Nearly everyone has experienced the nightmare of staying in a bad hotel. This can be expensive and unpleasant, so you need to avoid it if you can. So use these tips to help you avoid a nightmare hotel and plan a dream trip.
Prior to choosing and reserving a hotel room, check review sites online like TripAdvisor or Expedia. Here you can get first-hand reports of the experience people had staying at different hotels. The information provided by patrons of the hotel will help you make a good choice of where to stay.
Be sure to read online review websites prior to booking a hotel. You will be able to see the most recent reviews. Find out what actual customers say about the hotel and it can help you avoid a costly mistake.
See if your organizational memberships offer any benefits. Some of these organizations will offer you discounts on hotel prices. People don’t always remember to check out these discounts, which can often be 10% and higher. If you are planning to stay a few nights, this can really add up. A stay of 5 days or more could add up to one free hotel night stay!
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. When making hotel reservations, be sure to include information regarding hotel loyalty programs in which you may hold membership. You may also be eligible for other discounts through any memberships you have with organizations such as AAA and AARP.
Always check for online deals prior to booking your hotel room. Hotels don’t usually advertise their lowest rates, so you may have to ask. It is your duty to perform due diligence. Look at Jetsetter, Enrovia and Hotels.com.
Look for a closet safe in your hotel room, and use it for any expensive electronics you may have brought with you. Putting these items in the safe ensures that you can go out and have fun, not worrying about what you’ve left in the room.
Don’t unpack upon arrival without checking your hotel room first. Is it tidy and sanitary? Does everything work? Do you have enough towels and linens? Any problems that you notice should be reported to front desk staff right away. That way, they can be rectified or you can change rooms.
Many things must be considered when choosing the right hotel. Price is always a big factor, but you also need a hotel that’s geographically proximate to your target destinations. What about free breakfast, local calls, wifi or swimming pool? Try locating a tip that checks off as much of your wish list as is realistic.
Be aware of when you can check into your room. Some people end up waiting for their room to be available because they forget to check this critical detail. If you’re going to come to the hotel before you should be checking in, call them first to see if there’s anything they can do for you.
Take advantage of search tools online. These kinds of websites allow you to locate great deals fast. They also let you see what full price is, so you know you are saving money. Finally, they can also help you figure out when you want to go on your vacation and what you want to do there.
In order to save money on hotel stays, book far in advance. Some hotels have a discount if you book your room a month or more ahead of time. This will allow you to save up to 50 percent even when staying at an elite hotel.
Always look for online deals before booking a hotel room. You might not learn from the person on the phone that you can actually get great discounts over the Internet, instead. This is why you should look for discounts yourself. Websites like TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Jetsetter always have promising bargains for certain hotels that you won’t find anywhere else for a better price.
There are three things you must do before bringing your pet along on your vacation. Check to see if the hotel actually permits pets. Bring along lots of plastic bags for clean ups. Ask for a corner room since this can reduce the number of guests disturbed by a noisy pet.
Be clear about check-in time at the hotel you have booked. If you don’t check, the room may not be ready when you arrive. If you think you will arrive before check in time, call the hotel and ask if you can come.
Check your AAA membership for a hotel discount. AAA members actually receive hotel discounts at specific hotel chains! You may be able to save upwards of five percent at hotels nationwide. The savings can really add up nightly.
To get the best prices on hotel rooms, start your trip planning weeks, or even longer in advance. Many hotels offer the best discounts if you book a few months in advance. This will allow you to save up to 50 percent even when staying at an elite hotel.
If you enjoy a morning run, try booking a hotel room that’s near the beach or an open park. 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. Even if you stick to city streets, you will gain a better perspective on your destination city before you leave.
If you’re thinking of taking your pet to a hotel with you, there are some things you need to do first. Make sure it’s a pet-friendly hotel. In addition, you will need numerous plastic bags and cleaning supplies so that you can make sure you clean up any messes your pet makes. Reserving a room near the end of a hallway will keep other guests from being disturbed by your pet.
For people who are frequent travelers, consider signing up for some loyalty programs with your favorite hotels. They provide rewards to those who stay with them often. Rewards can include free hotel stays, upgrades and late check-out times if you save up enough points.
Do you travel a lot? Consider using a hotel loyalty program. They offer perks to folks who frequent their hotel. There are many rewards given when you accumulate loyalty points such as free stays, free upgrades and later than usual check out times.
If you are always staying at the same chain, find out about the programs they offer to frequent guests. These programs usually work by letting you rack up points. You can exchange these points for discounts and freebies at the hotel and its restaurant. You may also be able to use them on local amenities.
Green Hotels
Think about going on a “green” vacation. Fortunately, many green hotels exist nowadays. Many new hotels are constructed to meet green standards, earning green certification. Some of the older hotels do implement green practices to be sure they are eco-friendly. You can ask a travel agent to pinpoint eco-friendly hotels, thus making sure your vacation doesn’t hurt the environment.
Choose a green vacation if you care for the environment. It is fortunate for you that there are quite a lot of green hotels available. Many new hotels are certified as green hotels. Also, older hotels often make several changes to become eco-friendly. Your travel agent can help to identify the environmentally friendly hotels.
The time you book the room will change how much you’ll pay. The price is subject to the laws of supply and demand like any other product. Don’t book a room more than a day in advance. This will get you a great price on your room. A room that’s empty won’t help the hotel, so generally they will get the price lowered.
When you book has a huge impact on your final bill. Rooms are priced based on availability. If you can, don’t make your reservation more than one day prior to your stay. You’ll end up with a great deal this way. Hotels don’t earn money on empty rooms, so they are often willing to reduce the price.
If you must make a hotel transfer, find out about the fees. You don’t want to ruin the deal you are getting on your room by paying for an expensive transfer. Inquire before you book, so you aren’t hit with an unexpected price increase.
Be sure you know the cost associated with hotel transfers when booking a room. If the rooms are cheap, the transfer could ruin the deal. You should inquire about this before booking the hotel room.
Maximize your hotel stays with membership programs like the ones that Marriott or Choice Hotels offer. Each hotel stay can accrue points towards vacation perks.
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.
Avoid making long distance calls from the hotel room phone. Try using the Internet, instead. Some hotels now provide Skype via Wi-Fi. Use this type of thing to get with people you know while you’re in your hotel room so you can save quite a bit of money.
Get an AAA membership for hotel perks when you travel. Members of AAA get discounts at lots of hotel chains which more than makes up the membership to AAA, plus it is easier to rent a car anywhere you go. Those who have small children will be pleased to find car seats available for free.
Is your room non-smoking or not? If you aren’t a smoker, then you want to avoid smoking rooms and maybe even smoking hotels in general, but most hotel chains do have smoking and non-smoking rooms. 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. There are times when smokers end up staying in non-smoking rooms, and smoking in them. If you don’t want to stink like a cigarette when you are leaving a non smoking hotel may be a good choice.
When you feel the need to check the room in your hotel for signs of bed bugs, begin in the bathroom. You probably won’t find any in there. That means that the bathroom is a great place to keep your bags while you check the rest of your accommodations for bedbugs. It is also a safe spot for your pets and kids.
Do not check out prior to your agreed upon departure date if you can avoid it. The hotel might charge you a fee for early departure. Upon reserving a hotel room, you tie up that room in the hotel. This means that your early departure results in the hotel losing money. Make sure you understand that you might be charged for an early departure.
No one looks to stay in a bad hotel. If you have a lousy experience, the cheap price will not matter. The quickest way to ruin a trip is to stay in a substandard hotel. Use the guidelines here to find a great hotel. By selecting the right hotel, you are more ensured to have an excellent trip.
For hygienic purposes, you may want to avoid using the bedspread that the hotel provides. Although hotels will wash the sheets that lie underneath the bedspread, the bedspread itself is not typically washed. This might mean the bedspread is carrying bacteria, germs, or bedbugs. Remove the blanket and use one you brought from home to stay safe.
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