You will need to book a hotel from time to time for various reasons. You should know how to look for a nice hotel, either for vacation or for business. These tips should give you a better understanding of what to look for when shopping for a hotel.
Prior to making reservations, research hotels on sites like 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.
Prior to making reservations, research hotels on sites like TripAdvisor. This gives you first-hand accounts of people’s experiences in each hotel. Factor former guests’ reviews into your final decision.
Online travel sites like Expedia or Orbitz can help you get the best price for rooms at the hotel you would like to stay at. Input your loyalty info when you are looking for rates online. You may also be eligible for deals that are offered to members of certain organizations, like AAA or AARP.
To get the very best prices for the hotels that you’d like to visit, use travel sites online like Orbitz and Expedia. If you are a member of a hotel loyalty program, make sure to indicate this when searching for rates. Some organizations like AAA and AARP offer lodging discounts for a variety of hotel chains.
Be sure to put all valuables, such as jewelry and electronics, in the hotel safe. Your small electronic devices can be left in the safe when you are out, so you will not have to worry about them.
Double-check your organizational memberships. Some organizations offer discounts on hotels to their members. Many people forget to do this and miss out on saving a sizable amount of money. This can add up to big savings, even more so if you will be staying for many nights. After a week has gone by it will add up to a free night almost!
Always check the room before you begin to unpack your belongings. Is it clean and free of mold and mildew? Check the shower, toilet and sink to ensure they work properly. Are there enough linens and towels? If there are any obvious problems, report them to the front desk immediately so that they can be taken care of or you can be moved to a different room.
Utilize the Internet when searching for a hotel. You will typically find websites that provide deals on certain hotel chains. They also list the average cost of a hotel room, allowing you to ensure you are receiving an acceptable deal. Finally, they can help you determine when you’d like to travel and what you’d like to do when you’re there.
Verify the check-in time at the hotel. If you don’t check, the room may not be ready when you arrive. Call and ask if you think you’ll be early.
Prior to making a hotel reservation, check for deals online. In a lot of cases, the person booking your room isn’t going to tell you about online discounts. So, it’s up personally to you to go searching for such discounts. Use websites such as Jetsetter, SniqueAway or RueLaLaTravel.
Plan your trip as far in advance as possible. The earlier you book, the better rate you should get. You can save up to 50 percent, even on elite hotel chains.
If you’re going to be wanting a massage at your hotel, book it well in advance. Many top masseuses book by name, so plan as early as possible.
Don’t think that all hotels will be pet friendly. Call the hotel in advance to ensure the hotel is pet friendly. 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 see if your AAA membership can get you a discount on the hotel you intend to stay at. You could also get a surprise that you have an auto club membership that gives you hotel discounts. There are discounts at hotels around the country of 5 percent or more. This can add up on a long trip.
To ensure that you and your special someone get the right couples massage during your stay, book your appointment as early ahead of time as you can. Frequently, the best massage people will be booked by name. This means that if you book early, you’ll have a better experience.
How much you pay for a hotel room depends on when you book your room. Hotels give rooms a price based on what’s available. If it’s possible, your room should be booked around a day in advance or more. This will get you the best hotel rates. An empty room will earn the hotel no money; so, they generally slash the price.
Check your AAA membership for a hotel discount. Your membership may entitle you to hotel discounts. It’s possible you could save 5 percent or higher on hotels across the United States. This can add up in time!
In order to avoid any surprise charges, inquire about hotel transfers prior to booking. Hidden transfer costs can really make a room not worth it. Inquiring in advance will mean more savings for you.
Bring your running clothes with you on your trip. Try enjoying an early jog at your new destination. This can be a great way to stay in shape while seeing some of the local scenery. It will give you a better perspective of the city you are visiting.
For those frequent travelers, it may be better to build loyalty and perks by joining the membership club of your favorite hotel. When you do, you get points every time you stay at a hotel.
If you want to work on saving the environment, a green vacation is something to look into. Fortunately, there are many green hotels to choose from today. There are newer hotels that were built to be environmentally friendly. Older hotels can go green by making environmentally friendly choices in energy use. Ask your booking agent about green hotels.
If you are traveling with kids, make sure the hotel you book has a working pool. Your kids and you will be very frustrated if the pool at your hotel is closed because of repairs when you arrive.
The price of a hotel room is often a mix of many factors. Hotels price rooms based on availability. Whenever you can, maker your room reservation no more than a day ahead of time. A late booking when the hotel is slow often results in a bargain. A room that’s empty loses money for the hotel; so, they usually cut the price.
You should know that you generally aren’t going to be able to do an early check-in at a hotel. Therefore, don’t show up hours in advance, or you may be sitting around waiting for a while. Hotels usually need to get the room cleaned and ready before you check in. If you do arrive early, ask the desk clerk if it’s possible to check in early, but don’t necessarily expect it.
Consider joining a membership program if you travel often. 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.
Early Departure
Check with the hotel to make sure the pools are ready to go if you are traveling with children. It can prove rather frustrating when you check in to your room with the kids screaming “pool” only to find out it’s closed.
Unless it is an emergency, always stay for the total number of nights that you have booked. The hotel may charge a fee for early departure. If you check out too early, the hotel will lose money because they remove the room off the reservation list. They charge a fee for early departure to help compensate for the lost revenue.
Make sure to ask up front if the hotel you’ll be staying in allows smoking or does not. If you’re not a smoker, it may be wise to stay away from rooms that are for smoking. 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. Sometimes, smokers rent and smoke in non-smoking rooms. If you want to avoid smelling like cigarettes when you leave, you may wish to consider a non-smoking hotel.
Avoid using the hotel bedspread. The bedspread usually isn’t washed like the linens are. It could have acquired a lot of invisible germs and other things you want to avoid. So take it off the bed, fold it up and stash it in a corner of the room.
If you smoke, you should understand the hotel’s policy about smoking before you book a room. Most hotels have designated smoking rooms. If this is the case, then you shouldn’t be shy when asking for this type of room. Smoking in a non-smoking room can be a big no-no and you may even be charged an extra cleaning fee.
Do not open the bottled water in your hotel room. You may be thirsty and tired. Finding a cold bottle of water in the little refrigerator may present a temptation. The hotel knows this, and charges high prices because of it. You may find free bottled water in the hotel gym. It’s better to simply bring your own bottled water.
You should understand that early check-ins to hotels are not usually possible. You need to plan appropriately to avoid waiting in the lobby all day. The room has to be cleaned ahead of your 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.
In order to pay the lowest rate possible, don’t travel during the peak season. Hotels usually know in advance when they expect high occupancy due to the season or events in town so they can help you choose a time when rates and occupancy are lowest. If you book your rooms outside of tourist season, then you’ll get a better price because hotels are struggling to fill their empty rooms. You’ll typically find that the rates you get will be good.
If you need an extra bed or crib, make sure you discuss this when making your reservation. Not all hotels supply these items, and those that do have limited quantities. Also, you may face extra charges for the use of these items. Talk about your needs when you reserve a spot so you don’t get surprised with something you won’t like.
As previously mentioned, everyone stays in a hotel at one time or another. Whether you are staying for business or pleasure, it’s important you do your homework. Follow the advice presented here to get great value in hotel accommodations.
Some people choose not to use the bedspreads provided by the hotel staff for hygienic reasons. Sheets and blankets are washed regularly, while bedspreads usually aren’t. It could have acquired a lot of invisible germs and other things you want to avoid. Remove the comforter from the bed.
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