When you are going on a family vacation, making a hotel reservation is an important part of the planning process. However, it is all too easy to end up choosing a shabby hotel that overcharges you. Use the following tips to make sure that you choose a great hotel at a good rate.
Check for online reviews before making any reservations. Here you can get first-hand reports of the experience people had staying at different hotels. What former guests have to say with regards to a hotel being considered can ensure you make an informed decision.
To keep your packing to a minimum on a long trip to one destination, choose a hotel that offers a coin laundry facility. This way, you don’t have to pack as much, and when you are about halfway through your trip, you can wash and dry everything. When it’s almost time to go, repeat the process so you don’t get home with a bunch of dirty clothes.
To keep your family active and engaged when you are in a hotel far from home, talk to the concierge when you check in to get a list of nearby attractions. At the end of each day, sit down and map out a plan for the next morning. This gives you more vacation time and less time sitting in front of a television waiting to decide what to do.
Visit several online travel websites and compare hotel room prices. These online travel websites do not always offer the same price for hotel rooms at a specific location. By choosing two or three different online travel websites, you can assure you are getting the best deal possible. Also, booking close to your travel date will usually net you a better price.
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.
Be sure to consult AAA to help you make excellent plans for your entire vacation. You may be surprised that your auto club membership includes hotel discounts, but it does. You can save 5 percent or more on your hotel stay just by showing your membership card. These savings quickly add up, especially if you are staying for multiple nights in a row.
Call the hotel you are planning to stay in and see if they offer any discounts. Many hotels offer discounts for senior citizens, business travelers, military personnel and government officials. Additionally, if you are a member of an automobile association, you may qualify for a reduced rate on your hotel stay.
Do not assume all hotels allow pets. Some hotels allow pets of any size, some have certain restrictions, and some do not allow pets at all. If you have a pet and book a room at a hotel that has a no pet policy, you will not be allowed to stay there with your furry friend.
Join a loyalty program to get deals on your stays. These programs allow you to collect points that can be applied toward further travels.
Figure out what comes with your hotel. Find out if the hotel offers better noise control and views on one side. Ask them about nearby public transportation, restaurants, and if they are near any entertainment or business areas. You should also find out the type of neighborhood they’re in and what their environmental policies are.
To keep the smell of swimsuits and wet feet out of your hotel room, have your kids put their Aquashoes and swimsuits out on the patio. Hanging them over the rail and letting the towels and suits dry will keep that chlorine scent out of your room, and the shoes and sandals will make your room stink, so keep them out!
Unless it is an emergency, always stay for the total number of nights that you have booked. The hotel may charge you a fee for your early departure. Booked hotel rooms are taken off the market, so if you leave early, the hotel loses money. Therefore, some will charge the early departure fee.
It is important that you find out how often rooms are vacuumed in a hotel. It may sound silly, but it isn’t. Some places use a small sweeper to gather large particles. Many times, they only vacuum when the room is really messy. You should try to get a room that has been recently vacuumed so that it gathers the particles that you cannot see.
Nothing can ruin a family vacation more quickly than a stay in a dirty, grimy hotel. You want your family to remember the good times about the trip, not the disgusting hotel room that you had to stay in. Remember the advice you have read here to make the right hotel reservation.