Looking for the right hotel can be overwhelming, especially if you are unfamiliar with the city you will be staying in. So doing a bit of research and planning is essential. Below are some tips to help guide you as you weed through you hotel choices. These tips can help you quickly find the right hotel for you.
When planning a vacation, be sure to make all of your hotel reservations well in advance. In this way, you can lock in lower rates. If you have some flexibility regarding when you take your vacation, be sure to find out about off season rates. Very often, the rate you pay in non-peak times of year is significantly lower.
One way to save money when traveling is to search for a hotel that offers a free continental breakfast. This can save you a lot of money if you are staying for a week. Many of the top hotel chains offer large continental breakfasts consisting of breakfast meats, pastries and drinks.
Do you stay at a particular hotel chain fairly often? Consider signing up for their loyalty club. As long as it is free to do so, you really have nothing to lose. Giving the hotel your contact information could mean getting special perks that you can use the next time you stay there.
Check out priceline.com and other online hotel discount vendors to help you find the best deals out there. These websites can really bring hotel costs down to rock bottom prices. Even upper scale hotels can be found for more affordable prices. There’s no reason you should be paying full rate.
Make location a top priority when it comes to searching for hotels. If you are going to be staying in a city and want to sight-see, it may not be wise to stay in a hotel 30 minutes away from all the action. Ask the hotel about attractions close by or look up their location on the Internet.
Will your children be staying with you during your next hotel stay? If so, pick a hotel that best suits their needs. This includes amenities of the actual hotel and the location itself. A hotel could be lovely, have an indoor pool, or offer all the cable channels. But, if it’s located in an industrial area or in the part of town with lots of bard, your children may not be pleased.
If you have a little one with you, remember that hotel rooms aren’t usually set up for babies. Don’t forget to pack a few things so that you can baby proof the space. For example, an outlet cover is small but it plays a big role in keeping your child safe.
If you wish to see if a hotel room has bed bugs, check out the bathroom. This is the place where you are least likely to find them. That makes the bathroom the safest place to keep the luggage while you look through the remainder of the accommodations. It is also the safest place for children and pets, too.
See if the hotel is non-smoking or smoking. If you are not a smoker, you probably want to avoid staying in a smoking room. Even if you stipulate that your room should be non-smoking, second hand smoke can still enter your room. Even if a room is designated as nonsmoking, sometimes people smoke in there anyway. If you don’t want to smell like cigarettes, consider staying at a hotel that’s non-smoking.
If possible, try to stay in a hotel during the off-season. Most hotels know how desperate people are to find a room during the travel season. They tend to jack up their prices because they know people are willing to pay for the room. If you go during the off-season, you will get big discounts!
To be a “green” hotel guest, check your bathroom counter and bed for a sign about how to keep the maids from taking your towels away each day. Usually, if you hang your linens up, they will stay in the room, but if you leave them on the floor, the maids will take them and give you clean ones.
If the hotel you in which you are staying has a pool, find out what the policy is with regard to pool towels. Some hotels supply towels in the pool area or at the front desk. Others allow you to use the bath towels. Still others expect you to supply your own pool towels. Ask about this when making reservations, and pack accordingly.
Know your personal rights when any hotel tries to “walk” you. Hotels sometimes overbook, which means you discover that your reservation is unavailable. The hotel will then send or “walk” you to another hotel. Avoid having this happen if you can, but if you’re going to a different hotel, be sure that the deal is better than the place you were trying to get.
If you want to save money when booking a hotel room, call the hotel directly. Tell them you’re interested in receiving a good deal. Let them know of any discount you may qualify for. This can include government rates, senior rates, auto association cards or rates for business travelers.
There is no need to be overwhelmed by booking a hotel anymore. The tips above are perfect for helping you find a great room at a great price. So remember them and put them into action the next time you are booking a hotel room. Then you can relax, knowing that you are set.