If you are going to be vacationing any time soon, you are no doubt trying to nail down the details of your trip. Before you choose your accommodations, there are some things that you need to know. Keep reading for hotel advice that will ensure you choose the right one.
To find the best deals on hotels consider a travel agent. Many times travel agents can find wonderful hotels at a great price. When booking with a travel agent, ensure that the agent knows both your wants and your needs. This will allow the travel agent to shop for both and offer you choices.
To ensure that you get the best service from the custodial staff at a hotel, leave a few dollars each morning for each bed that you use. This nominal cost will help you get rooms that receive the little extras, such as a towel or two more, or even an extra pillow.
Prior to beginning a hotel search, try thinking about what accommodations you want and can afford. Figure out if the hotel’s location is more important than its price or if you limited to hotels under a certain price range. Also consider whether you need one that has items like spas and fitness centers or just a beautiful view.
When going on a trip, it is a good idea to book a vacation package instead of booking each service separately. While it may seem like you are spending a lot more money at once, the reality is that you will be getting a cheaper hotel stay than you would otherwise.
Look at organizations you’re part of for discounts. There are times when an organization will give you great deals on the price of hotels. People often forget about these discounts, which can be 10% or more. This can help you to save some cash, especially if you’re going to be staying for a few nights. It can add up to almost a free hotel night!
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.
To save a little bit of money on the cost of your hotel room, whether you are booking over the phone or online, see if there is a discount for paying at the time of booking rather than waiting to pay at checkout. Often this can make the difference between queen and king beds, or between a room and a suite.
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 are interested in “going green” when traveling, try going to a “green” hotel. Start by looking for these hotels online. There are several organizations that let you search for these hotels easily like Green Hotels Association and Green Globe. They will have a comprehensive list of green hotels in different locations.
If you know that you will need to make phone calls from your hotel room, check to make sure you will have free Wi-Fi service. Rather than using the in-room phone, and getting charged an arm and a leg, use an Internet phone service that is free. For example, both Skype and Line are possibilities.
If you tend to return to the same family of hotels for your vacation, consider joining their membership reward programs. These programs give you points every time you stay there. These points can quickly add up to many perks such as a free night, discounts at the hotel restaurants, spa deals and much, much more.
Membership programs offered by hotel chains help members who travel a lot get the best rooms during their stay. This allows you to earn point you can redeem for vacation freebies for you and your family.
If you are traveling with children, make sure you tell the front desk about your needs when you call to make a reservation. For example, do you need a pack and play? Make that known before you show up at the hotel. Also, ask if there is space in the room to set up a crib. You may need to ask for a larger room so that your entire family can be comfortable.
Now that you have come to the end of this article, you know a thing or two about vacation hotels. You should be ready to pick a great hotel based on what you just read. It won’t be long before you are headed to your destination to have some fun!