Planning a trip isn’t easy. There’s plenty of packing to be done. Then you’ve got to put gas in the car or shop for plane tickets. In addition, you have to book hotel reservations. To learn how to do it right, read on.
Prior to making reservations, research hotels on sites like TripAdvisor. These types of sites let you read about real customers’ experiences with each hotel. Consider what they say to help you make your decision.
Find great prices at online travel sites like Orbitz and Expedia. Are you a member of a certain hotel’s membership program? If so, make sure you put this information into the travel site. Also, you might be able to get some discounts offered by organizations that you might be a part of like AAA or AARP.
Room service is great for late meals. It might cost a little extra, but it’s definitely worth the bill. Nothing is more enjoyable than having food delivered to your room while you’re in your PJ’s.
Check with any membership programs for deals. Do they offer hotel discounts? Discounts of 10% or more are often available, and people sometimes forget that they are eligible to claim them. This can add up to big savings, even more so if you will be staying for many nights. If you stay for a week, these discounts will almost add up for a free night.
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. For easy cleanup, make sure that you have brought along an adequate number of plastic bags. When making your reservation, ask for a room at the end of the hall to spare other guests your pet noise.
It may be wise to look into loyalty programs that your favorite hotels offer. This type of program provides discounts and benefits for frequent visitors. It is possible to earn perks such as free stays, extended check out times and other upgrades.
The price you are charged for your hotel room is partly dependent upon when you make the reservations. Availability sets pricing. Book your room more the day before you need it if you can. This can get you a seriously discounted rate. Hotels would rather discount the price because an empty room does not earn them any money.
Be sure you know the cost associated with hotel transfers when booking a room. If the rooms are cheap, the transfer could ruin the deal. You will save more by asking about such a thing in advance.
Sign up as an AAA member to make hotel arrangements easier when you are traveling. If you do a lot of traveling, the AAA membership can pay for itself, and you can also get deals on rental cars. Those who have small children will be pleased to find car seats available for free.
Do not make long distance calls from your hotel room. Use the Internet, instead. Many hotels now offer Skype connections via Wi-Fi. In this way, you can stay in touch with friends, relations and colleagues without racking up a big phone bill.
If you are traveling with children, be sure the hotels you book have clean swimming pools that are up and running. There is nothing worse than arriving at your destination anxiously looking forward to splashing around in the pool, only to find that it is closed.
Start looking in the bathroom when checking for bed bugs in a hotel. This is the place least likely to have bedbugs. That is what makes it the best place to start. You can store your luggage there and search the rest of your room for those bedbugs. Kids and pets can stay there as well.
You should be aware that early hotel check ins are not always possible. If you are going to arrive early, plan on doing something to fill your time. The room needs to be cleaned after the last guest leaves. If you’re going to have to show up early, speak with the people at the front to see if you’re able to get into the room, but don’t think that it will happen.
Unless it is an emergency, always stay for the total number of nights that you have booked. An early departure charge may be added to your bill if you leave sooner. Whenever you reserve a room, it isn’t available to anyone else and the hotel will lose money if you cancel. This is why they usually charge you an fee for early departure.
Don’t get that bottled water and open it! When you arrive at your hotel, you might be very thirsty. You may decide to reach for that bottle of water calling to you from the mini fridge. The hotel is counting on this, and as a result, they mark up the prices on the bottled water. Some hotels offer free bottles of water in their gyms. Plan ahead and bring your own bottled water.
Be sure you don’t take off with any items from your hotel room. As soft and luxurious as they are, the housekeepers will likely notice that things are missing, and you might get a bill from the hotel for them. If you really have to have the stuff, see if the hotel will sell it to you.
You can get lower hotel rates by booking during off season. The rates are going to be sky high. You should book a room during the off season as hotels are desperate then for their rooms to be occupied. You should get a much better price.
If an upgrade is desirable, try a strategy that might get it free. Your chances of accomplishing this will be greater if you show up exactly at your scheduled check in time. If your room isn’t clean yet, you may be offered an upgrade.
A great hotel is an integral part of a great trip. Business or pleasure, your best trip starts with getting the best hotel room. Keep these tips in mind when booking a hotel room.
