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.
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.
If you’ve left amenities at home, ask the front desk. Often you won’t need to go out to buy things like toothpaste and toothbrushes. The front desk typically has the staples available to customers at no cost whatsoever. Sure it’s only a few dollars saved, but every dollar counts.
Take advantage of search tools online. Use these websites to your advantage! They will also let you know what people pay on average when they go to that hotel. This lets you figure out if the deal you’re getting is a good one. They might even offer some decent entertainment venues that you should experience while you’re in the local area.
Do you stay at a particular hotel chain fairly often? Consider signing up for their loyalty club. As long as it is free to do so, you really have nothing to lose. Giving the hotel your contact information could mean getting special perks that you can use the next time you stay there.
To avoid having to iron your shirts when you unpack everything in your hotel room, pack your polo and dress shirts more carefully. Use a hanging bag, and stack your dress shirts together. Then, starting with the shirt in back, bring the arms around, stacking the arms and wrapping them around keeps your shirts in place.
Be aware of when you can check into your room. Some people neglect asking what the check-in time is and get to the hotel when their room is still not ready. Call the hotel if you are early and find out if your room is ready.
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.
To get the best possible rate for a hotel room, book well in advance of your trip. Rates are markedly higher if you just get the room at the desk. In addition to saving you a lot of money, advance booking will also ensure you aren’t left without a room.
Are you a member of the AAA? If so, find out about membership discounts at hotels. It may come as a surprise to find that an auto club membership offers hotel discounts, but that is the case. You may be able to save upwards of five percent at hotels nationwide. Over multiple nights, that five percent will really add up.
If you are planning to stay in a hotel for an entire week or longer, ask the hotel about long term price discounts. Hotels will often have weekly and monthly rates which are unpublished. These can offer significant price breaks for your hotel stay. Be sure to mention it upfront.
If you don’t have your heart set on a certain hotel, try using a website like Hotels.com. These types of sites let you put in bids and then return a list of hotels in your price range. The only drawback is that they may not reveal which hotel you have booked until after you have committed to staying there.
It is not a good idea to place the “maid service needed” sign on your door at a hotel. This is a dead giveaway that you are not in the room. It can attract people who want to steal your valuables. It is better to notify the desk when you need maid service than to leave out the sign.
There are websites available that offer you an instant discount if the hotel you have booked decreases in price before your stay. You may end up with a good amount of money back in your pocket. The best thing about this type of site is that the opposite does not apply. If the rates increase, you will only have to pay the amount you were originally quoted.
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.