The hotel you choose can make a trip more enjoyable, but it can also turn it into a disaster. Because hotels are expensive, it is important to know what you are doing. This is why these tips were put together, to assist you in getting a room at a price that’s right.
Check online hotel reviews prior to booking your stay. These will give you some information from people that have stayed at that certain hotel. What people say about a hotel can help you figure out where you should be staying.
If you are hungry when you get to your hotel and do not want to leave, consider ordering room service. Although you will probably have to spend more money to do this, it’s usually worth the cost because you have the luxury of receiving excellent food without having to leave your hotel room.
When you arrive at your hotel, thoroughly check your room previous to unpacking. Is it clean? Are all bathroom fixtures in proper working order? Is the room adequately stocked with towels and linens? If you have any questions or notice any problems with the room, immediately call the front desk and report them so that they may be handled. You may also asked to be transferred to a new room if the problem is serious, such as mold or mildew.
Take advantage of the safe you have in your room, especially if you have electronics with you. You can stash your expensive electronics and jewelry in the safe and go about your day without worry.
Be aware of when you can check into your room. If you show up too early for check-in, then your room may not be ready for you yet. Ask for an early check-in time if absolutely necessary.
Check with the organizations that you are a member with. Some of these organizations will offer you discounts on hotel prices. Many people don’t remember these discounts, which can save them 10% or more. These discounts can save you quite a bit of cash, particularly if your stay involves several nights. It can add up to almost a free hotel night!
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. If you chose to book a month or even two ahead of your arrival date, you can get great discounts. Some of the most popular hotel chains can end up giving you up to 50 percent in savings.
You want to look at a number of different things when booking a hotel stay. Price is always a big factor, but you also need a hotel that’s geographically proximate to your target destinations. For example, you might want a room that is in walking distance to gym, or a hotel that has free Wi-Fi. Look for a hotel that provides you with the amenities that are a priority to you.
If you have a AAA membership, look into hotel discounts included. Are you aware that the auto club you belong to may offer you excellent hotel discounts? You could save 5% or even 10% on some rooms. This can add up on a long trip.
Prior to booking your hotel room, search the Internet for deals. It’s not uncommon for a hotel employee to not mention to you that it is possible to receive a great discount online. So, it’s up personally to you to go searching for such discounts. RueLaLaTravel, SniqueAway and Jetsetter are all good Internet sites to check with.
If you want to keep your regular running routine, pack your GPS and running clothes. In this way, you can simply suit up and enjoy your workout as usual while on the road. Even if you’re running down the city streets of roads, it will give you a new perspective of the city that you’re visiting.
Be clear about check-in time at the hotel you have booked. Many people show up before check-in time only to find out their room isn’t ready. Ask for an early check-in time if absolutely necessary.
If you tend to return to the same family of hotels for your vacation, consider joining their membership reward programs. These are similar to frequent flyer programs. They allow you to accrue points during your hotel stay. These points can add up to hotel restaurant discounts, spa deals, free nights and much more.
If you’re going to be wanting a massage at your hotel, book it well in advance. The best practitioners go fast, so make your reservation early and book by name where possible.
The cost of your hotel will vary depending on when you make your reservation. The prices are based partly on availability. If possible, try to book your room 24 hours or less in advance. 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’re a member of the AAA, you should see what your hotel membership discount will be. Are you aware that the auto club you belong to may offer you excellent hotel discounts? You can save 5 percent or more on your hotel stay just by showing your membership card. These savings can really add up if you travel often.
Inquire about the price of a transfer before you place a booking. It is not uncommon to find that greatly discounted bookings may have a hidden cost for the transfer. You save the most money when you ask about this beforehand.
If you are an avid jogger, a GPS watch is a great investment so you can always find your way back to your hotel. Also, don’t forget your exercise clothes! This makes it easy for you to wake in the morning and get in a run. Even jogging on pavement and alongside city avenues can provide you new perspective of any city that you visit.
Get an AAA membership for hotel perks when you travel. Members of AAA will get additional hotel discounts up to five percent, but you’ll also get discounts on rental cars as well. At some locations they even offer free car seats.
If you travel frequently, it is wise to enroll in hotel loyalty programs. They give people benefits if they go to that chain often. Enjoy late check out, bonus upgrades and free nights with the loyalty paints you have earned.
Avoid using the hotel phone to make long distance phone calls. Look to the Internet, instead. Some hotels now provide Skype via Wi-Fi. 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.
What you will be charged for a room, depends on when it’s booked. The price of a hotel room varies with availability. If at all possible, do not book your room more than one day in advance. This gives you the best prices in reserving hotel rooms. 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 wish to have happy kids while you’re on the road, be sure you call a hotel to see if they have a working pool at the time. There is nothing worse than arriving at your destination anxiously looking forward to splashing around in the pool, only to find that it is closed.
To avoid major expenses on your final hotel bill, be sure to ask the sales representative about the price of hotel transfers first. This is especially important if you run across an unbelievable deal. Ask the hotel representative ahead of time to make sure you get the most savings.
When checking your hotel accommodations for bed bugs, begin in the bathroom. This is the place where you are least likely to find them. This is why you should keep your luggage in there while you go on a search for bedbugs. Not to mention a great place for your children and pets too.
Join a loyalty program to get deals on your stays. That way, each time you stay, you accrue points that you can turn into vacation freebies when it’s time to take the family on an adventure.
Figure out if you want a hotel you can or cannot smoke in. If you’re not a smoker, it may be wise to stay away from rooms that are for smoking. Even in a non-smoking room, the smoke from other rooms is in the air and might infiltrate your clothing. Even if a room is designated as nonsmoking, sometimes people smoke in there anyway. If you want to avoid smelling like cigarettes when you leave, you may wish to consider a non-smoking hotel.
Always avoid making long distance calls from your hotel room. Try using the Internet instead to stay in touch. Hotels usually have Wi-Fi, so you can call using Skype. You can stay in touch with work or family without the high cost of a call from the phone in your room.
Look into the hotel policy with regard to pets. If you’re allergic to pets or fear them, then you may want to avoid hotels that allow pets. Also, pet friendly hotels may have lingering odors that have been absorbed by carpeting or linens. Some hotels may charge you extra for pets, and some may not charge at all, or the fees are lower. It does take extra effort and expense to take care of pets issues and some hotels do not take the time necessary.
To keep the kids in your family happy when you are on the road, call ahead and make sure that the pools in each hotel are in working order. There are few things as frustrating as showing up to a hotel, with your kids chomping at the bit to get in the pool, only to have it closed for repairs.
Never actually check out before the departure date unless it’s an emergency. The hotel might charge you a fee for early departure. Once you have confirmed your reservation, understand that the room is reserved for you, and the hotel loses money if you leave early. This is why they usually charge you an fee for early departure.
Inspect your room for bed bugs, starting with the bathroom. The bathroom is not a common place where bedbugs would be. Stow you suitcases and other items here and then take a good look at the rest of your room. It’s also safe for pets and kids this way.
For hygienic reasons, it might be best to avoid the provided bedspread in your room. Although the blankets and sheets are cleaned when guests check out, sometimes the bedspread on top will not be. The bedspread can be laden with germs. Remove the bedspread and use your own travel blanket or comforter, instead.
Clearly, research and good planning are key in getting the best prices on the best hotel rooms. You need to what you should be looking for and when the best time is to book. So keep the above suggestions in mind so you ensure you find the perfect hotel that will fit all your needs.
If a hotel tries to “walk” you, know what your rights are. There may be times when a hotel overbooks, leaving with no room. They might try and send you to a different hotel. Try to avoid this scenario if you can, but if it becomes necessary to secure alternate accommodations, be sure that the room is at least comparable to the one at the hotel you booked, and get compensation for your travel expenses.
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