Having a disastrous hotel stay is something that almost everyone has experienced. Staying in a bad hotel is not a pleasant experience for you or your wallet; therefore, you don’t want to make this same mistake in the future. Fortunately, the below article provides solid advice on how to ensure you book the best possible hotel room at the best possible price.
Online travel sites like Expedia or Orbitz can help you get the best price for rooms at the hotel you would like to stay at. If you’re a member of a loyalty program of a hotel, make sure you input that data when checking out rates. You may also be eligible for deals that are offered to members of certain organizations, like AAA or AARP.
You can enjoy a romantic dinner in your room by calling room service. Although you will probably have to spend more money to do this, it’s usually worth the cost because you have the luxury of receiving excellent food without having to leave your hotel room.
Take advantage of search tools online. These websites can help you quickly find the best value. Being able to comparison shop helps you find the best value, while getting the amenities that are important to you. They might even offer some decent entertainment venues that you should experience while you’re in the local area.
Be clear about check-in time at the hotel you have booked. If you don’t know you may end up waiting a long time. Call the hotel if you are early and find out if your room is ready.
Don’t think that all hotels will be pet friendly. Be sure to call in advance and find out about their policies, regardless of website info. Be certain you understand all rules pertaining to pets. Some hotels only allow certain types, sizes and breeds.
If you’re taking a pet to the hotel, do some things beforehand. Find out if the hotel allows pets. Be sure to have plenty of plastic bags on hand to make pet cleanup easy. See if you can stay in a room toward the end of a hall so your pet does not disturb guests.
If you want a nice massage for you and your loved one, book that as early as possible. Many of the top masseuses out there are booked far ahead of time.
If you often stay at the same hotel chain, check to see if they offer membership to frequent stay programs. These programs usually work by letting you rack up points. These points can be used to earn free nights, discounts and more.
People who care about the environment may be more comfortable staying in a hotel that is eco-friendly. The great thing is there are plenty of green hotels you can select from. Many new hotels are constructed to meet green standards, earning green certification. Some of the older hotels do implement green practices to be sure they are eco-friendly. Speak with a travel agent to see if they can help you pick out hotels that care about the environment.
The price of a hotel room is often a mix of many factors. Hotels price rooms in part based on availability. Book your room more the day before you need it if you can. You can often get the best price if you do it this way. A room that’s empty won’t help the hotel, so generally they will get the price lowered.
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. If the rooms are cheap, the transfer could ruin the deal. You save the most money when you ask about this beforehand.
Try to avoid long distance calling in hotel rooms. You can use the Internet to make these types of calls. Skype connections are available in many hotels these days using Wi-Fi. Use these types of services to keep in contact with loved ones back home instead of having exorbitant charges added to your bill from the costly phone calls.
If you smoke, it is important to know what the hotel’s smoking policy is before you book your room. There are sometimes rooms designated for people who smoke. If that happens to be the case, then you need to ask for that type of room. If you stay in a room that doesn’t allow smoking and the hotel staff discover evidence of you smoking in this room, then you could be charged a large penalty. Therefore, it is important that you always follow the hotel’s rules when it comes to smoking.
Be sure you understand the pet policy of the hotel. If you have pet allergies or the noise from pets bothers you, you might want to avoid these hotels. They may have a hidden smell that the hotel tries to mask with a strong fragrance, which is also an irritant. Some hotels add an extra charge for pets, other do not. The fee may cover the extra cleaning or it may not, it all depends on the hotel in question.
In most cases, an early check-in just isn’t possible. Plan to get there at the right time if you don’t want to wait. Most hotels clean and prepare rooms at a certain time, so that they are ready for 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.
Early Departure
If possible, do not check out earlier than your scheduled departure day. The hotel might charge you an early departure fee. Booking that room means it wasn’t available when others were reserving. So, they may charge you a fee for early departure to replace the loss in revenue.
No one wants to book a bad hotel. An extremely cheap price does not justify a poor hotel experience. Your trip and hotel experience is going to be ruined. So prepare ahead by finding the right hotel at a price you can afford. You can get some great discounts to make your experience even better.