Booking a hotel room can be overwhelming if you do not know what you are doing. That is why it is crucial to do your homework. Get a price range in mind, figure out what you expect from a hotel, and you can begin to plan. Remember this advice and your stay will be wonderful.
There are plenty of websites that offer reviews for local hotels, for example TripAdvisor. Use these websites to review a hotel before you make the actual reservation. Online review websites will allow you to see previous guests’ experiences at the hotels you are considering. Reading other people’s reviews of the hotels you’re considering can really help you decide which one to choose.
Find out if any organization to which you belong offers good discounts. Some groups provide members with discounts on certain hotels. Many people forget to do this and miss out on saving a sizable amount of money. This is especially useful if you plan to book a longer stay. Within a week’s time, you are basically getting a free night’s stay.
Use travel websites to find the most competitive prices for hotel chains online. If you’re a member of a loyalty program of a hotel, make sure you input that data when checking out rates. Also, you might be able to get some discounts offered by organizations that you might be a part of like AAA or AARP.
Prior to booking your hotel room, search the Internet for deals. The hotel representative is unlikely to inform you there are better deals online. You have to look for the discounts. RueLaLaTravel, SniqueAway and Jetsetter are all good Internet sites to check with.
Consider ordering room service if you want a special meal without needing to go out. Even though this will cost a bit more, the convenience and comfort are worth it.
Inspect your room before unpacking your bags. Make sure the room is entirely clean and free from any mildew or mold. Do a quick check to ensure that the shower, sink and toilet are all 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.
If you have a safe in your closet, then you should use it to keep your valuables safe while you are outside of the room. Place all electronics there along with important documents, such as your passport or plane tickets.
Plan your trip in advance for the best rates. Many hotels offer the best discounts if you book a few months in advance. You may save 50 percent or more.
Check online for great hotel deals. Lots of times, when you book a room, they don’t tell you about online discounts. You have to look for the discounts. Look to websites like RueLaLaTravel or Jetsetter for more help.
There are some things you have to do before taking your pet on a trip. Find out if the hotel you have selected is pet-friendly. You should bring some plastic bags and cleaning supplies to keep the room clean behind your pet. 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.
Inspect the room before unpacking. Is the room free of mildew and mold and clean? Do the plumbing fixtures function properly? Are there enough linens and towels? If you quickly note any problems, let the person at the front desk know so they can help you sort it out or give you a better room.
If you’re going to be wanting a massage at your hotel, book it well in advance. The best massage therapists are usually booked up for months ahead of time, and you don’t want to miss out.
Know the check-in times. 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 like running and frequently stay in hotel rooms, be sure and pack up a GPS watch, along with your favorite running clothes. When you wake up and feel like a jog, simply toss on your gear and head out. Spending time on the road with your own two feet will give you a perspective that you’ll never get while riding in a car.
Plan your trip as far in advance as possible. 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.
You may wish to consider a “green” vacation if the environment is one of your concerns. Fortunately, there are many green hotels available nowadays. Newer hotels are sometimes built according to green standards. Many older hotels will still be environmentally aware by utilizing some eco-friendly practices. A good travel agent can help you find hotels that are environmentally friendly.
There are three different things you should do in advance if you’re going to be traveling with a pet. Take time to ensure that the hotel you’re booking is, in fact, pet-friendly. Take some bags to clean after your pet. Reserving a room near the end of a hallway will keep other guests from being disturbed by your pet.
To get optimal value from a hotel stay, especially if you find yourself traveling a lot for your business, sign up for membership programs such as those offered by Marriott or Choice Hotels. When you stay at a hotel, you get points you can use later on.
If you want to have a massage with your partner on your vacation, make sure that you schedule an appointment with a masseuse as early as possible. The best masseuses are booked well in advance.
If you’re traveling with kids, be sure that you check on the pools to ensure they’re open and in service. It will be a huge disappointment if you arrive at the hotel with the kids ready to swim and they are not able to do so.
If you often stay at a certain type of hotel, ask about the “frequent stay” program. You should be able to earn points every time you are visiting one of the hotels. These points can add up to hotel restaurant discounts, spa deals, free nights and much more.
When checking your hotel accommodations for bed bugs, begin in the bathroom. This is probably not where you will find bedbugs. This makes the perfect location to place your belongings while you inspect your hotel room for bedbugs. It’s also safer to the pets and kids you may have.
Environmentalists can now enjoy a green vacation. The great thing is there are plenty of green hotels you can select from. Some new hotels are built to green standards and are certified green. Hotels that have been around for a while may employ a variety of eco-friendly practices. Talk to a travel agent if you want to find hotels that are eco-friendly.
Check to see if your prospective hotel is non-smoking or smoking. If you are not a smoker, you might want to avoid hotels with smoking rooms. Even if you reserve a non-smoking room, the smell of smoke can circulate through the hotel’s air vents and cause your clothes to pick up the odor. Smokers don’t always respect the fact that the room they are renting is a non-smoking room. Too avoid exposure to the smell of cigarette smoke, it may be best to stay at a non-smoking hotel.
In order to enhance your hotel visits, especially when traveling for work, you should consider joining membership programs that hotels provide. Examples include membership programs provided by Marriott or Choice Hotels. The more points you get, the more free stays you can use for vacations.
Know whether or not smoking is allowed in your room. A lot of places have specific rooms just for people who smoke. If that happens to be the case, then you need to ask for that type of room. Don’t smoke in a nonsmoking room, or you may be charged by the hotel for doing so.
Sign up as an AAA member to make hotel arrangements easier when you are traveling. If you do a lot of traveling, the AAA membership can pay for itself, and you can also get deals on rental cars. You might even get a free car seat if you have kids.
Reviews whether or not the hotel allows pets. If you fear or are allergic to pets, you might want to avoid pet-friendly hotels. 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. The fee might be too low to cover the extra cleaning costs.
Check with the hotel to make sure the pools are ready to go if you are traveling with children. It is extremely frustrating for you and your children to arrive at a hotel expecting a pool and/or other activities only to discover that there are none.
You should know that it is not usually possible to check into your hotel early. Make your plans accordingly if you do not want to spend hours waiting in the lobby. The room must be cleaned and prepared so the next guest can check in. If you do arrive before the normal check-in, you can ask if it’s possible to do so early, but this should not be expected.
When you first arrive, inspect your hotel room’s bathroom. This is the last room they are likely to be. It makes a safe place to keep your luggage when looking for bedbugs elsewhere in the room. It is a good place for pets or children to wait for a couple minutes as well.
As you can see, finding the right hotel can easily be accomplished, if you just know how to do it. So, when you want to stay at a hotel next time, this research can help you out. You’ll be comfortable and won’t overspend.
Ask if your possible hotel reservation is either smoking or non. If you don’t smoke, you may wish to avoid those that have smoking rooms. Even in a non-smoking room, the smoke from other rooms is in the air and might infiltrate your clothing. Sometimes, smokers rent non-smoking rooms because that is all that is available, and then they smoke in them anyway. To avoid the experience of breathing in smoke during your stay, try to stay in a hotel that doesn’t allow smoking.
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