If you plan on traveling, there are many things you should do before you leave. You need to get packed, get the car some gas, or buy some plane tickets. Then, on top of all of that, you’ve got to find a suitable hotel reservation. To find out how to get the best rates for the best rooms, continue reading.

Use your hotel room’s safe to keep your valuables secure. This safe will store your small important items, such as your iPad, iPod, GPS, jewelry, etc. By doing this, you can keep these items secure and enjoy your day without fretting about someone stealing them.

Search online tools for hotels. These sites allow you to find great deals quickly. They also let you see what full price is, so you know you are saving money. On top of that, they can help you determine the cheapest destinations.

Search for the best deals in hotels online before making reservations. You might not learn from the person on the phone that you can actually get great discounts over the Internet, instead. It is your responsibility to find these discounts. Look to websites like RueLaLaTravel or Jetsetter for more help.

If you’re interested in the massage services of a hotel you intend to stay at, reserve your appointment ahead of time. Usually, the best massage therapists are booked well in advance at top resorts. If you plan early, you will have the best experience possible.

Do you travel a lot? Consider using a hotel loyalty program. They give people benefits if they go to that chain often. The rewards can include free room upgrades, free meals and movie or show tickets tickets. The points can add up.

If you care about the environment, then you may be interested in taking a “green” vacation. There are plenty of “green” hotels that take the environment into consideration. There are plenty of hotels built today with strong environmental standards. Older hotels can’t always do this, but instead choose to adhere to certain green practices. A good travel agent can help you find hotels that are environmentally friendly.

Inquire about hotel transfer costs before before booking. Especially if you’re in a situation where the room’s price is a really good deal, the price of your transfer can make a big difference. If you know this upfront, you can save more money.

If you are traveling with children, be sure the hotels you book have clean swimming pools that are up and running. It will be a huge disappointment if you arrive at the hotel with the kids ready to swim and they are not able to do so.

If you wish to see if a hotel room has bed bugs, check out the bathroom. Bedbugs are least likely to live here. Therefore, you can put your luggage here while you look over the remainder of the room. Kids and pets can safely wait there too.

Make sure to ask up front if the hotel allows smoking or does not. If you are a non-smoker, you might want to stay at a non-smoking hotel. You may be able to ask for a non-smoking room, however smoke can still travel through the air, settling on your clothing. Sometimes a smoker will get a non smoking room and still smoke in it. To avoid the experience of breathing in smoke during your stay, try to stay in a hotel that doesn’t allow smoking.

Always ask about the hotel’s smoking policy if you smoke. Many have designated nonsmoking rooms. So if you are a smoker, be sure to ask for one of those rooms. Otherwise, you might find yourself paying a high fee for smoking in a room that is designated as non-smoking.

Allow Pets

Know your hotel’s policy on pets prior to booking with them. If you fear pets or have allergies it may be best to make reservations at hotels which do not have a pet-friendly policy. Rooms that allow pets may also have the odor of animals. This can be in the linens and carpet. Some hotels only allow pets in certain rooms and charge more for the room because they do extra cleaning to ensure it is up to standards after each guest. It does take extra effort and expense to take care of pets issues and some hotels do not take the time necessary.

It is usually not possible to check into your hotel early. Unless you’re okay with waiting for your room to be ready, plan your timing wisely. Hotels usually need to get the room cleaned and ready before you check in. If you can’t avoid being early, ask the front desk to make an exception, but be prepared if they can’t accommodate you.

If you need a crib, ask for it as you reserve the room. Not every hotel will have these things, and if they do they may not have many. Also, you may get charged extra for these types of things. Ask about this before you finalize your reservations, to make sure your needs are fully met.

You probably should avoid using the hotel’s bedspread for hygienic reasons. They generally will wash the blankets and sheets that are under the bedspread, but the main bedspread may not be washed. It could have acquired a lot of invisible germs and other things you want to avoid. Therefore, as soon as you walk into your room, take the bedspread off the bed.

Beware of an establishment that attempts to “walk you.” This refers to hotels overbooking their hotel rooms; therefore, the hotel room that you booked may not be available when you check in. This means that they will direct you to another hotel. Avoid getting “walked” whenever you can, but if you have to switch hotels, be certain that your reservation there is equivalent or even an upgrade.

Getting a good hotel booked will be a very important part of any trip. Whether your trip is business or pleasure, your choice of hotel accommodations can make or break it. When you are next making a hotel reservation, remember what you have read here.