From small motels to five-star hotels, the US is home to thousands of accommodations. Picking a good hotel helps make your trip memorable in a good way, but a bad hotel choice does exactly the opposite. Read on for help in finding a great hotel.
When checking for good prices at hotels, refer to online travel sites like Orbitz and Expedia. If you are a member of a particular hotel’s loyalty program, remember to include that information when you are checking on rates. Also, you may be eligible for discounts through other organizations to which you may belong, such as AARP or AAA.
Make sure you put your valuables inside the safe in your hotel room. You should put any expensive items in the hotel safe.
When thinking about selecting a hotel, there are quite a few salient points to consider. While price is obviously a factor, you may want to think about room size and amenities as well. You may or may not care about such amenities such as a gym, large pool, WiFi or a free breakfast buffet. You want to secure a room at a hotel that provides the things you desire.
Use hotel search tools online. It is possible to find good deals fast when using sites such as these. They can tell you what the average rate at a hotel is, ensuring you know the general pricing. Finally, by using these websites, you can learn the best places and times to take a vacation.
Planning for a trip months or even just weeks in advance can often get you a better rate for your hotel room. A lot of hotel locations offer discounts for reservations a month or more in advance. This can save you as much as 40 percent off of the cost of your hotel.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking all hotels will accept pets. Put a call into the front desk just to be sure, no matter what it says on their website. Ask what pet-friendly means at the establishment. There may be some restrictions.
To ensure that you and your special someone get the right couples massage during your stay, book your appointment as early ahead of time as you can. The best massage therapists are usually booked up for months ahead of time, and you don’t want to miss out.
If you have a AAA membership, it may qualify you for a hotel discount. AAA members actually receive hotel discounts at specific hotel chains! You can save 5 percent or even more on hotels around the country. Over multiple nights, that five percent will really add up.
Bring your running clothes with you on your trip. Enjoy a morning jog each day while on vacation. Even if your route takes you through the street of a city, at least you will get a glimpse of the area you are visiting.
Hotel Chain
Do you travel on a periodic basis and use the same hotel chain? If so, check out the loyalty programs provided by that hotel. They provide benefits to anyone who stays at a hotel chain frequently. There are many great rewards even leading up to free stays as you gather up more loyalty points.
If you often stay at the same hotel chain, check to see if they offer membership to frequent stay programs. These programs give you points every time you stay there. They can amount to show tickets, free nights, spa deals, hotel restaurants discounts and much more.
If you are concerned about the environment, you may want to take a “green” vacation. The great thing is there are plenty of green hotels you can select from. Many newer hotels are environmentally friendly. Other older hotels will just provide green options for you. Speak with a travel agent to see if they can help you pick out hotels that care about the environment.
You should always find out how much hotel transfers will cost before you book a room. A transfer can sometimes come with a substantial hidden cost. Asking about this ahead of time helps you maximize your savings.
Being a member of AAA can save you money on hotels. You’ll get discounts on hotel rooms, easier car rentals and more benefits. Many car rental agencies add perks, such as a child car seat at no charge, for AAA members.
If you wish to see if a hotel room has bed bugs, check out the bathroom. Bedbugs are rarely seen in this room. When you determine there are not any in there, set your bags down and inspect the remainder of the premises. Not to mention a great place for your children and pets too.
If you’re a smoker, then make sure you get a hotel with a smoking room. If you’re someone who doesn’t like cigarette smoke, you may want to find a different hotel. The smoke can settle into your clothing and luggage. 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.
Be sure you know what the hotel smoking policy is if you smoke cigarettes. Many hotels still offer smoking rooms. If that is the case, you should ask for one of those rooms. If they find you have smoked in a non-smoking area, they may charge you a fine.
When reserving your room, be sure to ask for a roll-away bed or crib if you will be in need of these extra sleeping accommodations. Not every hotel features these options, and the ones that do only have a few. Additionally, there may be an extra fee for these items. Discuss your needs at the time of booking.
Most folks don’t put enough time into finding a good hotel, and they wind up regretting taking the very first reservation. This leaves them disappointed most of the time. Nobody want to settle into a hotel room that’s dirty, so keep this advice in mind to help you avoid that.