Is it important for you to book a great hotel the easy way? You have come to the right place. That is because the following article covers all about hotel basics. Read on to learn more.
You can find good deals on hotel rooms using online travel sites. If you have a hotel loyalty program your a part of, be sure you enter this information while looking through rates. You may also qualify for discounts from other organizations you belong to such as AAA or AARP.
Prior to reserving a room at a hotel, look on the Internet for reviews. One great site is TripAdvisor. These offer feedback from those who have recently stayed at the hotel you are considering booking. Patron reviews can give you valuable information that will help you make a good choice.
Get room service if you don’t want to leave. Although you’ll probably pay more, it is worth being able to comfortably dine in the room while in pajamas.
Check out online travel websites in order to discover the best deals on hotels. Examples include Orbitz and Expedia. Join the loyalty program for any hotel chain that you love and believe you’ll stay with often. Also, as an added bonus, you may get discounts from other companies such as AAA or AARP.
Make sure you check with any organizations of which you are a member. Some of them may provide discounts on hotel stays. Discounts of 10% or more are often available, and people sometimes forget that they are eligible to claim them. When you’re staying for more than one night, this can add up to a decent savings. If you stay for a week, these discounts will almost add up for a free night.
Make use of the room safe to ensure the safety of your electronics when you are not in your room. You can stash your expensive electronics and jewelry in the safe and go about your day without worry.
The Internet is a great place to research hotels. They allow you to quickly locate great discounts. 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. You can also find out about local amenities and things offered by the hotels.
When thinking about selecting a hotel, there are quite a few salient points to consider. Price is one thing you should consider, but when you get a hotel you may want it near a certain place. Amenities like free WiFi, fitness facilities, a pool and free meals may also be important considerations. Choose an establishment that offers the amenities you desire.
Prior to making a hotel reservation, do some research online in order to discover the best deals. Hotels don’t usually advertise their lowest rates, so you may have to ask. It is your responsibility to find any available discounts. Use popular websites such as Jetsetter, SniqueAway, or RueLalaTravel.
Use hotel search tools online. These sites can help you get good deals. They display the average rates of hotels so that you can see if the deal you are getting is good. They also can help with figuring out when the ideal time to go on vacation is and what you can do once you are there.
Once you get to your hotel, do not unpack until you check the room. Is the room free of mildew and mold and clean? Does the plumbing work right? Make sure you have the linens, bath supplies and towels that you will need. 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.
Inspect your room before unpacking your bags. Is the room clean and devoid of issues like mildew and mold? Does everything work? Do you have the blankets, pillows and towels you need? 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.
To get the lowest price on accommodations, plan your trip in advance. If you can book a couple of months early, a lot of locations will give you a steeper discount. Doing this could save you up to 50 percent off your room, and this holds true with the more elite brands as well.
Be sure and take care of three important things before bringing a pet on your trip to any hotel. Find out if the hotel will allow pets first. It is also a great idea to bring along some plastic bags to clean up when your pet makes a mess. If you can arrange a corner room, there will be less likelihood of your pet disturbing other guests.
If you would like to treat your partner to a massage, be sure to make the appointment far in advance. Many top masseuses book by name, so plan as early as possible.
If you belong to AAA, see what kinds of discounts the hotel offers. Your membership in this auto club has just such a discount available to you. You can save more than five percent on hotels all over the country. It’s a way to save money that can add up fast.
If you are worried about the environment, consider taking a “green” vacation. It is fortunate for you that there are quite a lot of green hotels available. Green certification is something some of the newly built hotels are quite proud of promoting. Older hotels can go green by making environmentally friendly choices in energy use. Request the help of the travel agent in identifying hotels that are environmentally friendly.
If you want to keep your regular running routine, pack your GPS and running clothes. So, make sure you have your running gear and shoes and you will be set to jog anywhere. 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.
In order to avoid any surprise charges, inquire about hotel transfers prior to booking. Particularly when the room price is a big deal, the hidden fee of transfer often can be the difference. Inquire before you book, so you aren’t hit with an unexpected price increase.
Green Hotels
If you travel frequently, you can maximize your hotel benefits by looking into reward programs from large hotel chains. Then you can accrue points, get extra perks, and save money.
If you are an environmentally conscious traveler, you should look into “green” hotels. Luckily, there are a lot of green hotels out there in this day and age. Many new hotels are certified as green hotels. Older hotels may choose to take “green” standards seriously, which is a great thing. Ask your travel agent to help you identify environmentally friendly hotels.
Get an AAA membership for hotel perks when you travel. Hotel and rental car discounts are available to AAA members. People that have young kids will get a car seat for free in a lot of different places.
The price you pay at a hotel often depends on the time frame in which you reserve the room. The price is subject to the laws of supply and demand like any other product. If you can, make your reservation no earlier than 24 hours before you arrive. You’ll end up with a great deal this way. Empty rooms don’t make money, so hotels slash prices to fill the building.
Do not make long distance calls from your hotel room. Use your cell phone or the Internet. Some hotels now provide Skype via Wi-Fi. You can still call family members, friends, and colleagues from your room without racking up tons of costly charges.
Membership programs offered by hotel chains help members who travel a lot get the best rooms during their stay. By joining a membership program, you earn points during every visit. These points can add up to free items over time.
Call the hotel before you arrive to make sure the swimming pool is in working order. It can prove rather frustrating when you check in to your room with the kids screaming “pool” only to find out it’s closed.
Sign up for AAA if you wish to get better hotel arrangements while you travel. Members of AAA receive many travel benefits including reduced hotel rates and lower car rental rates. You might even get a free car seat if you have kids.
If you want to inspect a hotel room for bed bugs, start with the bathroom. This is the last room they are likely to be. That means your luggage will be safe there while you check out the other areas of the room. Put kids and pets in there, too.
Your children will be happy when you call the hotel to make sure their pool is open and working. Nothing is worse than having excited kids who find out they cannot go to the pool.
Learn about the smoking policies if you smoke. Hotels normally have rooms set aside for smokers. If your selected hotel does, ask for one. Certain hotels will charge you a steep fee if you get caught smoking in a room that is non-smoking. Be sure to follow the rules of the hotel.
Ask if there is smoking allowed in the hotel. If you are a nonsmoker, you may want to avoid hotels that offer smoking rooms. The smoke can settle into your clothing and luggage. There are times when smokers light up in a non-smoking room. Request a non-smoking room if you do not want to smell like cigarettes.
Checking in early may not be available. You need to plan appropriately to avoid waiting in the lobby all day. Hotels usually need to get the room cleaned and ready before you check in. You can inquire about checking in early, but do not expect that you’re going to be able to do it.
If you smoke, you should understand the hotel’s policy about smoking before you book a room. Many hotels have rooms designated for smokers. If this is what you’re looking for, inquire about these rooms. If you smoke in a room designated as non-smoking, a big penalty can come along with it.
If you are concerned about germs, you might want to take the bedspread off of the bed. Your sheets should be fresh and clean but the bedspread is not washed after each guest. It may be a carrier of bacteria and germs. So take it off the bed, fold it up and stash it in a corner of the room.
Once you truly absorb the information shared in this article, you will have the power to find a great hotel stay. It isn’t too difficult to get, especially with these tips. Take your time to look over all your options so that you can make the best decisions.
Avoid drinking bottled water from a hotel! After traveling and checking in, you might be feeling tired and/or thirsty. This can tempt you to consume bottles of water from the mini-fridge. There is a huge mark-up in price because the hotel knows this fact. A number hotels offer free bottles of water in their gyms. Or, to be sure you save money, you can just pack a few water bottles from home.
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