Have you ever made a hotel reservation for your vacation, only to discover that the rooms were dirty and smelly? Do you wish that there was some way to make sure that the hotel you choose is of the highest quality? If so, the following advice will be just what you need.

To get the very best prices for the hotels that you’d like to visit, use travel sites online like Orbitz and Expedia. If you are in a hotel loyalty program, put your information in. Also, as an added bonus, you may get discounts from other companies such as AAA or AARP.

If you are out of the room for any length of time, protect the valuables you leave in the room. In addition to leaving expensive items in a safe, leave the television on when you are out of the room. That will make it look like you are still there and thieves will move on.

When traveling with children, be sure the hotels you choose offer features the kids will enjoy. A playground on site is very helpful. A pool with plenty of shallow area and/or a kiddie pool will provide great play time. Also check to see if the hotel you are interested in offers a child care service.

If you know that you will need to make phone calls from your hotel room, check to make sure you will have free Wi-Fi service. Rather than using the in-room phone, and getting charged an arm and a leg, use an Internet phone service that is free. For example, both Skype and Line are possibilities.

If you want to save some serious money on your hotel reservations, get the price bundled with something else. This is typically done through an online travel site. When bundled with airfare, hotel room rates drop dramatically, sometimes by over half the list rates that are publicly advertised elsewhere on the Internet.

When traveling with small children, try to choose a hotel that caters to them. Most hotels offer cribs. Some have playgrounds and/or pools to help keep your kids entertained. Some even offer or children’s programs during the day or babysitters at night. Many hotels do not charge extra for children under a certain age to stay in the same room with their parents.

If you stay at the same hotels all the time, check to see if they have a frequent-stay program. Just like with a frequent flyer mile program, you can get points for staying a hotel. You can accumulate points that you can redeem for free hotel stays, discounts at restaurants, and all types of entertainment.

Avoid using the phone in the hotel to make any calls. If you do not have a mobile phone, it would be a good idea to purchase a prepaid phone to make calls during your stay. The only exception should be if free local calls are included in the room rate.

To save money on a trip when you are traveling with a large family, choose a hotel that offers a free breakfast. Even if it’s just continental fare, you’re saving a significant amount of money by cutting out having to pay for that one meal each day on the road.

Be aware of your surroundings in a hotel to stay safe. Don’t open the door without knowing who is behind it. Use the peephole. Hotel residents are especially vulnerable to theft. Check in with the front desk if there are any deliveries to your door and keep the door locked even when inside.

A good hotel can really enhance your enjoyment of a vacation, just as a bad one can turn the whole trip into a disaster. You need to spend some time researching your options before you make a reservation. Let the advice you have read here guide your decision the next time you need to stay in a hotel.