Many options exist when booking travel accommodations, from shady motels to five star hotels on the strip. A great trip starts with a great hotel room. Keep reading for assistance in finding a good hotel.
Before making reservations at a hotel, check the online review sites. These will give you some information from people that have stayed at that certain hotel. This can help you choose which hotel to stay at.
When checking for good prices at hotels, refer to online travel sites like Orbitz and Expedia. When making hotel reservations, be sure to include information regarding hotel loyalty programs in which you may hold membership. Also, you might be able to get some discounts offered by organizations that you might be a part of like AAA or AARP.
You can enjoy a romantic dinner in your room by calling room service. While it may cost a little extra, it is worth it if you can stay in your comfortable room as you satisfy your cravings.
Put your electronics into 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.
You can use online travel sites to find great hotels. These websites can help you get great deals quickly. They also list the average cost of a hotel room, allowing you to ensure you are receiving an acceptable deal. Also, hotel search websites can assist you in determining where to vacation and what to do there.
Once you get to your hotel, do not unpack until you check the room. Is the room clean and free from mildew or mold? Does everything work? Do you need extra linens or towels? If you notice any deficiencies in your room, immediately call the front desk so you can resolve these issues, or if the problems are too severe, move you to another room.
Are you a AAA member? If so, hotels may provide you a discount. AAA members actually receive hotel discounts at specific hotel chains! You could save 5% or even 10% on some rooms. Those discounts add up to great savings, especially if you will be having an extended stay.
If you want to keep up the running regimen you have while traveling you should get your GPS watch packed with some running clothes. Enjoy a morning jog each day while on vacation. Even if you have to run down roads or the streets in the city, you can learn a lot more about the city when you get finished.
If you stay in a particular hotel chain, ask about their membership program. These hotel programs give you points for each stay. Over time, these points can really add up, allowing you to enjoy numerous upgrades, spa visits, restaurant discounts, and even free nights at the hotel.
The timing for your booking of a hotel room has much to do with what you pay. Hotels price rooms based on availability. If it’s possible, your room should be booked around a day in advance or more. This will net you the best price when it comes to hotel rooms. Hotels are often happy to slash prices on impending vacancies since they will get nothing if they can’t book the room.
Make sure you know hotel transfer costs prior to booking a hotel room in order to avoid a large unexpected cost. 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 about this beforehand will help to maximize your savings.
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. People that have young kids will get a car seat for free in a lot of different places.
Be careful not to make long distance phone calls on the hotel phone. Make use of the Internet, instead. Hotels usually have Wi-Fi, so you can call using Skype. This is much cheaper than paying for a bunch of long distance calls from your hotel room.
If you are traveling with children, be sure the hotels you book have clean swimming pools that are up and running. It can be extremely frustrating if you arrive at your hotel only to find out the pool is shut down for maintenance.
When checking your hotel accommodations for bed bugs, begin in the bathroom. You probably won’t find any bedbugs in the bathroom. This is why you should keep your luggage in there while you go on a search for bedbugs. If you have pets or children with you, ask them to wait in the bathroom too.
Ascertain whether or not the hotel you plan to stay at allows smoking. If you’re not a smoker, it may be wise to stay away from rooms that are for smoking. You may be able to ask for a non-smoking room, however smoke can still travel through the air, settling on your clothing. 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 after leaving your hotel room, you might want to look for a non-smoking hotel.
Keep in mind that hotel check-ins are usually very strict; therefore, you probably won’t be able to check-in early. Plan to arrive at the proper check-in time so you don’t find yourself wandering around the hotel’s lobby for hours. The hotels need a chance to clean up your room prior to check in. If you do arrive early, ask the desk clerk if it’s possible to check in early, but don’t necessarily expect it.
Often people simply book the first hotel listed in the phone book or on their search engine. This is a mistake. This can easily backfire and you can wind up paying a lot more for a room than you should. Use the tips here to find the best deals on great rooms.