Have you had friends that loved their vacation, except for the hotel? Your vacation’s success hinges on selecting a good hotel. Not only do you want to stay in a decent hotel with nice amenities, you also want it to come with a reasonable rate. Keep reading for more tips.
Compare prices at websites like Orbitz and Expedia to ensure that you receive the best available rate. If you are in a hotel loyalty program, put your information in. You may also be able to get good discounts due to AAA or AARP membership.
Look at organizations you’re part of for discounts. Some organizations will receive discounts for different reasons from different hotels. People often forget about these discounts, which can be 10% or more. This can add up to big savings, even more so if you will be staying for many nights. A stay of 5 days or more could add up to one free hotel night stay!
When thinking about selecting a hotel, there are quite a few salient points to consider. Of course price is a big deal, but a hotel close to where you are head is a big consideration. Other amenities, such as a swimming pool, an onsite restaurant and free continental breakfast are important to travelers. Try to get a room that fits your needs, then start shopping by price.
Take advantage of search tools online. These websites can help you get great deals quickly. Hotel search websites also let you see the regular rates of hotels, so you can compare and see whether a supposed deal is really a good one. Finally, by using these websites, you can learn the best places and times to take a vacation.
Don’t make assumptions about pet policies of hotels. Even if a web listing says a hotel is pet friendly, call the hotel to verify. Find out what their rules on pets are also, as they may not let large pets or certain breeds stay with them.
Think about these three things if you plan to bring a pet with you during your hotel stay. You want to ensure you’ve chosen a pet-friendly hotel. Also, take a good supply of plastic bags, such as grocery bags, to clean up after your pet. Reserving a room near the end of a hallway will keep other guests from being disturbed by your pet.
AAA members get an extra discount at certain hotel chains. You may be surprised that your auto club membership includes hotel discounts, but it does. You may be able to save upwards of five percent at hotels nationwide. This is a savings that can really add up over several nights.
Do you travel on a periodic basis? If so, consider joining your hotel’s loyalty program. They offer benefits to people that stay at the same chain quite often. Enjoy late check out, bonus upgrades and free nights with the loyalty paints you have earned.
Choose a green vacation if you care for the environment. Luckily, you can choose from quite a few green hotels these days. Newer hotels are often certified green and designed and built using green standards. Many older hotels will still be environmentally aware by utilizing some eco-friendly practices. You can ask a travel agent to pinpoint eco-friendly hotels, thus making sure your vacation doesn’t hurt the environment.
Hotel Transfer
Be sure to avoid hotel transfer fees by asking about them in advance. Hotel transfer costs can be extremely large, especially in hotels that appear to offer an incredible deal on their room rates. You will save more by asking about such a thing in advance.
If you are traveling with kids, make sure the hotel you book has a working pool. There aren’t many things that are as frustrating as going to your hotel with kids that really want to swim only to see that it has been closed.
Allow Smoking
Check if a hotel you’re looking to stay at is non-smoking or smoking. If you are not a smoker, you probably want to avoid staying in a smoking room. Although certain hotels that allow smoking will provide guests with non-smoking rooms, smoke will still be in the air. Smokers don’t always respect the fact that the room they are renting is a non-smoking room. By choosing a hotel that does not allow smoking, you can completely avoid the smell of cigarettes.
Always ask about the hotel’s smoking policy if you smoke. Some have smoking rooms. If the hotel has one, ask for this kind of room. Some hotels charge a hefty penalty if they find any evidence that you were smoking in a non-smoking room, so be sure to adhere to the hotel’s rules with regard to smoking.
If you are going to need a rollaway or a crib, make sure that the hotel knows this in the reservation process. Not every hotel is going to come with cribs or rollaways. Hotels also charge extra for these items, sometimes. Make sure these needs are discussed during the initial reservation so you don’t get any surprises.
You can get great hotel rooms on a tight budget when you know what it is to look for. Hopefully this article has shown you some great tips on how to find a fantastic place to stay. It doesn’t need to be expensive. Follow the advice presented here to find an affordable hotel.