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.
Before booking your hotel room, look to online review sites for in depth reviews from recent travelers. These will give you some information from people that have stayed at that certain hotel. Factor former guests’ reviews into your final decision.
To save money on a minibar or vending machine at a hotel, pack a cooler before you start out on your trip, and throw in some six-packs of soda or beer and a bottle of wine. When you get to the hotel, if you have a small fridge, you are all ready. If there isn’t a fridge, use the ice machine and your cooler to keep things chilled.
Spend some time reading online reviews of hotels left by real customers before you make a reservation. These reviews are often your best source of information, since they are written by people who have actually stayed at the hotel. Be sure to pay attention to the most recent reviews, since the hotel may have already addressed older complaints.
If you are out of the room for any length of time, protect the valuables you leave in the room. In addition to leaving expensive items in a safe, leave the television on when you are out of the room. That will make it look like you are still there and thieves will move on.
If you plan on bringing your family to a hotel, you should look for family-friendly policies and special deals online. Try using family vacation review sites. You can find many family hotels and resort reviews. Searching through these sites should help you also locate deals to make your trip more enjoyable and affordable.
If you are a person who travels often, it is a good idea to sign up for hotel loyalty programs. These are exceptional benefits reserved for customers who frequently use a particular chain of hotels. There are many rewards given when you accumulate loyalty points such as free stays, free upgrades and later than usual check out times.
Be sure to check for online deals. Most of the time, you can get cheaper deals by taking a few minutes to search for them on the Internet. It is a great way to choose your hotel. You will find deals this way that the hotels won’t tell you about over the phone.
Before you make your hotel reservation, check to see if any fees will be added to your bill. Many hotels charge extra for parking, Wi-Fi and even room cleaning. These charges can make your stay more costly than you anticipated, so be sure to ask about them before you make your decision.
If you are going to stay in a hotel, be sure to give them a call the day before you are due to arrive. Hotels are not responsible for calling guests to confirm their reservation; that is up to the guest. Always call the hotel to be sure your room is still reserved.
If you do a great deal of traveling, consider joining hotel chain loyalty programs. The more points you get, the more free stays you can use for vacations.
If your looking for a good vacation hotel, ask around among your friends. Be sure to do this especially if you’ve got friends that love to travel. They’ll often have excellent tips to help you find the best hotels with the best deals around. Plus, they’ll love sharing what they know!
Check out the prices at the hotel website. Sometimes the hotel website will have deals that trump the hotel discount websites out there. Before you pick a deal be sure to do this due diligence. You can even call the hotel to ask if they have any unpublished rates.
To keep from having a hassle with logging into the hotel’s Internet connection, ask at the front desk when you check in about any required passwords. This way, you can get up and running right when you get to the room, instead of having to hunt through the guest guidebook and call the front desk about a password.
It is sometimes possible to save money on your hotel costs by booking a package deal that includes your flight, hotel and rental car. Before you decide what to do, check the prices of the flight, hotel and rental car individually and as part of various packages. Then you can choose the most lucrative deal.
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.