Have you ever booked a hotel only to find out later than it was dreadful? This is all too common and can ruin your entire vacation. But at the same time, you want the ability to pay a realistic price for a decent accommodations. Keep reading for some great advice on booking a nice hotel room.
Prior to reserving a room at a hotel, look on the Internet for reviews. One great site is TripAdvisor. Online review websites will allow you to see previous guests’ experiences at the hotels you are considering. What former guests have to say with regards to a hotel being considered can ensure you make an informed decision.
Room service is great for late meals. Although you’ll probably pay more, it is worth being able to comfortably dine in the room while in pajamas.
Find great hotel room prices by checking out travel websites like Orbitz and Expedia. Are you a member of a certain hotel’s membership program? If so, make sure you put this information into the travel site. You may also be able to get discounts through AAA or AARP.
Planning for a trip months or even just weeks in advance can often get you a better rate for your hotel room. Most hotels have serious discounts for early booking customers. That saves you 50 percent or more frequently!
To enjoy a late-night meal with that special someone without having to leave the comfort of your hotel room, think about ordering some room service. The cost will be a bit higher, but not having to dress up and go out will be worth it.
Don’t think that all hotels will be pet friendly. Call them ahead of time to see if they are even if the website they’re on says yes. 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 leaving your hotel room, keep any electronics you have secure by putting them in the room’s safe. Putting your valuable jewelry and electronic items in the hotel safe allows you to feel secure as you enjoy your vacation.
Are you a AAA member? If so, hotels may provide you a discount. It may come as a surprise to find that an auto club membership offers hotel discounts, but that is the case. It can save you 5% or more on hotels all around the nation. It really is a savings that adds up over time.
Never make the assumption that all hotels allows pets in your room. You should call ahead to double check, even if it was stated on the website that this is a pet friendly hotel. Also, speak to them about what they’re meaning by pet-friendly because they may not allow specific breeds or certain sizes of pets.
Always remember to pack running clothes and any thing else you need for exercising while on your trip. So, make sure you have your running gear and shoes and you will be set to jog anywhere. It will give you a perspective that you’ll never get while riding in a car.
If you need to travel with your pet, you need to make three advance preparations. Confirm that pets are allowed in the room you are staying. 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 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.
If you stay in a particular hotel chain, ask about their membership program. They provide you with points for every stay. You might earn free stays and discounts, show tickets, or other things.
Don’t call long distance in your hotel room. Utilize the Internet, instead. Most hotels offer Wi-Fi, but you will probably need their password and may have to pay a fee to use this service. This will help you converse with those back home without racking up a lofty bill.
How much you’re going to pay for your hotel room will depend on when your room is booked. Hotels give rooms a price based on what’s available. When possible, you can often get a good price if you book a room at the very last minute. You can often get the best price if you do it 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.
If you’re traveling with kids, be sure that you check on the pools to ensure they’re open and in service. Your kids and you will be very frustrated if the pool at your hotel is closed because of repairs when you arrive.
Be sure to avoid hotel transfer fees by asking about them in advance. Many times, rooms seem to be a good deal, but there are hidden fees for this service. Inquiring about this in advance will maximize any savings.
Understand the smoking rules in your hotel, especially if you smoke. Some have smoking rooms. Therefore, if you are a smoker, always ask for a room that allows smoking. If you smoke in one of the hotel’s non-smoking room, you can be charged hefty fees.
Join a loyalty program to get deals on your stays. You will build up points with that hotel for added benefits. It works a lot like frequent flier miles do for airlines.
In most cases, an early check-in just isn’t possible. Make sure you plan around your check-in time, or you will be forced to sit in a lobby to wait for your room. The room must be cleaned and prepared so the next guest can check in. If you arrive earlier than your check-in time, you can always ask the front desk and see if they can let you in.
Don’t call long distance in your hotel room. Using the Internet is a better option. Skype connections are available in many hotels these days using Wi-Fi. In this way, you can stay in touch with friends, relations and colleagues without racking up a big phone bill.
If you’ll need a rollaway or crib, make sure to mention it when booking the room. Some hotels do not offer cribs or rollaways; while others have a limited number of them. On occasion, these services may require an additional charge. Discuss these needs when making your reservation to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Your children will be happy when you call the hotel to make sure their pool is open and working. Nothing is worse than having excited kids who find out they cannot go to the pool.
Do not check out early. The hotel might charge you a fee for early departure. Booked hotel rooms are taken off the market, so if you leave early, the hotel loses money. That is why you are charged a fee.
If you’re a smoker, then make sure you get a hotel with a smoking room. If you do not smoke, you might not want to go to a hotel with smoking rooms. Even non-smoking rooms can have smoke billow in from next door. Smokers also sometimes smoke in rooms that you are not supposed to smoke in. If you don’t want to smell like cigarettes after leaving your hotel room, you might want to look for a non-smoking hotel.
If you are concerned about germs, you might want to take the bedspread off of the bed. Most hotels only wash the sheets on the bed; however, the bedspread is normally not washed. It can carry a lot of germs. Remove it from the bed before you use it.
Always review the policy of whether or not the hotel allows 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. These hotels may also have an odor due to the smells sinking in the floor and linens. You may get charged extra for having a pet, but a lot of places don’t charge all that much. In fact, the extra charge for pets might not even cover the costs of cleaning; therefore, you should make sure you know all this ahead of time.
Know what the industry term “walk” means when booking a room. Hotels routinely overbook, which means that you could find that there is no room available for you when you arrive at the hotel. In this case the hotel has to send you to a different hotel. Avoid having this happen if you can, but if you’re going to a different hotel, be sure that the deal is better than the place you were trying to get.
When making your reservation for a room, specify when you need a roll-out bed or crib. Most hotels will supply these items on request, but they do have a limited supply. Also, these things can cost extra. You can always discuss the possibilities with the hotel clerk or manager on the phone before you book your room.
Whatever you do, don’t open the bottled water. When you arrive at your hotel, you might be very thirsty. You may get tempted to open a bottle of water that is in the hotel’s mini-fridge. Hotels are entirely aware of this. That’s why they fill your mini-fridge with bottled water that costs ten times as much as it does at the store. Don’t fall for it. Many hotels offer free bottles of water in their gyms. You could also bring your own bottled water.
After reading this article, you will understand how to book an affordable hotel and enjoy your stay. Knowing the information provided in this article will help ensure you enjoy your trip. Just keep the tips that you have read here in mind.
You can save quite a bit on your next vacation when you choose to bundle your hotel room and flight. A lot of websites for travel will give you quite a bit of savings for you if you reserve a hotel and a rental car or flight together. To get a lot from this kind of service, check a number of different rates on the various airlines and hotels.
