You will probably be staying at a hotel at one time or another. Whether you’re booking the room for business or for pleasure, you should know what you’re looking for in any given hotel. These tips will help.
Before booking your hotel room, look to online review sites for in depth reviews from recent travelers. These offer feedback from those who have recently stayed at the hotel you are considering booking. What former guests have to say with regards to a hotel being considered can ensure you make an informed decision.
To help you make a good choice, you should check out hotel review websites like TripAdvisor online. This gives you first-hand accounts of people’s experiences in each hotel. Patron reviews can give you valuable information that will help you make a good choice.
Consider the benefits of any organization memberships you have. You may be able to receive discounts on hotel through these organizations. These discounts are often forgotten about, and they can provide significant savings. This is a good discount that only gets better the longer you stay in a hotel. For a week of vacation time that adds up to an extra day!
If you belong to any organizations, check with them for travel deals. Many clubs, groups and organizations are able to get members discounted hotel rates. People often forget that they are eligible for these discounts, which may be for 10 percent or more off of your stay. This can add up to big savings, even more so if you will be staying for many nights. That’s almost an extra free night throughout an entire week.
Verify the check-in time at the hotel. If you are early, your room may not be ready. Call the hotel if you are early and find out if your room is ready.
When thinking about the type of hotel you would like to stay at, there are plenty of options to consider. Of course price is a big deal, but a hotel close to where you are head is a big consideration. For example, you might want a room that is in walking distance to gym, or a hotel that has free Wi-Fi. Try to find a hotel that offers as many of your desired amenities as possible.
Plan your trip as far in advance as you can to ensure best rates. A lot of hotel locations offer discounts for reservations a month or more in advance. This can save you as much as 40 percent off of the cost of your hotel.
Take advantage of search tools online. These sites allow you to find great deals quickly. Hotel search websites also let you see the regular rates of hotels, so you can compare and see whether a supposed deal is really a good one. Finally, by using these websites, you can learn the best places and times to take a vacation.
To keep your running regimen up while you are traveling, pack your GPS watch and plenty of running clothes. This makes it easy for you to wake in the morning and get in a run. It will give you a perspective that you’ll never get while riding in a car.
Never book a hotel room before seeking out online deals. The hotel representative is unlikely to inform you there are better deals online. So, it’s up personally to you to go searching for such discounts. Websites like Orbitz, Travelocity and Hotels.com usually have some great discounts.
If you are always staying at the same chain, find out about the programs they offer to frequent guests. Similar to frequent flyer programs with an airline company, hotel programs will typically give you points for each visit. They will get you discounts on the hotel restaurants, spa deals, and just a number of great stuff.
Do not assume that each hotel welcomes pets. Call before you book so that you know for sure. Get the term “pet-friendly” defined, as well. The hotel may not allow large dogs or certain types of pets.
If you are traveling with kids, make sure the hotel you book has a working pool. 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.
If you and a loved one are wanting to go to a hotel and get massages, it is important that you book the appointment way in advance. Resorts that have masseurs often have very fully booked massage schedules, so it is important to plan ahead.
Inspect your room for bed bugs, starting with the bathroom. Bedbugs are least likely to live here. That means your luggage will be safe there while you check out the other areas of the room. It is also a safe spot for your pets and kids.
Do you travel on a periodic basis and use the same hotel chain? If so, check out the loyalty programs provided by that hotel. They offer a variety of benefits to their members. Rewards can include free hotel stays, upgrades and late check-out times if you save up enough points.
Determine whether or not the hotel you are considering allows smoking or not. If you are a non-smoker, you may not want to stay in a smoking room. You may be able to ask for a non-smoking room, however smoke can still travel through the air, settling on your clothing. There are times when smokers light up in a non-smoking room. To be sure you don’t absorb cigarette smoke, think about staying at a nonsmoking hotel.
The timing for your booking of a hotel room has much to do with what you pay. Hotels price their rooms based on how many rooms are available. If you can, make your room reservations only a day in advance. This can net you a great deal. The hotel will earn no money at all if the room is empty, which gives you a much better bargaining position.
Know your hotel’s policy on pets prior to booking with them. People who are allergic to pets obviously want to avoid pet-friendly hotels. The smells tend to stick around. Certain hotels will charge guests extra for keeping pets in the room; however, many hotels’ extra charge is very little. In fact, the extra charge for pets might not even cover the costs of cleaning; therefore, you should make sure you know all this ahead of time.
Discuss what a hotel transfer will cost you prior to actually booking anything. It is not uncommon to find that greatly discounted bookings may have a hidden cost for the transfer. Ask about this beforehand to save more.
You should know that you generally aren’t going to be able to do an early check-in at a hotel. Make your plans accordingly if you do not want to spend hours waiting in the lobby. Hotels usually need to get the room cleaned and ready before you check in. If you happen to show up early just ask if your room was prepared early, but they’re most likely going to say no.
If you travel frequently, you can maximize your hotel benefits by looking into reward programs from large hotel chains. This allows you to get more points with each stay that you can convert into free rooms and other benefits on your next family vacation.
If you’ll need a rollaway or crib, make sure to mention it when booking the room. Not all hotels will supply these things, and some may have limited quantities. Hotels also charge extra for these items, sometimes. Discuss these needs when making your reservation to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Smokers should always learn the smoking policy at any hotel before they book a room. Most hotels have designated smoking rooms. If they do, ask for this type of room. If they find you have smoked in a non-smoking area, they may charge you a fine.
Do not check out early. If you do, you may be charged a fee for early departure. When you make your reservation, the hotel can’t offer the room to someone else, so they lose money if you leave early. They will charge a departure fee so they get back what they lose.
Early Departure
Be prepared with a knowledge of your rights if a hotel ever tries to “walk” you. When hotels overbook rooms, the one you reserved may not be available. The hotel will then “walk” you, or send you out to another hotel. If you can’t avoid this, then make sure you are getting a room that is still worth the value that you have already paid.
If you book a room during a heavy occupancy period, don’t be surprised if you have a mandatory stay of a few days or more. Some hotels charge a fee for early departure. If you reserve a room for a set number of days but check out a day or two early, that hotel may charge a fee because they couldn’t book that room. Therefore, some will charge the early departure fee.
Be sure you don’t take off with any items from your hotel room. If hotel staff notice that these items are missing, you may be billed for them. If you really love those linens or pillows, find out if you can purchase them from the hotel.
Avoid sleeping under the bedspread. The bedspread isn’t washed often, while the sheets are. Therefore, you don’t really know what is on it. Just get that blanket off of the bed.
Booking your flight and hotel at the same time may save some travel expenses. Travel booking sites often provide significant discounts for combining your room and flight and perhaps even a rental car. You can make the most of this deal by comparing rates across several websites.
Don’t let a hotel take advantage of you. If your hotel overbooks, your room may not be available when you get there. This means that you’re going to have to go somewhere else. Avoid having this happen if you can, but if you’re going to a different hotel, be sure that the deal is better than the place you were trying to get.
Don’t book your hotel during peak periods. These times feature the highest rates. Try booking a room when it’s harder for hotels to fill rooms, like during the off-season. This puts you in a position with leverage, which helps you get a better deal for the room in question.
Do not drink the bottled water that is offered in the rooms. You may be thirsty and tired when you arrive. As a result, that bottle of water on the little fridge may look very good to you. Hotels take advantage of guests by charging ridiculous amounts for bottled water. Check the hotel gym and see if they offer it for free. However, to be safe, you should pack some water bottles yourself.
Try getting an upgrade without paying for it. You have a better chance of this if you arrive right at the time when you are supposed to check in. Often your room has not yet been cleaned, so they might give you a room upgrade at no extra charge.
Don’t give into the temptation to take hotel linens home. If hotel staff notice that these items are missing, you may be billed for them. If you just fall in love with the towels or pillows, ask if you can buy them directly from the front desk of the hotel.
Your stay at your desired hotel will be much more enjoyable when you tip appropriately. Room service should get a tip, but maid service shouldn’t. This keeps the staff happy, which in turn will help you to have a more pleasant stay.
Most people visit a hotel at some point or another. No matter what you need to book one for, you need to do some research so you get a great deal. So keep the above tips in mind to get a great hotel room with a price that makes it even more enjoyable.
Don’t pay the price the hotel advertises. They call this the “rack rate,” which most travelers know not to pay. Most hotels expect you to try to bargain about the price. Contact the hotel and see if there is a promotion currently taking place. Being bold is a good idea. Visit travel websites to enjoy some excellent discount rates.
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