You will need to book a hotel from time to time for various reasons. Whether you’re booking the room for business or for pleasure, you should know what you’re looking for in any given hotel. The following information will give you the best tips for booking a room and enjoying your stay.
You can find good deals on hotel rooms using online travel sites. If you are in a hotel loyalty program, put your information in. You may also be eligible for other discounts through any memberships you have with organizations such as AAA and AARP.
If you belong to any organizations, find out if they get any discount from certain hotel chains. Some of these organizations will offer you discounts on hotel prices. Discounts of 10% or more are often available, and people sometimes forget that they are eligible to claim them. When you’re staying for more than one night, this can add up to a decent savings. This adds up to a night’s stay that is almost free.
A number of factors all need consideration in your hotel reservation process. Price is always important, of course, but you might also want to find a hotel near a certain attraction or business. A gym, pool, free breakfast, free wireless Internet, free local calls, and all kinds of other things may be important. Shop around for a hotel that has the features that are most important to you.
Check online for great hotel deals. Many times, the reservation specialist won’t tell you of discounts when you call to book your room. For this reason, making a proactive search is advisable. Websites like Travelocity and Expedia can be a great way to do research on hotels.
Ask the hotel about their check-in time.. Some people neglect asking what the check-in time is and get to the hotel when their room is still not ready. Call and ask if you think you’ll be early.
If your pet is coming to a hotel with you, there are a few things you need to do in preparation. You want to ensure you’ve chosen a pet-friendly hotel. Also, bring a lot of plastic sacks like ones from the grocery store so you can get your pet’s messes cleaned up. Also, request a room away from other guests so that your pet does not bother them.
If you often stay at a certain type of hotel, ask about the “frequent stay” program. You should be able to earn points every time you are visiting one of the hotels. You can accumulate points that you can redeem for free hotel stays, discounts at restaurants, and all types of entertainment.
If you are concerned about the environment, you may want to take a “green” vacation. Luckily, there are a lot of green hotels out there in this day and age. Newer hotels are sometimes built according to green standards. Also, older hotels often make several changes to become eco-friendly. You can ask a travel agent to pinpoint eco-friendly hotels, thus making sure your vacation doesn’t hurt the environment.
If you don’t want to get a big expense on the hotel bill you get, speak to the place about hotel transfers prior to booking things. It is not uncommon to find that greatly discounted bookings may have a hidden cost for the transfer. You will save more by asking about such a thing in advance.
If you want to save money, and you stay at the same place a lot, consider signing up for the hotel’s version of a frequent guest program. This way, when you stay at a hotel, you can get points and then turn those points into free stuff that you can do with your family.
Distance Calls
Never use the hotel phone for long distance calls. Use the Internet, instead. Many hotels will give you complimentary Skype connections on their Wi-Fi. You can stay connected with people back home by using this instead of making expensive long distance calls from your hotel phone.
Check with the hotel to make sure the pools are ready to go if you are traveling with children. There aren’t many things that are as frustrating as going to your hotel with kids that really want to swim only to see that it has been closed.
If you want to inspect a hotel room for bed bugs, start with the bathroom. This is where you won’t find them. That means your luggage will be safe there while you check out the other areas of the room. It can be a temporary haven for children and pets.
If you need a crib, ask for it as you reserve the room. Hotels don’t typically have a lot of these, so be sure to ask in advance. Sometimes, there are also extra charges for items like these. Make your needs known at the time you place your reservation so that you do not have any unpleasant surprises.
Early Departure
It you’re able to, try not to check out until it’s time for you to depart. Some hotels charge a fee for early departure. You reserve a room when you book it, so if you leave early they lose money. They charge a fee for early departure to help compensate for the lost revenue.
For hygienic reasons, it might be best to avoid the provided bedspread in your room. Most hotels only wash the sheets on the bed; however, the bedspread is normally not washed. This means you might find that the bedspread is carrying germs and bacteria. Therefore, as soon as you walk into your room, take the bedspread off the bed.
Understand your rights when it comes to hotels “walking” you. There may be times when a hotel overbooks, leaving with no room. This will require that you have to stay at a different hotel. If you do choose to move, be sure that you get a better room and your travel is paid for.
In conclusion, everyone stays at a hotel at some point. Regardless of the reason that necessitates a hotel stay, you must be informed before you choose a hotel. This article has offered some good information on how to find a good hotel, so apply what you have learned.
