There are quite a few hotels in the US, from the fanciest resorts to little motels on the roadside that aren’t all that modern. You can prevent a bad stay and have a good one by choosing a great hotel. For help finding the right hotel, keep reading.
Prior to making reservations, research hotels on sites like TripAdvisor. In this way, you can get real information from real people regarding their experiences at a variety of hotels. The information provided by patrons of the hotel will help you make a good choice of where to stay.
You can find a lot of great deals on hotels if you go online and check out some of the travel sites out there. If you are a member of a loyalty program, use that info when checking rates. You may also qualify for discounts from other organizations you belong to such as AAA or AARP.
Consider ordering room service during your stay. This service comes at a premium, but you can stay comfortable in your room while enjoying you eats.
Look for a closet safe in your hotel room, and use it for any expensive electronics you may have brought with you. Your small electronic devices can be left in the safe when you are out, so you will not have to worry about them.
Always check the room before you begin to unpack your belongings. Is it clean and free of mold and mildew? Does everything work? Have the staff provided all the necessary soap, shampoo, towels, etc. that you will be needing? If you quickly note any problems, let the person at the front desk know so they can help you sort it out or give you a better room.
Verify the check-in time at the hotel. People sometimes forget when they will be let into their rooms, showing up early only to learn that their room isn’t ready yet. Call and ask if you think you’ll be early.
To benefit from the best prices at hotels, start planning your trips several weeks or even months in advance. If you can book early, you may get a huge discount. You may even be able to cut the price down by half!
To keep your running regimen up while you are traveling, pack your GPS watch and plenty of running clothes. Try enjoying an early jog at your new destination. This can be a great way to stay in shape while seeing some of the local scenery. No matter if you’re on city streets or down some roads, you can easily learn new things about a city doing this.
Frequent travelers can benefit from loyalty programs offered by many hotels. A loyalty program offers many benefits. You might earn a free upgrade, late checkout time, or other great perks.
Make sure that your family enjoys their stay by calling ahead to ensure the hotel’s swimming pool is working, If you arrive at your hotel and the pool is closed, your kids will be very disappointed.
Start looking in the bathroom when checking for bed bugs in a hotel. This is probably not where you will find bedbugs. 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. Kids and pets can stay there as well.
Before making a hotel reservation, learn the hotel’s policy on smoking. If you are a nonsmoker, you may want to avoid hotels that offer smoking rooms. While you can book a non-smoking room, smoke can infiltrate your room and settle into your clothing. It is not unheard of for those who smoke to stay in non-smoking rooms and proceed to smoke. Think about staying at a hotel that is totally nonsmoking if you don’t want to stink when you check out.
You should be aware whether or not the hotel allows pets. If you dislike or are allergic to pets, you should avoid hotels allowing them. These hotels could have weird odors because of smells getting into the linens and the floor. While some hotels charge fees for pets, they don’t always charge a lot. It might not be adequate to the cost of cleaning demands.
If you’ll need a rollaway or crib, make sure you specify this when you reserve the room. Hotels usually have a limited number of these, and you don’t want to ask at the last minute. Additionally, there may be an extra fee for these items. Therefore, when booking a hotel room, make sure you ask about these things so that you are prepared.
Don’t let a hotel take advantage of you. Hotels will overbook, leaving you without a room. This is known as “walking” a customer. It’s best to avoid this, but if you can’t, be sure you are going to a better hotel and getting a better room.
Avoid the bottled water! Sure, you might be a little thirsty after checking into your new room. You might feel the urge to untwist the cap on the bottled water sitting in the mini-fridge. The hotel knows this, and charges high prices because of it. Sometimes the hotel gym offers bottled water for free. If possible, bring your own bottled water.
Resist the urge to abscond with the hotel linens. No matter how much you love them, housekeeping will note missing linens and the hotel is likely to bill you for them. If you really love those linens or pillows, find out if you can purchase them from the hotel.
Most customers skip on the research step and eventually purchase the first hotel reservation that they stumble upon. This approach is gambling, and can hurt you. Nobody want to settle into a hotel room that’s dirty, so keep this advice in mind to help you avoid that.