist won’t tell you of discounts when you call to book your room. It is your responsibility to find any available discounts. RueLaLaTravel, SniqueAway and Jetsetter are all good Internet sites to check with.
Know your check-in time in advance. Some people fail to check when they will be able to access their rooms. They arrive at the hotel but find that their room isn’t ready yet. If you think you will arrive before check in time, call the hotel and ask if you can come.
If you want to find the absolute rock bottom hotel prices, plan your trips weeks or months ahead of time. The earlier you book, the better rate you should get. That saves you 50 percent or more frequently!
If you are traveling with a pet, it is best to find a pet friendly hotel ahead of time. Call before you book so that you know for sure. Make sure that you ask ahead what pet-friendly means to the hotel because this is a loose term that may still mean there are certain restrictions.
You don’t want to assume that the hotel you will be staying in is considered pet friendly. Always call to ask, even if it says pet-friendly online. In addition, get specifics with regard to the pet policy, because only particular breeds or sizes of pets may be permitted at the hotel.
Auto Club
Taking a pet on a trip requires some extra responsibility. Find out if the hotel will allow pets first. Also, bring a lot of plastic sacks like ones from the grocery store so you can get your pet’s messes cleaned up. When you make a reservation you should see if you can stay near the back of the hallway to keep other guests away from your pets when they are making noises.
Be sure to consult AAA to help you make excellent plans for your entire vacation. Many people are surprised to see hotel discounts included with their auto club membership. Membership in AARP, a union, an auto club or even being a police officer can get you a discount. This is a savings that can really add up over several nights.
Always remember to pack running clothes and any thing else you need for exercising while on your trip. Go for a jog every morning. Running not only provides you with great exercise, but it also helps you better learn the city in which you are residing.
If you want to keep up your running regimen on the road, make sure that your packing list includes lots of running clothes and a GPS watch. Go for a jog every morning. It will give you a perspective that you’ll never get while riding in a car.
Going green is a growing trend so it is no surprise that hotels are going green as well. There are many hotels that feature green amenities. Some hotels are certified to be green. Some older hotels simply choose a variety of eco-friendly practices to be environmentally aware. You can ask a travel agent to pinpoint eco-friendly hotels, thus making sure your vacation doesn’t hurt the environment.
If you travel frequently, it is wise to enroll in hotel loyalty programs. These programs provide perks to those who stay at a particular chain regularly. 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.
The cost of your hotel will vary depending on when you make your reservation. Hotel rooms are priced based on how many are available. When possible, you can often get a good price if you book a room at the very last minute. This will get you the very best rate on your hotel room. Empty rooms earn no money, so the hotels often slash the prices.
If you stay at the same hotels all the time, check to see if they have a frequent-stay program. Similar to frequent flyer programs, some hotels have programs that give point for each stay. With enough points you can get free rooms in the future. They may also offer discounts for shows, restaurants and other things.
Discuss what a hotel transfer will cost you prior to actually booking anything. It is not uncommon to find that greatly discounted bookings may have a hidden cost for the transfer. Ask about this beforehand to save more.
Vacation “green” if you are worried about the environment. It is fortunate for you that there are quite a lot of green hotels available. Newer hotels are often certified green and designed and built using green standards. Some older hotels simply choose a variety of eco-friendly practices to be environmentally aware. Talk to your travel agent if you prefer to stay at this type of hotel.
To make reserving a hotel easy, use AAA. You’ll get discounts on hotel rooms, easier car rentals and more benefits. If you are a parent of a young child, you may even be provided with a free car seat.
When you travel, go through AAA to find hotel accommodations easier.` The AAA membership fee is well worth the discounts offered by many chains, and renting a car will also be easier. They even throw in free car seats at most locations if you’re a parent.
Always ask about the hotel’s smoking policy if you smoke. There are sometimes rooms designated for people who smoke. If the hotel has one, ask for this kind of room. There are hotels that will charge you quite a bit if they find out that you were lighting up in the room that wasn’t for smoking. This is why you should stick to the rules.
Don’t make long distance calls on your hotel phone. If you don’t have a cell phone or the Internet, buy a calling card to keep with you during your trip. You’ll often find hotels have free Wi-Fi, which allows for Skype calling long distance numbers for free. Use these types of services to keep in contact with loved ones back home instead of having exorbitant charges added to your bill from the costly phone calls.
Whenever possible, do not check out prior to the scheduled date of your departure. The hotel might charge you an early departure fee. The room is not marketed by the hotel and you will have to make up that lost revenue. You may end paying for a day you don’t use the room. So, they may charge you a fee for early departure to replace the loss in revenue.
As you know, overspending on a hotel does not ensure a pleasant stay. Saving money and getting a comfortable room can be accomplished if you do a bit of planning and research. Check this article out again when booking future stays.
Don’t drink the bottled water you’ll find in your hotel room. Once you check-in and start to unwind, you will probably feel very thirsty. As a result, you likely want to purchase that bottle of water you see sitting on the counter. Hotels are well aware of this and will charge you a hefty fee for that already exorbitantly priced bottled water. Check out the gym instead; they may have free water. Nonetheless, it is better to bring along a water filtration pitcher and reusable water bottle and filter your own water.
