You don’t want to feel overcharged or like there are too few benefits at a hotel stay to leave you feeling fleeced. Whether you get charged a bunch or end up a place that isn’t that nice, a bad experience can ruin a vacation. The article below can help you avoid these issues.
Use websites like Orbitz and Expedia for great prices. If you are a member of a loyalty program, use that info when checking rates. Also, you might be able to get some discounts offered by organizations that you might be a part of like AAA or AARP.
Check online reviews prior to booking a room. This gives you valuable information about the recent experiences in each hotel.What others say about their experiences at the hotels you’re thinking of booking can aid you make a wise decision.
Consider ordering room service during your stay. While you’re likely to pay a little more, it’s worth having the convenience of staying in your room (and in your pajamas) while you wait to satisfy those nocturnal cravings.
You can stash your expensive items in the hotel safe.
Find out if any organization to which you belong offers good discounts. Some groups provide members with discounts on certain hotels. These discounts are often neglected; however, they can save you upwards of ten percent. That can add up to huge savings over multiple nights. Within a week’s time, you are basically getting a free night’s stay.
Check with the organizations that you belong to. Some may offer discounts on certain hotels. People don’t always remember to check out these discounts, and they can be 10 percent or more. It can add up to almost a free night!
Always look for deals online when reserving a hotel room. A lot of the time, when you book a room with someone, they’ll tell you there aren’t any online discounts. That’s why doing a bit of research pays off, so you are aware of discounts and specials. Websites like TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Jetsetter always have promising bargains for certain hotels that you won’t find anywhere else for a better price.
Know the hotel’s check-in times. Some people end up waiting for their room is still not ready. Call and ask if it is alright for you to arrive before check-in.
When you get to your hotel room, look over the room before unpacking. Make sure there is no mold or mildew anywhere in the room. Is everything in the bathroom working as it should? 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.
Hotel Restaurants
You should always start planning any serious trip months or weeks ahead of time. This will help you book early and get the best prices. The earlier you book, the better rate you should get. You can expect savings up to fifty percent if you book months in advance.
If you often frequent the same hotel chains, ask about their membership program. These programs give you rack up points. They add up to free nights, discounts at hotel restaurants, spa deals, hotel restaurants discounts and much more.
If you plan on taking a family pet with you to a hotel reservation, do three things in advance. First, ensure that the hotel actually allows pets. Also, bring a lot of plastic sacks like ones from the grocery store so you can get your pet’s messes cleaned up. Be kind to other hotel guests by requesting a room that is as far away from other guests as possible, so they won’t be disturbed by any noise your pet may make.
Be sure to avoid hotel transfers when booking a room.If the room is the bargain, these types of hidden charges can sometimes surface. Asking before you maximize your overall savings.
To make sure that you get a couple’s massage when you’re staying somewhere, get your appointment booked as early as you are able to. The best masseuses are booked well in advance.
Join a membership program to get deals on your stays. These programs allow you to collect points can be applied toward further travels.
Frequent travelers can benefit from loyalty programs offered by many hotels. They offer benefits to people that stay at the same chain quite often. Some of the useful things that you can earn are extra upgrades, free nights, and late check-outs.
Sign up for AAA if you wish to get better hotel arrangements when traveling. Parents of small children will probably like the complimentary car seat that’s provided for free in some locations.
Join a membership program if you travel frequently. This allows you to earn point you can redeem for vacation freebies for you and your family.
Start by inspecting the bathroom if you need to make sure there are no bed bugs in a hotel. This is where bedbugs are least likely to have bedbugs. It is usually a convenient place for young children to wait for a couple minutes as well.
A membership in AAA can make booking a hotel easier when you travel. Members of AAA get discounts at lots of hotel chains which more than makes up the membership to AAA, plus it is easier to rent a car anywhere you go. Parents of younger children are likely to enjoy the free car seat provided in many locations.
Be sure you know what the hotel smoking policy if you smoke cigarettes. A lot of places will have rooms designated for smokers. Ask for those rooms if any of these are available. If you don’t, you can be charged hefty fees.
Avoid making long distance calls from the hotel room phone. Using the Internet is a better option. You will probably find that your hotel has Wi-Fi and Skype. This can be a much cheaper option than calling from a hotel room and getting hit with lots of fees.
Find out what the hotel handles pets. These hotels might also suffer from odors because the floor and linens have absorbed them. Some hotels have an extra fee for pets, other do not. The fee may cover the extra cleaning needed to completely remove the odors.
Check to see if your prospective hotel is non-smoking or smoking. If you’re someone who doesn’t like cigarette smoke, you may want to find a different hotel. 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. Even if a room is designated as nonsmoking, sometimes people smoke in there anyway. Instead of choosing a non-smoking room, you can actually find an entire non-smoking hotel if you really want to avoid nasty, secondhand smoke.
You should understand that it is not usually possible to check into your hotel early. Plan your time accordingly unless you might end up waiting in the lobby for hours.The room must be cleaned ahead of your check in. If you do happen to arrive early, ask the front desk to make an exception, but this should not be expected.
If you smoke, it is important to know what the hotel’s smoking policy is before you book your room. Many have designated rooms for smokers. If this is what you’re looking for, inquire about these rooms. If you stay in a room that doesn’t allow smoking and the hotel staff discover evidence of you smoking in this room, then you could be charged a large penalty. Therefore, it is important that you always follow the hotel’s rules when it comes to smoking.
Not every hotel chains do offer these and those that will be able to accommodate you. Talk about these things when you reserve your room.
You should know that it is not usually possible to check into your hotel early. Plan for this, or you may risk waiting in the hotel lobby for an hour or more. 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.
Never actually check out earlier than your scheduled departure date unless it is absolutely necessary.The hotel may charge you a fee for your early departure fee. When you make your reservation, the hotel takes that room off the market; thus, so they lose money if you leave early.
If needed, always ask about the availability of a crib or roll-away at the time you reserve the room. Some hotels may not have one, so you want to know this upfront. Some hotels will include an additional fee if you want to rent these items during your stay. Talk about your needs when you reserve a spot so you don’t get surprised with something you won’t like.
Avoid using the bedspread. The bedspread is one item that does not usually isn’t cleaned as often as the sheets or blankets underneath. This bedspread could be a hotbed of germs. Just remove it from the bedspread.
You may wish to use a different blanket than the comforter that is in your hotel room. Sheets and blankets are washed regularly, while bedspreads usually aren’t. This bedspread could be a source of germs. So take it off the bed, fold it up and stash it in a corner of the room.
Don’t drink the bottled water! After checking into your room you will probably feel exhausted and tired. You can be tempted to casually open that bottle of water beckoning on the mini-fridge. Hotels take advantage of guests by charging ridiculous pricess for bottled water. Check out the hotel gym and see if they offer it for free. A better idea is to bring a few of your own bottled water.
Be aware of your options in case a hotel “walks” you. Sometimes hotels are going to overbook and then your room that you reserved won’t be there. The hotel will then send or “walk” you to another hotel. You should try to avoid this; however, if this is necessary, ensure you are provided with the same quality room or better at the same price you would have paid.
Do not take the linens with hotel towels or sheets.
Save your money when on the road by making your flight and hotel reservations together as a bundle. A lot of travel online sites feature serious savings for anyone who bundles things together. Always compare the prices from multiple hotels to make sure you’re getting the best deal.
You can often save money if you book a flight and hotel at the same time. A lot of travel online sites feature serious savings for people who bundles things together.
If you must secure a room when you are driving to a location, visit a rest stop in the state you are going to. Pick up a few tourist brochures which should have hotel information and possibly even discounts. Use that information to call a hotel and get your room all booked.
You can often get a free upgrade. You can be sure of this by being on time to accept your expected arrival time. Often the room you have reserved will still be dirty, so they might give you a room upgrade at no extra charge.
Tip at the hotel when appropriate. As as example, room service tips are included in the bill, yet maid service tips are not. Tipping will make your stay better.
If you need to reserve a hotel room while you are traveling, take a look at different tourist centers, rest stops or gas stations to grab free pamphlets and guides which allow you to get good discounts and find names of hotels. This will help you time and money.
You should never pay the price posted at a hotel. That is called the “rack rate” and savvy travelers never pay that much. Hotels expect you to haggle. Give them a call and ask for a deal. Be assertive. Travel sites on the Internet may also be a great place to find great savings.
Tipping hotel staff when appropriate is a good way to ensure you have a better experience. You can personally tip them or it can be added to bill, but you may forget to tip your maid. Tipping will be attending to your hotel stay.
Inform the hotel if you are staying for a special occasion. You could be offered something complimentary since you are visiting during a special time. They might give you a gift such as free champagne. Don’t lie about it, though, that would be wrong.
Use special occasion as an opportunity to book your hotel room. You could be offered something complimentary since you are visiting during a perk because of the event in question. You might be able to wrangle a free bottle of champagne for the night!
Use online websites to find great deals. These websites help sell a lot of hotel rooms, so the hotels will make them privy to discounts that won’t be found anywhere else. You need to be aware that sometimes you will have to bid on a room or only see minimal information before you book your room.
Use these tips to make your hotel stay great. By being informed on how hotels operate, then you are much more likely to enjoy an incredible hotel experience. Relax, unwind and enjoy!
It is often possible to get a better deal simply by asking the clerk at the desk. They may not be able to lower the cost of the stay, but they may offer you some amenities to go along with it, such as a free breakfast. It doesn’t hurt to ask them if they can do it.
