Almost everyone stays at hotel at some point, whether it is a trip for work or pleasure. Whether your stay involves business or pleasure, you must know what you are doing when it comes to selecting a hotel. Following is some advice that should help.
Online travel websites can offer you a great deal on hotels with lots of choices, all on the same website. Are you a member of a certain hotel’s membership program? If so, make sure you put this information into the travel site. Don’t neglect to check for other discounts in which you may qualify, including AAA and AARP.
Check out online travel websites in order to discover the best deals on hotels. Examples include Orbitz and Expedia. If you’re a member of a loyalty program of a hotel, make sure you input that data when checking out rates. You may also be eligible for other discounts through any memberships you have with organizations such as AAA and AARP.
Think about using room service if you want to enjoy late-night dining without needing to leave your hotel room. It may cost more, but it’s convenient when you don’t feel like leaving.
If you are hungry when you get to your hotel and do not want to leave, consider ordering room service. While this could cost you a little more, it will be worth it because you can stay in your room and take care of the cravings you’re having.
When leaving your hotel room, keep any electronics you have secure by putting them in the room’s safe. Putting your valuable jewelry and electronic items in the hotel safe allows you to feel secure as you enjoy your vacation.
If you wish to keep things safe in a hotel, use the hotel’s safe that’s in the closet of your room. You can place your small, expensive items such as your iPad in the safe, so you can enjoy your day knowing they are safe and secure.
Take advantage of search tools online. There are a lot of websites that have great deals and other useful tools to help you comparison shop to find the right hotel at the right price. Not only will they show the best deals, but they’ll also include extra information about the rooms, floor plans, and even reviews from other customers. You can also find out about local amenities and things offered by the hotels.
Check the organizations that you’re a member of. Sometimes you can get discounted hotel prices through these organizations. People often forget that they are eligible for these discounts, which may be for 10 percent or more off of your stay. This is especially useful if you plan to book a longer stay. That can give you close to a completely free night when it adds up.
When you arrive at your hotel, thoroughly inspect your room before unpacking. Is it clean and free of mold and mildew? Are all bathroom fixtures in proper working order? Are you given the linens and towels that you’re going to need? If you notice a problem, be sure to inform the front desk right away to have these problems resolved.
Take advantage of online hotel searching tools. You can use such websites to discover great deals with ease and speed. Being able to comparison shop helps you find the best value, while getting the amenities that are important to you. Finally, they can help you determine when you’d like to travel and what you’d like to do when you’re there.
If you run regularly, continue your routine when traveling by bringing running clothes and your GPS. 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. Running not only provides you with great exercise, but it also helps you better learn the city in which you are residing.
To benefit from the best prices at hotels, start planning your trips several weeks or even months in advance. If you chose to book a month or even two ahead of your arrival date, you can get great discounts. You may save 50 percent or more.
For people who are frequent travelers, consider signing up for some loyalty programs with your favorite hotels. They provide benefits to anyone who stays at a hotel chain frequently. You can often earn free upgrades, free stays, and complimentary late check out with enough points accrued.
You don’t want to assume that the hotel you will be staying in is considered pet friendly. Call and ask before you reserve. Make sure they specify what pet-friendly means since there may be certain restrictions on pet sizes and breeds that are allowed on the property.
The cost of your hotel will vary depending on when you make your reservation. Availability is one factor that plays a part in cost. Whenever you can, maker your room reservation no more than a day ahead of time. This will get you a great price on your room. This is because the hotel will want to book rooms that are currently empty.
There are three different things you should do in advance if you’re going to be traveling with a pet. Find out if the hotel will allow pets first. Also, bring a lot of plastic sacks like ones from the grocery store so you can get your pet’s messes cleaned up. If you can arrange a corner room, there will be less likelihood of your pet disturbing other guests.
Be sure to avoid hotel transfer fees by asking about them in advance. This is especially important if you run across an unbelievable deal. You should inquire about this before booking the hotel room.
Do you care about your environment? If so, a “green” hotel may be for you. The great thing is there are plenty of green hotels you can select from. There are newer hotels that were built to be environmentally friendly. Also, older hotels often make several changes to become eco-friendly. A good travel agent can help you find hotels that are environmentally friendly.
In hotel rooms, avoid calling long distance if possible. Look to the Internet, instead. Many hotels will give you complimentary Skype connections on their Wi-Fi. You will be able to stay in touch with family and friends while you are away without the additional expense of costly phone calls.
Making a long distance call from a hotel room should be avoided. Using the Internet is a better option. You’ll often find hotels have free Wi-Fi, which allows for Skype calling long distance numbers for free. This will help you converse with those back home without racking up a lofty bill.
Make sure that your family enjoys their stay by calling ahead to ensure the hotel’s swimming pool is working, It is extremely frustrating for you and your children to arrive at a hotel expecting a pool and/or other activities only to discover that there are none.
Your children will be happy when you call the hotel to make sure their pool is open and working. There is nothing worse than getting to a hotel with kids to find the pool is closed.
If you are concerned about bed bugs, look in the bathroom first. Bedbugs are least likely to live here. This is why you should keep your luggage in there while you go on a search for bedbugs. Kids and pets can safely wait there too.
If you want to inspect a hotel room for bed bugs, start with the bathroom. This is usually one of the few places you won’t see any. That makes the bathroom the safest place to keep the luggage while you look through the remainder of the accommodations. It is usually a convenient place for young children to sit for a moment too.
Make sure to ask up front if the hotel allows smoking or does not. If you are a nonsmoker, you may want to avoid hotels that offer smoking rooms. While you can book a non-smoking room, smoke can infiltrate your room and settle into your clothing. Sometimes, smokers book rooms that are non-smoking and smoke anyway. If you don’t want to stink like a cigarette when you are leaving a non smoking hotel may be a good choice.
If you’re a smoker, then make sure you get a hotel with a smoking room. If you are a non-smoker, you might want to stay away from hotels that offer smoking rooms. You could still get a non-smoking room, but smoke can flow through the air and settle on your clothes. There are times when smokers end up staying in non-smoking rooms, and smoking in them. If you don’t want to smell like cigarettes, consider staying at a hotel that’s non-smoking.
Find out how the hotel handles pets. If you’re scared of pets or have allergies, you may not want to stay in a pet friendly hotel. These hotels might also suffer from odors sinking into the floor and bed linens. Many hotels charge a fee for staying with a pet, but it might not be a lot. Depending on what the hotel is like, you might have to pay an extra cleaning fee.
Clearly, we all have to stay in hotels at some time. 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.
If you will be in need of a roll-away bed or a crib, be sure to let the hotel management know in advance. Some hotels do not have these items, and most have limited quantities. Also, you may get charged extra for these types of things. You can always discuss the possibilities with the hotel clerk or manager on the phone before you book your room.
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