It can be overwhelming to book a hotel room. To do the job well, you should do your homework first. Know your price range and what amenities are essential before you begin your search for a hotel room. Keep what you’re about to read here in your mind to have a stay that’s great.
Before making reservations at a hotel, check the online review sites. Reviews allow you to read about recent experiences at a hotel. What others say will help you make a wise decision.
Prior to reserving a room at a hotel, look on the Internet for reviews. One great site is TripAdvisor. Here you can get first-hand reports of the experience people had staying at different hotels. Find out what actual customers say about the hotel and it can help you avoid a costly mistake.
Look at organizations you’re part of for discounts. Some groups provide members with discounts on certain hotels. Some discounts can be over ten percent! When you’re staying for more than one night, this can add up to a decent savings. Over the course of a week it’s nearly a free night!
Online travel websites can offer you a great deal on hotels with lots of choices, all on the same website. If you are in a hotel loyalty program, put your information in. Also, you may be eligible for discounts through other organizations to which you may belong, such as AARP or AAA.
When thinking about selecting a hotel, there are quite a few salient points to consider. Of course price is a big deal, but a hotel close to where you are head is a big consideration. Amenities like free WiFi, fitness facilities, a pool and free meals may also be important considerations. Look for the hotel that gives as many of the extra you desire as possible.
What groups are you a member of? Some offer big discounts on hotel rooms. These discounts are often forgotten about, and they can provide significant savings. They can save you plenty of money, especially for prolonged stays. It may equate to one whole free night.
Know your check-in time in advance. Some people end up waiting for their room to be available because they forget to check this critical detail. If you can’t help your arrival time being early, you can ask for an early check-in but it might cost a bit extra.
Never book a hotel room before seeking out online deals. Many times, the person you book your room with will not tell you that you can get a discount online. For this reason, making a proactive search is advisable. Websites like Travelocity and Expedia can be a great way to do research on hotels.
For the best hotel rates, plan your trip weeks or months ahead of time. If you can book early, you may get a huge discount. Doing this could save you up to 50 percent off your room, and this holds true with the more elite brands as well.
When get to your hotel, inspect the room before unpacking. It should be free of any mildew or mold. Are the showers, sinks, toilets, etc. properly functioning? Count how many linens and towels you were given and make sure there are enough for everyone traveling with you. If you spot any problems, immediately notify the hotel staff so they can fix it or move you to another room.
If you want a nice massage for you and your loved one, book that as early as possible. The best masseuses are booked well in advance.
Know the hotel’s check-in time. If you don’t check, the room may not be ready when you arrive. Call the hotel desk and find out if your room has been prepared if you know that you’ll be arriving early.
One of the best bonuses of a AAA membership is great discounts on booking a hotel. AAA members actually receive hotel discounts at specific hotel chains! You may be able to save upwards of five percent at hotels nationwide. It’s a savings that really adds up over the nights.
Not every hotel allows pets. Call the hotel to verify, even if it says so on the website. In addition, get specifics with regard to the pet policy, because only particular breeds or sizes of pets may be permitted at the hotel.
If you travel often, it’s a great idea to enroll in a hotel’s loyalty program. These programs provide perks to those who stay at a particular chain regularly. Rewards can include free hotel stays, upgrades and late check-out times if you save up enough points.
Do you travel on a periodic basis and use the same hotel chain? If so, check out the loyalty programs provided by that hotel. These programs provide benefits to guests who book the same hotel regularly. You can get a free upgrade, restaurant gift certificates or even a free stay!
Join a frequent customer program if you stay at the same hotel chain a lot. Just like with a frequent flyer mile program, you can get points for staying a hotel. These points can add up to hotel restaurant discounts, spa deals, free nights and much more.
Membership Programs
You may wish to consider a “green” vacation if the environment is one of your concerns. Luckily, you can choose from quite a few green hotels these days. Some of the newer hotels were built with green standards in mind. Older hotels might change practices to be more green. Talk with a travel agent to find green hotels.
If you often frequent the same hotel chains, look into their frequent stay membership programs. Many hotels offer membership programs that allow you to earn points for each of your stays. They add up to free nights, discounts at hotel restaurants, show tickets, spa deals and a whole lot more.
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. You save the most money when you ask about this beforehand.
The cost of your hotel room largely depends on the dates on which you plan to stay there. Hotels price rooms based on availability. If you can, make your room reservations only a day in advance. You may find the best prices this way. The hotel will earn no money at all if the room is empty, which gives you a much better bargaining position.
One way to get discounts on hotel rooms is to join AAA. AAA members can receive great hotel discounts as well as locate a rental car much more easily. In addition, free car seats are usually provided, which parents are certain to enjoy.
Be sure you know the cost associated with hotel transfers when booking a room. This is especially important if you run across an unbelievable deal. You can increase the amount you save by simply finding this information out in advance.
Be careful not to make long distance phone calls on the hotel phone. Look to the Internet, instead. Some hotels offer free Wi-Fi, so you can use Skype. You can stay connected with people back home by using this instead of making expensive long distance calls from your hotel phone.
Joining certain clubs that let you accrue points can help you reap major benefits from your regular hotel stays. When you do that, you accumulate points for every stay, and that can add up to free nights or vacation discounts.
When you feel the need to check the room in your hotel for signs of bed bugs, begin in the bathroom. This room is usually free from bugs. That is what makes it the best place to start. You can store your luggage there and search the rest of your room for those bedbugs. It’s also safer to the pets and kids you may have.
Get a membership to AAA to make booking hotel arrangements a breeze when you travel. AAA members are given many discounts and booking privileges on hotel rooms and rental vehicles. Parents with young children will appreciate the complimentary car set offered in some locations.
Look into the smoking policies in the hotel you are considering. If you don’t smoke, you may wish to avoid those that have smoking rooms. Although certain hotels that allow smoking will provide guests with non-smoking rooms, smoke will still be in the air. Sometimes, smokers rent non-smoking rooms because that is all that is available, and then they smoke in them 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.
If you’re traveling with kids, be sure that you check on the pools to ensure they’re open and in service. Nothing is more frustrating than to have kids nagging you about swimming, only to find that the pool is closed.
Booking your flight and hotel at the same time may save some travel expenses. You may be able to save a lot of money by booking both from the same place. Compare the rates from different websites to find the best deals.
Start looking in the bathroom when checking for bed bugs in a hotel. This is probably not where you will find bedbugs. It makes a safe place to keep your luggage when looking for bedbugs elsewhere in the room. Not to mention a great place for your children and pets too.
Don’t book your hotel during peak periods. That’s when it costs the most. Instead you should try booking a room when it’s not peak season as this is when a hotel wants more visitors. You’ll typically find that the rates you get will be good.
Always know the hotel smoking policy wherever you stay if you personally smoke. Many have designated nonsmoking rooms. Ask to see if any of these are available. If you smoke in a room designated as non-smoking, a big penalty can come along with it.
You can search various tourist centers for books that include hundreds of coupons for local hotel chains. This is one of the best ways to get a great deal without using the Internet, but you’ll have to use a hotel that’s in the book. This will help you pick up the phone to make a simple call to book a hotel, rather than having to drive to many different ones to find what you want.
Do not check out prior to your agreed upon departure date if you can avoid it. The hotel could impose a fee if you check out early. A booked hotel room is taken off the market, meaning your early departure would cost them money. This means that they must compensate for that loss with a fee for early departure.
The view from your room is important to some and is always different from one hotel to the next. When the price is the same regardless of the view, ask for a room with a great view. A small thing like this makes your experience better. It doesn’t hurt to ask if a better view is available.
As you have read, there are a multitude of ways for you to get a great hotel room at an affordable price. Remember this advice for the next time you plan a hotel stay. You will be rewarded with a comfortable stay at a price that makes you very happy.
You can reap some nice benefits when booking a hotel room when you are celebrating a special occasion. On birthdays and anniversaries, hotels will often delivery complimentary items. Sometimes, they will give you a complimentary bottle of wine. Do not be deceptive about it because that is wrong.
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