Looking for the right hotel can sometimes be a fine line between quality and costs. No one wants to over pay for a hotel, but a hotel isn’t a bargain if the quality is poor and you are uncomfortable. The tips found below are here to help you save money and get a room that makes you quite comfortable.
Make sure you check out online review websites prior to making a reservation for a hotel. Reviews allow you to read about recent experiences at a hotel. You can make a wise choice when you know what others think about a hotel.
If you are traveling for work and staying at a hotel, ask for a room at least some reasonable distance from the pool area. You will probably want to be in a room where you can concentrate. The noise levels near a pool can be distracting. Pick a quiet room where you can be productive.
To save money on a minibar or vending machine at a hotel, pack a cooler before you start out on your trip, and throw in some six-packs of soda or beer and a bottle of wine. When you get to the hotel, if you have a small fridge, you are all ready. If there isn’t a fridge, use the ice machine and your cooler to keep things chilled.
If you want a meal at night, it is much more comfortable to enjoy room service. Room service can be expensive, but the luxury of being able to lounge about in your room in your jammies can make it worthwhile.
If you are a member of a frequent flyer program or travel a lot, try joining a hotel loyalty program. You can earn points and use them toward your upcoming stays. You can also gain airline miles if the hotel is a partner of a frequent flier program. Check the airline or hotel website to see what you’re qualified for.
When searching for a hotel, consider “bundle” packages. For example, if you have to fly to your location, look for a bundle that includes both your hotel room and your airfare. You should save quite a bit of money that way, but make sure to always double-check the regular room rate to ensure you are getting a good deal.
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 need to have a pet stay with you in your hotel room, do a few things ahead of time. Be sure that the hotel really does allow pets. It is also a great idea to bring along some plastic bags to clean up when your pet makes a mess. If you can arrange a corner room, there will be less likelihood of your pet disturbing other guests.
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’re training for a marathon and have a weeklong business trip planned, there’s no reason to let your running slip. Look online for local running groups in the city where you are going to stay, and join them for their social runs. If there aren’t many groups, look for local running stores, as they also offer social jogs.
Get all the information you need before booking a hotel room. In addition to making sure they serve all your basic needs, you should also ask if there are any events planned at the hotel at the same time you will be there. A convention, for instance, can mean you will be in a noisy, crowded hotel.
Use Twitter to your advantage. Prior to booking your hotel, tweet the property and see if there are any discounts available. Social media is becoming more popular than ever, and hotels use this medium to get the word out about the specials they have out there. If you aren’t very familiar with tweeting, you can simply use the search function on Twitter.
You can get a great room and spend too much, or you can save a lot and get a room that frankly scares you. But in between those choices is a wide variety of rooms that have the best of both worlds. So use the guidelines above to help you get the amenities you want at a price you can easily afford.