Finding a good hotel can either make or break an entire vacation. Read on to learn about finding a great accommodations.
Before booking your hotel room, look to online review sites for in depth reviews from recent travelers. These reviews can give you a customer’s perspective of the hotel you are planning on staying at. Other customers can give you some valuable insight and help you choose the right place to stay.
You can find a lot of great deals on hotels if you go online and check out some of the travel sites. If you are a member of the hotel’s loyalty program, put your information in. You may also be able to get discounts through any memberships you have with organizations such as AAA or AARP.
You can stash your expensive electronics and jewelry in the hotel safe.
Take a look into organizations you are part of. Many clubs, groups and organizations are able to get members discounted hotel rates. People don’t always remember to check out these discounts, which can often be 10% and higher. They can save you plenty of money, especially for prolonged stays. For a week of vacation time that adds up to an extra day!
Check your room ahead of unpacking. Is your room clean and devoid of issues like mildew free? Are you given the linens and towels in ample supply? If you find obvious problems, report it immediatlely to have it fixed as soon as possible.
It is wise to look into loyalty programs that your favorite hotels offer. These are exceptional benefits to guests who book the same hotel regularly. You can get a free upgrade, later check-out options and even free nights once you accumulate enough loyalty program points.
Are you a AAA member? If so, hotels may provide you a discount. AAA members actually receive hotel discounts at specific hotel chains! You can save 5 percent or even more on hotels around the country. This is a savings that can really add up over several nights.
Green Hotels
If you care about the environment, consider taking a “green” vacation. There are several green hotels that feature green amenities. Some hotels are certified green. Some hotels that aren’t that new will pick out some ways to be more eco-friendly so they can show environmental awareness. Talk to your travel agent if you want to find the best green hotels that are eco-friendly.
Be sure to avoid hotel transfer fees by asking about them in advance. If the rooms are cheap, the transfer could ruin the deal. Inquiring in advance will mean more savings for you.
The timing for any give hotel room has much to do with what you pay. Rooms prices are typically priced according to availability. This will get you the very best price when it comes to hotel rooms.
Be sure to avoid hotel transfers when booking a room. If the rooms are cheap, it is especially important that you ask about any hidden fees that might be tacked onto your bill. You save more by asking about this beforehand.
Try to avoid long distance calling in hotel rooms. Look to the Internet, instead. Skype connections are available in many hotels these days using Wi-Fi. Use these to keep up with loved ones or colleagues back home from the comfort of your hotel room instead of racking up costly phone calls from the nightstand.
Join a loyalty program if you travel frequently. These points that can be applied toward further travels.
Get an AAA membership to facilitate the process of booking a hotel when you travel. Parents with young children are likely to enjoy the free car set offered in some locations.
Is your room non-smoking or not? If you are a non-smoker, you may not want to stay in a smoking room. The smoke can settle into your clothing and luggage. Sometimes, smokers rent non-smoking rooms and smoke in them. To avoid the experience of breathing in smoke during your stay, try to stay in a hotel that doesn’t allow smoking.
Start looking in the bathroom when checking for bed bugs. This is the place where you will find them. It is usually a good place for pets or children to wait for a couple minutes as well.
Check to see if a hotel you’re looking to stay at is non-smoking or smoking. If you do not smoke, you might want to choose a hotel that does not have smoking rooms. Smokers don’t always respect the fact that the room they are not supposed to smoke in.
In most cases, checking into a hotel room ahead of schedule isn’t possible. Plan for this, or you may risk waiting in the hotel lobby for an hour or more. Hotels use these in between hours to make sure rooms are cleaned and ready for the next occupant. Having said that, don’t hesitate to ask the front desk about checking in if you do arrive early; however, you shouldn’t expect to be able to do this. The best thing you can do is arrive on time.
As was mentioned earlier, spending too much on a hotel takes money away from other aspects of your trip. Use the advice and ideas from this article so that you find the right hotel for your budget and your needs. Go over this again when you need to travel in the future.