Getting The Most From Your Hotel Stay – Some Tips For Travelers

Read this article to find a good hotel.

Use travel websites to find the most competitive prices for hotel chains online. If you are a member of a hotel loyalty program, make sure to indicate this when searching for rates. You may also be eligible for deals that are offered to members of certain organizations, like AAA or AARP.

TIP! Use online travel sites, such as Expedia and Orbitz, to find the best prices at the hotels you want to stay at. When making hotel reservations, be sure to include information regarding hotel loyalty programs in which you may hold membership.

Check for online reviews prior to booking your stay. These will give you some information from people that have stayed at each hotel. What people say about their experiences at the hotels you’re thinking of booking can aid you make a wise decision.

To get a meal later at night order yourself some room service. This will cost you a little extra, but the convenience it provides is worth it.

TIP! You can enjoy a romantic dinner in your room by calling room service. It may cost more, but it’s convenient when you don’t feel like leaving.

You can stash your expensive items in the hotel safe.

Look for a closet safe in your hotel room, and use it for any expensive electronics you may have brought with you. Anything of value can be securely locked in the safe, then you won’t have to worry about your valuables while out enjoying yourself for the day.

TIP! Make sure you put your valuables inside the safe in your hotel room. You can stash your expensive electronics and jewelry in the safe and go about your day without worry.

Check the organizations that you’re a member with. Some of these organizations offer you discounts on hotel prices. People don’t always remember to check out these discounts, which may be for 10 percent or more off of your stay. It can add up to equal a free hotel night!

See if your organizational memberships offer any benefits. Some organizations will receive discounts for different reasons from different hotels. Some discounts can be over ten percent! If your stay will be for multiple nights, these discounts can save you lots of money. This can mean a lot of savings over a full week stay.

TIP! Check the organizations that you’re a member of. Some of these organizations will offer you discounts on hotel prices.

There are things to consider as you search for a hotel. Amenities like a swimming pool, free local calls, complimentary breakfast, and other amenities may be things that you prefer. Try to find a tip that offers as much of your wish list as possible.

Use hotel search tools online. These sites can help you get good deals. You can see the average price of the rooms, and you can check to see how those rates stack up to the rates you’re being offered now. On top of that, they can help you determine the cheapest destinations.

TIP! Make use of the various hotel search websites on the Internet. You will typically find websites that provide deals on certain hotel chains.

Take advantage of search tools provided online when searching for a hotel. These kinds of websites allow you to locate great deals quickly.

Be sure to look at your room before unpacking your suitcase. Is it tidy and sanitary? Are the facilities operating correctly? Do you have all the towels and linens you need? If you quickly note any problems, let the person at the front desk know so they can help you sort it out or give you a better room.

TIP! Don’t unpack upon arrival without checking your hotel room first. Is it clean? Are all bathroom fixtures in proper working order? Do you have all the towels and linens you need? If you spot any problems, make the front desk aware immediately so they can take care of it or move you to a room that meets your needs.

Check the Internet for the best deals before you book a hotel deals. This is why it’s up to you should look for discounts yourself. Check out websites like SniqueAway, RueLaLaTravel, or RueLaLaTravel.

Be sure and take care of three important things before bringing a pet on your trip to any hotel. Take time to ensure that the hotel you’re booking is, in fact, pet-friendly. You should bring some plastic bags and cleaning supplies to keep the room clean behind your pet. 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.

TIP! If you need to have a pet stay with you in your hotel room, do a few things ahead of time. First, inquire as to whether the hotel really is a pet-friendly place.

Inspect the room before unpacking your bags. Is your room clean? Do you see any mold or mildew? Are you given the linens and towels? If there are any obvious problems, report it immediatlely to have it fixed as soon as possible.

If you belong to AAA, see what kinds of discounts the hotel offers. Your membership may entitle you to hotel discounts. You can save 5%, 10% or more at quality hotels throughout the country. These savings really add up.

TIP! Be sure to consult AAA to help you make excellent plans for your entire vacation. You may not know that your membership to the auto club includes discounts on hotels.

Don’t make assumptions about pet policies of thinking all hotels will accept pets.

If you are a daily runner, make sure you pack exercise clothes and a GPS watch. When you wake up and feel like a jog, simply toss on your gear and head out. Even if you are running down roads or down city streets, you’ll get a new perspective on the city you’re visiting before you’re done.

TIP! Always remember to pack running clothes and any thing else you need for exercising while on your trip. If you want to jog early in the morning, don your gear and then go for it.

There are three different things you should do before bringing your pet along on your vacation. Be sure that this hotel really does allow pets. Be sure to have plenty of plastic bags with you so you can pick up your pet’s waste.

If you are someone who travels a lot, signing up for any hotel loyalty programs is probably a good idea. A loyalty program offers many benefits. You might earn a free upgrade, late checkout time, or other great perks.

TIP! Do you travel on a periodic basis? If so, consider joining your hotel’s loyalty program. These programs provide benefits to guests who book the same hotel regularly.

Book your appointment as early as possible. The best massage therapists are usually booked up for months ahead of time, so planning early is the best way to create a good experience.

There are membership programs that hotels offer for those that stay frequently at their chains. These programs give you points every time you stay there. They add up to free nights, discounts at hotel restaurants, show tickets, spa deals and a whole lot more.

TIP! If you often stay at the same hotel chain, check to see if they offer membership to frequent stay programs. Just like frequent flyer mile programs, these hotel programs offer you points for your stay.

The price for the hotel room is determined by when you book it. Rooms are priced according to availability. This will allow you to get a great price when it comes to hotel rooms.

The price you pay at a hotel often depends on the time frame in which you reserve the room. Hotels give rooms a price based on what’s available. If possible, book your room no more than 24 hours in advance. This can get you a seriously discounted rate. A room that’s empty won’t help the hotel, so generally they will get the price lowered.

TIP! The cost of your hotel will vary depending on when you make your reservation. Availability sets pricing.

Be sure you know the cost associated with hotel transfer fees by asking about them in advance. If the room is the bargain, the transfer could ruin the deal. You can increase the amount you save more by simply finding this information out in advance.

If you travel frequently, you can maximize your hotel benefits by looking into reward programs from large hotel chains. These programs allow you to collect points that can be applied toward further travels.

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.

Get a AAA membership for hotel perks when you travel. Parents with young children are likely to enjoy the complimentary car set offered in some locations.

You can get great hotel discounts by becoming a member of AAA. Hotel and rental car discounts are available to AAA members. At some locations they even offer free car seats.

TIP! Sign up for AAA if you wish to get better hotel arrangements while you travel. If you do a lot of traveling, the AAA membership can pay for itself, and you can also get deals on rental cars.

You should be aware of the hotel allows pets. These hotels sometimes have odors because the floor and linens have absorbed them. Some hotels have an extra fee for pets, while other hotels will add a hefty fee for keeping a pet. The fee charged may not be adequate to cover the cost of the extra cleaning needed to completely remove the odors.

The bathroom is the first place to go when checking for bed bugs in your hotel room. This is where you won’t find them. This makes the perfect location to place your belongings while you inspect your hotel room for bedbugs. It can be a temporary haven for children and pets.

TIP! When checking your hotel accommodations for bed bugs, begin in the bathroom. This is where bedbugs are least likely to be.

Not all hotel will often have a very limited supply. Talk about these issues as you reserve your reservations.

Think about whether or not you are going to be staying at a smoking or nonsmoking hotel. If you are a non-smoker, you might want to stay away from hotels that offer smoking rooms. You may rent a non-smoking room, however, the smoke from the smoking rooms can still be present in the air and make your clothes smell like it. Also, people may rent a non-smoking room and smoke in it. To be sure you don’t absorb cigarette smoke, think about staying at a nonsmoking hotel.

TIP! Before making a hotel reservation, learn the hotel’s policy on smoking. If you aren’t a smoker, then you want to avoid smoking rooms and maybe even smoking hotels in general, but most hotel chains do have smoking and non-smoking rooms.

Avoid using the bedspread. The bedspread usually get washed between bookings. It may be a carrier of invisible germs and other things you want to avoid. Remove the comforter from the bed to have peace of mind.

Book your flight and hotel at the same time to save money. Many travel websites will offer a significant discount if you book a hotel room as well as a rental car or flight. To get a lot from this kind of service, check a number of different rates on the various airlines and hotels.

TIP! When traveling, booking your flight and hotel together will save you money. A lot of travel online sites feature serious savings for anyone who bundles things together.

You can save money by not booking a hotel room during peak tourist seasons. Rates are at this time. You should get a much greater.

You can often get a free upgrade of your hotel room. You can be sure of this by being on time to accept your hotel booking. Quite often, your room has not been cleaned yet, so you may be able to get an upgraded room at no extra charge.

TIP! You may be able to score a free upgrade. You have a better chance of this if you arrive right at the time when you are supposed to check in.

If you need to book a room while driving, check rest areas, tourist centers and gas stations to find tourist books with maps of hotel locations, and great discounts. This will help you call ahead and get your room that’s right for you.

Some hotel rooms have excellent views, while others do not. If you don’t have to pay more to get a good view, always go for a room with the best view. A small thing like this makes your experience better. It won’t hurt you to ask them if they can get you a room with a better view.

TIP! Some hotels rooms have better views than others. If room prices are not affected by the view, try to request a room that has a better view.

Some rooms offer good views than others. If the view quality does not impact the price of the room, try to get a room with a nice view. A good view can take your stay more pleasant. It never hurts to ask them if they can get you a room with a better view.

Don’t pay the price being advertised. It is a rack rate, and you don’t need to pay it. Hotels are used to travelers asking for discounts or special rates and they are usually happy to accomodate you. When you phone to make your reservation, be sure to ask about discounts and deals. Take charge and be assertive. Many different travel websites will also give you discounts.

TIP! Don’t pay the price the hotels advertise. This price, or rack rate, is usually not the best price you can get.

Don’t ever pay the advertised when you’re booking a hotel. Call them and ask about deals. Many different travel websites will also have significant discounts available.

Tipping the housekeeper is customary. You can justify not tipping other services as the bill usually includes these extras, but it is customary to tip room service maids. You probably were a slob, so be sure to leave something for the maid.

TIP! At the end of your hotel stay, normally you should leave a tip for the housekeeper. While there are other things during a hotel stay that do not need a tip, the housekeeper’s tip should not be missed.

Check online websites such as Expedia to find great prices. You may have to bid on the price, and others may not include the hotel’s name until you book a room.

To save money on your hotel stay, ask the employee booking your room if you can get a discount. The clerk may not be able to discount the price, but he or she may be able to add some extras like a breakfast buffet or at least a continental breakfast. It doesn’t hurt to ask them if they can do it.

TIP! Ask the hotel clerk about the best deals available. If the clerk cannot offer you a discount, they may be able to include free breakfast or other perk.

It is considered customary to tip your housekeeper when you leave a hotel. You don’t have to tip everyone during your stay, as many other amenities include a tip in their prices, but your maid needs a tip. You likely made a mess anyway from being travel tired and not at home, so be sure to leave something for the maid.

If you use a third-party site to book your hotel, watch out for surcharges and hidden fees. Usually, the quote you receive do not include charges. Read the fine print when you are booking the room to completely understand the charges.

TIP! Watch out for surcharges and hidden fees when making reservations with any third-party site. There are times when the price you are quoted does not show the extra charges.

You won’t know if you fail to ask.

All hotels are not the same in a hotel chain. Just because your stay at one of the hotels within the chain was good, does not mean that the quality will be consistent at another location. Check out hotels individually and compare them apples to apples.

TIP! Different hotels, although they each may belong to the same chain, could be very different from one another. You might like a hotel from a chain located in one city but not find the same experience in the next city.

The hotel’s quality might not stay consistent among different establishments in a chain may be inconsistent. It is always best idea to check each hotel individually so that there will be no surprises when you get there.

Some hotels enhance the look of their hotel with Photoshop. That large lovely pool you’re viewing may actually be small and decaying. For this reason, you should take some time to look into the ambiance of the hotel in question.

TIP! Understand that online photos of hotel rooms may be enhanced. For instance, that lovely pool may only be the size of a kiddie pool, or a shabby neighborhood may have been brushed out.

A lot of hotel Internet sites and paper literature use Photoshop to make their hotel look better. Make sure you find some photos of the real environment where your hotel you’re considering staying at really looks like.

TIP!

The truth of the matter is that many travelers simply don’t take the needed time to research in advance. As a result, they wind up booking the wrong hotel for their needs. However, this hit or miss approach can really backfire on you. Nobody chooses dirty hotel rooms, so take advantage of these tips to evade this fate.

TIP!