Finding a good hotel can make your trip better. Staying in a hotel that is too expensive can strain your budget which will take away what can be spent on other fun things you wanted to do. Keep reading and you’ll get some information from these paragraphs about the hotels you can get that meet your budget.
When checking for good prices at hotels, refer to online travel sites like Orbitz and Expedia. If you have a hotel loyalty program your a part of, be sure you enter this information while looking through rates. Some organizations like AAA and AARP offer lodging discounts for a variety of hotel chains.
Know the check-in times. Many people forget the time, then they show up early and the room isn’t ready yet. If you will be arriving early, call and ask if this is okay.
In order to get the best prices for hotel stays, you will want to plan your trip several weeks or months beforehand. If you book one or two months in advance, you can often receive a discount. You might even be able to save up to 50 percent off at some very exclusive hotels.
If you are a member of AAA, ask about a hotel discount. You could also get a surprise that you have an auto club membership that gives you hotel discounts. It’s possible you could save 5 percent or higher on hotels across the United States. The savings can really add up nightly.
It may be wise to look into loyalty programs that your favorite hotels offer. They provide benefits to anyone who stays at a hotel chain frequently. There are many rewards given when you accumulate loyalty points such as free stays, free upgrades and later than usual check out times.
Join a frequent customer program if you stay at the same hotel chain a lot. They provide you with points for every stay. These points add up to restaurant discounts, free nights, tickets to a show, spa treatments, and more.
If you are planning on staying in a hotel room with your children, make sure you call the hotel in advance to ensure they provide a working pool or some other fun activities for your children to do. 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.
If you want to inspect a hotel room for bed bugs, start with the bathroom. Bedbugs usually won’t stay here. That means you can store your luggage here as you inspect. It can be a temporary haven for children and pets.
If you’re a smoker, then make sure you get a hotel with a smoking room. If you’re not a smoker, a smoking room may be unappealing. While it is possible to book a nonsmoking room, you can still be affected by the smoke from other areas. Smokers don’t always respect the fact that the room they are renting is a non-smoking room. If you don’t want to stink like a cigarette when you are leaving a non smoking hotel may be a good choice.
If you smoke, be aware of the hotel policy with regard to smoking. A lot of hotels have rooms designated for smokers. Ask for those rooms if you are a smoker. If they find you have smoked in a non-smoking area, they may charge you a fine.
If your requirements include a roll-away bed or a crib, you should call ahead to reserve them. Many hotels do not have the items, and the ones that do may have a limited quantity. Additionally, you may need to pay an extra fee. Make your needs known at the time you place your reservation so that you do not have any unpleasant surprises.
Do not check out early. Some hotels charge a fee for early departure. By booking a room, you are preventing other potential guests from staying in the hotel. Therefore, by leaving early, you are costing the hotel extra revenue. That is why you are charged a fee.
If you are concerned about germs, don’t use the hotel bedspread. Your sheets should be fresh and clean but the bedspread is not washed after each guest. It can carry a lot of germs. Remove it from the bed before you use it.
Be prepared with a knowledge of your rights if a hotel ever tries to “walk” you. Sometimes a hotel will overbook and you will find the room you booked is not available. As a result, hotels will attempt to escort you to another hotel. 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.
Don’t get that bottled water and open it! You are very likely to be tired and thirsty when finally arriving to a hotel. You can be tempted to casually open that bottled water beckoning on the mini-fridge. Hotels have a huge profit margin on bottled water and know that you will be craving it when you arrive. A number hotels offer free bottles of water in their gyms. A better idea is to bring a few of your own bottles.
As you can see, paying too much for a hotel can deplete the money you’ve allocated for fun. Use the advice here to locate a comfortable and affordable hotel. Go over this again when you need to travel in the future.