Whether your trip is for business or please, finding the right hotel is important. If you have ever had a bad hotel experience, you never want to experience that nightmare again. So here are some tips to help you find the right hotel and book a great room at a price that is sure to make you smile.
Before you choose a hotel and make reservations, check online review sites, such as TripAdvisor. Here you can get first-hand reports of the experience people had staying at different hotels. What others say will help you make a wise decision.
Use travel websites, like Expedia and Priceline to find great hotel deals. Are you a member of a certain hotel’s membership program? If so, make sure you put this information into the travel site. You can also get additional discounts from any organization you are apart of, such as the AAA or the AARP.
After you check prices for hotels online, call the hotel’s direct number. Sometimes you can get a better price when you reserve directly through the hotel rather than through the company’s website or toll-free number. In addition, you can make any special requests during this call, such as requesting a quiet room or a crib.
To make sure that you don’t have an allergic reaction to the soaps and shampoos that you find in hotel rooms, bring your own, particularly if you have sensitive skin. While it’s nice to find the freebies, the rash that sometimes results is quite unpleasant. Take along your own things to keep things clean.
When you are staying at a hotel, it is a good idea to leave a small tip for the housekeeping staff. It is best to tip daily instead of waiting until the entire trip has come to an end since there is a chance that the same person will not be assisting you every day.
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.
To help your family get into the hotel as comfortably as possible when you are pulling in for a late-night checkin, pull the car under the porte cochere, and leave the engine running while you go inside to check in. Even if you don’t get lucky enough to get to have a room close to the front and have to drive to another entrance, this minimizes the traipsing that they have to do.
Be sure you inspect the room you are given at check in before you start unpacking. Is your room mold and mildew free? Are all bathroom fixtures in proper working order? Does your room feature the linens and towels you require? If you notice any deficiencies in your room, immediately call the front desk so you can resolve these issues, or if the problems are too severe, move you to another room.
When traveling with small children, try to choose a hotel that caters to them. Most hotels offer cribs. Some have playgrounds and/or pools to help keep your kids entertained. Some even offer or children’s programs during the day or babysitters at night. Many hotels do not charge extra for children under a certain age to stay in the same room with their parents.
As you know, staying in a bad hotel can ruin a trip. Whether it is business or pleasure, you need a hotel that makes you comfortable and fulfills your needs. So keep the tips from the article above in mind as you look for a hotel and you will quickly weed out the bad ones and find the one that is right for you.