There are a lot of details that go into planning a trip away. You must pick a destination and arrange for transportation. You also have to find a hotel, which can be complicated if you don’t know the area. In this article, we offer sound advice for booking good accommodations.
Prior to choosing and reserving a hotel room, check review sites online like TripAdvisor or Expedia. Here, you can read what people had to say about their hotel stay. The information provided by patrons of the hotel will help you make a good choice of where to stay.
Look for a closet safe in your hotel room, and use it for any expensive electronics you may have brought with you. Your iPad, watch, and other smaller, expensive items can be placed into the safe, then you can rest assured at their safety as you head out for a fun-filled day.
What groups are you a member of? Hotel discounts are often one of the benefits offered. Many people don’t remember these discounts, which can save them 10% or more. You end up with an even bigger savings if your hotel stay is going to be for multiple nights. If you stay for a week, these discounts will almost add up for a free night.
Hotel Search Websites
Make use of the various hotel search websites on the Internet. Use these websites to your advantage! 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. They also help you decide the dates for your vacation and the activities you’ll want to partake of.
Always look for deals online when reserving a hotel room. The hotel representative is unlikely to inform you there are better deals online. This leaves the job of finding discounts entirely up to you. Check out websites like SniqueAway, Jetsetter, or RueLaLaTravel.
Be aware of when you can check into your room. Many hotel guests will forget their check-in time; therefore, they will arrive at the hotel just to discover that they cannot check in yet. Call the hotel desk and find out if your room has been prepared if you know that you’ll be arriving early.
There are three things you must do before bringing your pet along on your vacation. Make sure the hotel is actually pet-friendly. Be sure to bring some bags with you so you can pick up your pet’s waste. If you can arrange a corner room, there will be less likelihood of your pet disturbing other guests.
If you want a couples massage, book early. Many top masseuses book by name, so plan as early as possible.
Check your AAA membership for a hotel discount. You would be surprised where hidden discounts may be lurking. Membership in AARP, a union, an auto club or even being a police officer can get you a discount. These savings quickly add up, especially if you are staying for multiple nights in a row.
Loyalty Program
Do you travel on a periodic basis? If so, consider joining your hotel’s loyalty program. These are exceptional benefits reserved for customers who frequently use a particular chain of hotels. You can score things like complimentary upgrades, later check-out options and even free nights once you accumulate enough loyalty program points.
The cost of your hotel will vary depending on when you make your reservation. Availability dictates the prices of hotel rooms. If possible, try to book your room 24 hours or less in advance. You may find the best prices this way. Hotels don’t like to have vacancies so they often provide better prices.
In order to avoid an unwanted expense on the hotel bill, inquire about any hotel transfer fees prior to booking them. Especially in situations where the price of the room represents a major deal, the hidden cost of the transfer can often make the difference. Asking before you arrive can really increase your overall savings.
Avoid using the hotel phone to make long distance phone calls. Use the Internet, instead. A lot of hotels have free Wi-Fi that you can use to connect with people. You can stay connected with people back home by using this instead of making expensive long distance calls from your hotel phone.
Start looking in the bathroom when checking for bed bugs in a hotel. This is where you are least likely to find bedbugs. Stow you suitcases and other items here and then take a good look at the rest of your room. Have kids and/or pets wait for you in the bathroom while you look around.
Figure out if you want a hotel you can or cannot smoke in. If you’re not a smoker, it may be wise to stay away from rooms that are for smoking. While you can book a non-smoking room, smoke can infiltrate your room and settle into your clothing. There are even cases where people are smoking in non-smoking rooms before you arrive. If you don’t want to smell like cigarettes after leaving your hotel room, you might want to look for a non-smoking hotel.
Be sure you know what the hotel smoking policy is if you smoke cigarettes. A lot of places will have smoker’s rooms. Ask for those rooms if you are a smoker. If you don’t, you can be hit with some major penalties for lighting up in a non-smoker’s room.
Avoid using the hotel bedspread. The blankets and sheets under the bedspread are typically washed between guests, however the top cover is not. For this reason, there’s no telling what might be on that bedspread. Pull it off for peace of mind.
Clearly, it is possible to find an affordable, comfortable hotel. Now you know how to do it, and you’re ready to book. Make your travel plans, and you are sure to have a great stay. This will make your vacation stories much more pleasant.