There will come a time in life when you need to stay at a hotel. Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, it’s important to understand how to book a hotel. These tips will help.
You can find a lot of great deals on hotels if you go online and check out some of the travel sites out there. If you are a member of a loyalty program, use that info when checking rates. You might also have other discounts from a membership in the AARP or AAA.
Prior to making reservations, research hotels on sites like TripAdvisor. These types of sites let you read about real customers’ experiences with each hotel. Find out what actual customers say about the hotel and it can help you avoid a costly mistake.
If you are hungry when you get to your hotel and do not want to leave, consider ordering room service. Even though this will cost a bit more, the convenience and comfort are worth it.
Take a look into organizations you are part of. Some organizations will receive discounts for different reasons from different hotels. It is easy to forget about the discounts. This can lead to a great amount of money saved, especially for those spending multiple nights at the hotel. That can give you close to a completely free night when it adds up.
Check with any membership programs for deals. There are times when an organization will give you great deals on the price of hotels. Some of these discounts can be pretty substantial, but many people don’t take advantage of them. When you’re staying for more than one night, this can add up to a decent savings. This can also net you a free hotel night.
Check out the search tools offered by online travel sites. These sites can help you get good deals. They can tell you what the average rate at a hotel is, ensuring you know the general pricing. Finally, they can assist you in deciding when to vacation and what to do once you arrive at your destination.
Prior to making a hotel reservation, check for deals online. You might not learn from the person on the phone that you can actually get great discounts over the Internet, instead. It is your responsibility to find any available discounts. Use websites such as Jetsetter, SniqueAway or RueLaLaTravel.
Prior to booking your hotel room, search the Internet for deals. Many times, the person you book your room with will not tell you that you can get a discount online. This leaves the job of finding discounts entirely up to you. Look at websites such as RueLaLaTravel, Jetsetter, and SniqueAway.
Make sure that you know the check-in time for the hotel that you book. 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 anticipate arriving early, check with the hotel to find out if your room will be ready.
When get to your hotel, inspect the room before unpacking. It should be free of any mildew or mold. Are all bathroom fixtures in proper working order? Are linens and towels in ample supply? If you have any problem with the room, report it immediatlely to have it fixed as soon as possible.
To get the best prices on hotel rooms, start your trip planning weeks, or even longer in advance. You can get some great discounts if your trip is booked several months into the future. Some of the most popular hotel chains can end up giving you up to 50 percent in savings.
Know the hotel’s check-in time. Some people neglect asking what the check-in time is and get to the hotel when their room is still not ready. If you anticipate arriving early, check with the hotel to find out if your room will be ready.
There are some things you have to do before taking your pet on a trip. First, you’ll need to find out if a hotel is even pet-friendly. Also, bring a lot of plastic sacks like ones from the grocery store so you can get your pet’s messes cleaned up. Reserving a room near the end of a hallway will keep other guests from being disturbed by your pet.
You can get better deals on hotel rooms if you book several weeks or months ahead. A lot of hotel locations offer discounts for reservations a month or more in advance. You might only pay half price for premium hotels.
If you’re interested in the massage services of a hotel you intend to stay at, reserve your appointment ahead of time. Many top masseuses book by name, so plan as early as possible.
Be sure to consult AAA to help you make excellent plans for your entire vacation. Did you know that this membership entitles you to hotel discounts? It will let you save 5% or so on hotels that are around the nation. Those discounts add up to great savings, especially if you will be having an extended stay.
If you often stay at the same hotel chain, check to see if they offer membership to frequent stay programs. Just like with a frequent flyer mile program, you can get points for staying a hotel. These points can be used to earn free nights, discounts and more.
If you wish to get a lot out of a hotel stay, especially if you’re traveling for your business, get a membership program and join it like what the Marriott or Choice Hotels offers. These points can translate into some major perks when you’re vacationing.
The price for any give hotel room is going to affected by how early you book the room. Hotels price rooms in part based on availability. Whenever you can, maker your room reservation no more than a day ahead of time. You may find the best prices this way. If the hotel never rents the room they’ll get zero dollars for it, so most of the time they will give you a steep discount on it.
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.
Making a long distance call from a hotel room should be avoided. Instead, you should try the Internet. A lot of hotels have free Wi-Fi that you can use to connect with people. You can stay in touch with work or family without the high cost of a call from the phone in your room.
Start looking in the bathroom when checking for bed bugs in a hotel. You probably won’t find any in there. It makes a safe place to keep your luggage when looking for bedbugs elsewhere in the room. It is also a safe spot for your pets and kids.
Make sure to ask up front if the hotel you’ll be staying in allows smoking or does not. If you’re someone who doesn’t like cigarette smoke, you may want to find a different hotel. While you can book a non-smoking room, smoke can infiltrate your room and settle into your clothing. It is not unheard of for those who smoke to stay in non-smoking rooms and proceed to smoke. Think about staying at a hotel that is totally nonsmoking if you don’t want to stink when you check out.
If you smoke, you should understand the hotel’s policy about smoking before you book a room. Most hotels have designated smoking rooms. If this applies to the hotel of your choice, request that type of room specifically. If they find you have smoked in a non-smoking area, they may charge you a fine.
Always ask about the hotel’s smoking policy if you smoke. Many have designated nonsmoking rooms. If that is the case, you should ask for one of those rooms. If you smoke in a room designated as non-smoking, a big penalty can come along with it.
As you can see, a hotel is necessary sometimes. The most important thing is that you learn all you can first. Hopefully, you now see why that is true.
You should be aware of the hotel’s policy concerning pets. If you fear pets or have allergies it would be best if you make reservations at hotels that have a strict no pets policy. Hotels that allow pets typically have rooms that have a pet odor in them. Some hotels add an extra charge for pets, other do not. The fee may cover the extra cleaning or it may not, it all depends on the hotel in question.
