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Thousands of hotel chains exist, ranging from small roadside motels to five-star luxurious rooms. Your trip experience depends on whether you are staying in a good hotel or a bad one. For help finding the right hotel, keep reading.
Consider ordering room service if you want a special meal without needing to go out. Sure, it might cost a bit more, but it is completely worth it to be able to kick back and relax, while your food comes to you.
Consider your organizational memberships. Some organizations will receive discounts for different reasons from different hotels. Some discounts can be over ten percent! For extended stays, this can really add up. It may equate to one whole free night.
There are many different things to consider as you search for a hotel to stay in. Price is one factor, however you may also need your hotel to be close to a particular destination. Other amenities that people look for are a gym, pool, free local phone calls, free Wi-Fi, and free breakfast. Choose a hotel that meets all of your needs.
Always see if you can find deals online when you’re thinking of getting a hotel room. Many times, the person you book your room with will not tell you that you can get a discount online. It’s your job to find them yourself. Review the different websites, such as Jetsetter or SniqueAway.
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. You may even be able to cut the price down by half!
If your pet is coming to a hotel with you, there are a few things you need to do in preparation. Find out if the hotel allows pets. Pack a supply of plastic grocery bags with you – you will need to clean up any pet waste. Ask for a corner room since this can reduce the number of guests disturbed by a noisy pet.
AAA members get an extra discount at certain hotel chains. You would be surprised where hidden discounts may be lurking. You may be able to save upwards of five percent at hotels nationwide. These savings quickly add up, especially if you are staying for multiple nights in a row.
If you are a runner, be sure to bring your running clothes and shoes. Go for a run when you wake up in the morning. Even if you have to run down roads or the streets in the city, you can learn a lot more about the city when you get finished.
For people who are frequent travelers, consider signing up for some loyalty programs with your favorite hotels. They offer a variety of benefits to their members. There are many rewards given when you accumulate loyalty points such as free stays, free upgrades and later than usual check out times.
People who care about the environment may be more comfortable staying in a hotel that is eco-friendly. The number of “green” hotels is steadily growing. Green certification is something some of the newly built hotels are quite proud of promoting. Older hotels can go green by making environmentally friendly choices in energy use. Talk to your travel agent in order to find the best green hotels for your needs.
The timing for your booking of a hotel room has much to do with what you pay. Rooms are typically priced according to availability. If it’s possible, your room should be booked around a day in advance or more. This will get you the best hotel rates. Hotels don’t like to have vacancies so they often provide better prices.
When traveling with children, check with the hotel ahead of time to ascertain that the pool is usable. There is nothing worse than arriving at your destination anxiously looking forward to splashing around in the pool, only to find that it is closed.
Start by inspecting the hotel bathroom if you need to make sure there are no bed bugs. Bedbugs are rarely seen in this room. This makes the perfect location to place your belongings while you inspect your hotel room for bedbugs. It’s also a safe spot for kids and pets to sit for a bit too.
Is your room non-smoking or not? If you’re someone who doesn’t like cigarette smoke, you may want to find a different hotel. You could still get a non-smoking room, but smoke can flow through the air and settle on your clothes. There are even cases where people are smoking in non-smoking rooms before you arrive. If you just can’t stand the smell of stale smoke, look for a hotel that doesn’t allow it at all.
If you will need a crib or rollaway, be sure to specify this fact when you make your reservation. Not all hotels will supply these things, and some may have limited quantities. Hotels also charge extra for these items, sometimes. Discuss these needs when making your reservation to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
If it all possible, never check out before your scheduled departure date. This could result in a charge for early departure. You reserve a room when you book it, so if you leave early they lose money. So make sure that you know the hotel’s policy on checking out a day or two early – it might cost you.
Don’t let a hotel take advantage of you. This happens when the room you requested is unavailable because of overbooking on the part of the hotel. When this happens, the hotel directs you to another property, “walking” you. Try not to let this happen to you, but if it is unavoidable, be sure that that you are getting a room that is at least as good as the one that you paid for.
Often people simply book the first hotel listed in the phone book or on their search engine. This is a mistake. This is risky business that can often backfire, leaving you disappointed. Who would ever want to sleep in a filthy hotel room? Use what you’ve learned to make sure you stay in a clean, affordable hotel room.
