When you are planning to travel, whether it is for a family vacation or a business trip, a hotel reservation needs to be made. However, this is not a decision that should be made hastily. Choosing the right hotel is important if you want to really enjoy your trip. Keep reading for some good advice on doing so.

To accommodate a small family without having to pay for more than one hotel room, look for a location that offers suites. Often the rates are competitive with single-room rates at other hotels, but the addition of a living area (and a fold-out bed) means that more of you can sleep comfortably.

When planning a vacation, be sure to make all of your hotel reservations well in advance. In this way, you can lock in lower rates. If you have some flexibility regarding when you take your vacation, be sure to find out about off season rates. Very often, the rate you pay in non-peak times of year is significantly lower.

Ask the hotel about their check-in time.. Some people end up waiting for their room to be available because they forget to check this critical detail. If you find you will be arriving early, call the hotel in advance and find out if you will be allowed in.

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 travel often and prefer one hotel brand, consider signing up for a loyalty program. These programs offer free room upgrades, a free night’s stay after so many days and other advantages. To get the most from this service, sign up to be alerted of specials the hotel may run from time to time.

To keep your running regimen up while you are traveling, pack your GPS watch and plenty of running clothes. In this way, you can simply suit up and enjoy your workout as usual while on the road. No matter if you’re on city streets or down some roads, you can easily learn new things about a city doing this.

Find out what perks are offered on hotel club floors before deciding the extra premium isn’t worth the cost. At some hotels, staying on a club floor can mean benefits like free food and even full meals. Factor up the potential expenses of paying for those on their own, and you might see that an upgrade can actually save you money.

To keep your physical fitness going when you are on the road, when you check into a hotel, check out the fitness center. Even in gyms where you only see a treadmill or two and a set of dumbbells, you can still get in a bodyweight workout and a cardio routine. It may not be ideal, but it gets you through until you are back on your home turf.

If you plan on using any glasses from the hotel minibar, make sure that you wash them first. Even if they appear to be clean, they may have been wiped with a chemical cleaner. Many housekeeping staff use the same products that they use to clean windows and mirrors on those glasses.

If you just make a reservation at the first hotel that you find, you could end up having to stay in a real dump. Don’t ruin your vacation by staying in a cut-rate, run-down hotel. Instead, take some time to find a great hotel by making good use of these tips.