You already know where you plan on vacationing. You have your flight numbers already. The thing you still haven’t done is book a hotel room. But, how you do find a great room at a great price? A good place to start is by reading the following article. You’ll get great advice so you can make a choice that’s right.
Double-check your organizational memberships. Do they offer hotel discounts? These discounts are often neglected; however, they can save you upwards of ten percent. You end up with an even bigger savings if your hotel stay is going to be for multiple nights. It can add up to equal a free night!
Use online search tools for hotels. These websites can help you quickly find the best value. They will also let you know what people pay on average when they go to that hotel. This lets you figure out if the deal you’re getting is a good one. The websites can also help you decide the best time to take a trip and where you can eat, shop or sight-see.
Always check the room before you begin to unpack your belongings. Is the room clean? Do you see any mold or mildew? Are the showers, sinks, toilets, etc. properly functioning? Does your room feature the linens and towels you require? If you have any questions or notice any problems with the room, immediately call the front desk and report them so that they may be handled. You may also asked to be transferred to a new room if the problem is serious, such as mold or mildew.
In order to save money on hotel stays, book far in advance. A lot of places will give you a discount if you’re going to book about a month or so in advance. Even some elite chains will offer discounts as much as half off.
Do not assume that each hotel welcomes pets. Call ahead to their service desk and make sure, even if their website listing says they are. Find out what their rules on pets are also, as they may not let large pets or certain breeds stay with them.
If you stay in a particular hotel chain, ask about their membership program. Just like frequent flyer mile programs, these hotel programs offer you points for your stay. They will get you discounts on the hotel restaurants, spa deals, and just a number of great stuff.
Discuss what a hotel transfer will cost you prior to actually booking anything. This is especially important if you run across an unbelievable deal. Inquiring in advance will mean more savings for you.
Membership programs offered by hotel chains help members who travel a lot get the best rooms during their stay. 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.
Be careful not to make long distance phone calls on the hotel phone. Look to the Internet, instead. Some hotels offer free Wi-Fi, so you can use Skype. This will help you converse with those back home without racking up a lofty bill.
Call ahead to your hotels to make certain the swimming pools are ready for your kids. There is nothing worse than getting to a hotel with kids to find the pool is closed.
GUests should be aware whether or not the hotel allows pets. If you’re scared of pets or are allergic, you might want to stay away from pet-friendly hotels. Hotel floors and linens can glean unpleasant odors from pets. While some hotels charge fees for pets, they don’t always charge a lot. The fee may cover the cleaning, and it may not.
In most cases, an early check-in just isn’t possible. Be sure to not to show up early so you don’t have to wait. Hotels use these in between hours to make sure rooms are cleaned and ready for the next occupant. If you can’t avoid being early, ask the front desk to make an exception, but be prepared if they can’t accommodate you.
Try to avoid checking out of the hotel ahead of your scheduled checkout time. Some hotels charge a fee for early departure. Booking a hotel room means the hotel is going to take that specific room off of their market. If you wind up leaving early, then they’ll be losing money for every day that you don’t stay. To earn back this money they will lose, they charge you an additional departure fee.
You probably should avoid using the hotel’s bedspread for hygienic reasons. While sheets and linens are always washed, the topmost bedspread may not be, depending on the hotel policy. It can carry a lot of germs. Just make sure you remove the bedspread.
If you find your reserved room is not available, you do have rights. Occasionally a hotel will be overbooked, and the room you reserved will not be available. As a result, hotels will attempt to escort you to another hotel. Try to avoid this scenario if you can, but if it becomes necessary to secure alternate accommodations, be sure that the room is at least comparable to the one at the hotel you booked, and get compensation for your travel expenses.
Do not drink the bottled water in your room. You may arrive at your destination exhausted and thirsty. Finding a cold bottle of water in the little refrigerator may present a temptation. Hotels take advantage of guests by charging ridiculous amounts for bottled water. Certain hotel gyms will provide guests for bottled water free of charge. Even better, bring along a few of your own bottles.
A great hotel place a major role in the vacation experience. Having a lousy hotel room can ruin your whole vacation. Do not let that happen to you. Follow the advice from this article to book a hotel.