Learning to book a hotel room is an useful skill to learn in life. That is because hotels are expensive. This article offers many tips to help ensure you make the right decision when booking a hotel. Continue reading to find out how to save money when booking and enjoy your time at the hotel.
There are plenty of websites that offer reviews for local hotels, for example TripAdvisor. Use these websites to review a hotel before you make the actual reservation. This lets you know what others’ experiences have been like. Other customers can give you some valuable insight and help you choose the right place to stay.
Check out online travel websites in order to discover the best deals on hotels. Examples include Orbitz and Expedia. If you are a member of a particular hotel’s loyalty program, remember to include that information when you are checking on rates. You may also be able to get discounts through AAA or AARP.
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 traveling with pets, be sure to select hotels that have good accommodations for them. This is especially true if you are planning on an extended stay. A good hotel that allows pets should have amenities for them. These might include and groomer, doggy day care and special walking areas.
Read the reviews before choosing hotels that look less than top notch. Sure there are lots of hotels that don’t look like the Four Seasons, and there are many that are plenty clean to stay in. There are others though that can be very dirty inside. Reading reviews can help you steer clear of the poorer lot of hotels out there.
To keep from paying through the nose for dry cleaning services from a hotel, ask what the costs are before you send your clothing out. If you need cleaning done, it’s often cheaper to walk down the street to a nearby dry cleaner. People who are in town on business often benefit greatly from these savings.
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.
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.
Join a membership program if you travel frequently. By joining a membership program, you earn points during every visit. These points can add up to free items over time.
Follow a hotel chain you are thinking about reserving with on social media. Deals and promotions are often promoted first or sometimes only on Facebook and Twitter. Introduce yourself to hotel employees through social media to see if you can get any tips from them on booking a great deal.
Before booking a hotel room, ask the hotel about their return policy. You never know what could happen and you may end up having to cancel your reservation. If there is no return policy, you could be basically throwing your money down the drain. Don’t book with a hotel until you know this information.
Talk to a travel agent about potential hotel deals. You may think you’ll be paying more by going through a travel agent, but more often than not the opposite is true. Travel agents typically have access to unpublished deals not only for the hotel, but also for airfare and vacation activities.
If you are concerned about bed bugs, look in the bathroom first. This is usually one of the few places you won’t see any. It makes a safe place to keep your luggage when looking for bedbugs elsewhere in the room. It is a safe place for pets and kids to stay.
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!
As you can see, there are some good strategies that can assist with booking a great hotel room. You need to make sure you read over this a second time if you’re wanting to let the tips really sink in. You can now rent a hotel room confident that you’re getting the best possible price.