A hotel room might be for business or for pleasure, but either way, you want to be comfortable and satisfied with your stay. Choosing the wrong hotel can be costly and regrettable, not to mention uncomfortable. Luckily, the tips below are here to help you avoid the nightmare of an overpriced horror of a hotel.
When traveling with a pet, your choices of hotels will be limited. Once you find a hotel that is pet friendly, find out what the policies are with regard to pets. Most hotels charge an extra fee for pets, and they may have designated areas in which to walk your pet. Be sure you know the particulars ahead of time to avoid potential problems later.
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.
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.
Make certain you know when your check-in time is. Sometimes there are people that don’t know when the room will be ready and so they aren’t sure of what to do with the extra time they have since they can’t check in. If you might arrive prior to check-in time, try calling the hotel and seeing if the room is available.
Do not always assume that staying on the club floor of a hotel is a great way to waste money. While you may have to pay for this upgrade, you will end up saving more money in the end. This is because things like drinks, appetizers and free breakfast are part of the deal, and these things are very expensive when purchased separately.
Many hotels have loyalty programs available to customers who travel often. This type of program provides discounts and benefits for frequent visitors. These programs can assure you niceties such as the best prices, room upgrades, and special perks such as free meals or late checkouts.
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.
Before you make your hotel reservation, check to see if any fees will be added to your bill. Many hotels charge extra for parking, Wi-Fi and even room cleaning. These charges can make your stay more costly than you anticipated, so be sure to ask about them before you make your decision.
To keep your incidentals at a minimum, especially when you are staying at a hotel outside the US, ask about the cost of wireless Internet before you check in, and especially before you log in the first time. Some hotels don’t disclose the costly per-minute costs of Internet access, but they will certainly show up on the bill.
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.
Stay safe and secure in a hotel. Travelers to hotels are often robbed even when they are inside the room. Use every lock the hotel provides, including the handle lock, chain and deadbolt. Hotels are a magnet for shady characters looking to exploit people who are traveling with a lot of money and valuables.
To check a bed in a hotel room for a bedbug infestation, look for certain things. You want to check the mattress and even behind the headboard for these signs. These include blood stains or small black dots that appear to be like mold or even ground pepper. Alert hotel staff the instant you find anything suspicious.
Beware of the bottle of water beside your bed. Many hotels charge as much as 10 dollars for that bottle of water. Other items that you may not realize you will be charged for include: pool towels, newspapers and Internet access. To ensure you are not being charged for items you do not want read the fine print.
Whether your stay is for business or pleasure, you want to have a pleasant stay. You also want the satisfaction of knowing that you got a good deal. So keep the hints listed above in your bag of tricks as you book your next stay. You will find that it pays off in saving and in satisfaction.