Your choice of hotel makes all of the difference during your stay. When you spend too much you can’t afford to have fun. Read on to find out how you can locate affordable, high quality hotels.
If you want a meal at night, it is much more comfortable to enjoy room service. While you’re likely to pay a little more, it’s worth having the convenience of staying in your room (and in your pajamas) while you wait to satisfy those nocturnal cravings.
Consider your organizational memberships. Many organizations provide hotel discounts for members. People often forget that they are eligible for these discounts, which may be for 10 percent or more off of your stay. This can help you to save some cash, especially if you’re going to be staying for a few nights. It can add up to almost a free hotel night!
When picking a hotel, there is a lot to think about. While price is obviously a factor, you may want to think about room size and amenities as well. Internet access, pools, fitness centers and breakfast offered are a few other things to consider. Try to get yourself a hotel with what you need in it when possible.
Search online tools for hotels. Use these websites to your advantage! Not only will they show the best deals, but they’ll also include extra information about the rooms, floor plans, and even reviews from other customers. They might even offer some decent entertainment venues that you should experience while you’re in the local area.
When you get to your hotel room, look over the room before unpacking. Is your room mold and mildew free? Check the toilet, the shower, and the sink to make sure they are clean and function properly. Do you have the blankets, pillows and towels you need? If you see that there are problems with your room, let the people at the front desk know right away so they can get things taken care of. Or, they can move you to another room.
Plan your trip as far in advance as you can to ensure best rates. You can get some great discounts if your trip is booked several months into the future. You may save 50 percent or more.
There are some things you have to do before taking your pet on a trip. Be sure that this hotel will be friendly to pets. Also, take a good supply of plastic bags, such as grocery bags, to clean up after your pet. When you go to make the hotel reservation, see if there is room on the end that would prevent the other guests from hearing a noisy pet.
If you wish to include amenities such as massage while staying at a hotel, be sure to make your reservations in advance. Many top masseuses book by name, so plan as early as possible.
See if you can get a hotel discount through AAA if you are a member. You may be surprised that your auto club membership includes hotel discounts, but it does. You can save upwards of 5% on your hotel stays. This can add up in time!
If you do a great deal of traveling, consider joining hotel chain loyalty programs. By joining a membership program, you earn points during every visit. These points can add up to free items over time.
Don’t make any long distance calls from your hotel room. If you don’t have a cell phone or the Internet, buy a calling card to keep with you during your trip. A lot of hotels have free Wi-Fi that you can use to connect with people. Take advantage of these options to keep in touch with family, friends and coworkers rather than incurring high costs by using the hotel’s phone system.
If you’re traveling with kids, be sure that you check on the pools to ensure they’re open and in service. It can be extremely frustrating if you arrive at your hotel only to find out the pool is shut down for maintenance.
When you first arrive, inspect your hotel room’s bathroom. This is usually one of the few places you won’t see any. 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. It is also the safest place for children and pets, too.
If you smoke, be aware of the hotel policy with regard to smoking. Many hotels still offer smoking rooms. If they do, ask for this type of room. You may be charged hefty fees if there is evidence that you have smoked in a that is designated as non-smoking.
Always review the policy of whether or not the hotel allows pets. If you are afraid of pets or have allergies to them, you should probably avoid booking at pet friendly hotels. These hotels could have weird odors because of smells getting into the linens and the floor. Most hotels charge a pet fee; however, sometimes this is negligible. Depending on what the hotel is like, you might have to pay an extra cleaning fee.
If you will be in need of a roll-away bed or a crib, be sure to let the hotel management know in advance. Some hotels don’t provide these things, and the ones that do usually have a limited amount. Sometimes, there are also extra charges for items like these. Talk about your needs when you reserve a spot so you don’t get surprised with something you won’t like.
You probably should avoid using the hotel’s bedspread for hygienic reasons. Hotel sheets are laundered daily; however, bedspreads are not. For this reason, there’s no telling what might be on that bedspread. So take it off the bed, fold it up and stash it in a corner of the room.
As was mentioned before, you can free up more funds for your vacation if you avoid paying too much for your hotel. Saving money and getting a comfortable room can be accomplished if you do a bit of planning and research. Keep these tips in mind whenever you plan on making a hotel reservation.