Whether you are headed for the beach or the mountains, you want your vacation to be special. Part of making your vacation special involves choosing the right hotel. This may seem a daunting task, but once you’ve done it a time or two, you can get it right every time. Keep reading to find out more.
Try using price comparison sites online to find a hotel when you’re on a budget. Websites like Priceline, Travelocity, Expedia, and the like can help you see all kinds of hotels in different locations. You can narrow down your searches to specific price ranges and compare them to each other.
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.
When booking a hotel stay, always check the Internet. There are many travel sites located online that let you compare prices for hotel located in the city of your choosing. Additionally, you can save a lot of money by booking your stay during the weekdays. Weekend rates tend to be higher than weekday stays.
Check out priceline.com and other online hotel discount vendors to help you find the best deals out there. These websites can really bring hotel costs down to rock bottom prices. Even upper scale hotels can be found for more affordable prices. There’s no reason you should be paying full rate.
To keep your running regimen up while you are traveling, pack your GPS watch and plenty of running clothes. Head out early in the morning after donning your running gear. Spending time on the road with your own two feet will give you a perspective that you’ll never get while riding in a car.
Find out what perks are offered on hotel club floors before deciding the extra premium isn’t worth the cost. At some hotels, staying on a club floor can mean benefits like free food and even full meals. Factor up the potential expenses of paying for those on their own, and you might see that an upgrade can actually save you money.
Make location a top priority when it comes to searching for hotels. If you are going to be staying in a city and want to sight-see, it may not be wise to stay in a hotel 30 minutes away from all the action. Ask the hotel about attractions close by or look up their location on the Internet.
When booking your room, get exactly what you want. If you want a good view, make sure you get one. If you want to be away from the pool area, make sure you get that as well. Look at a layout of the hotel before calling or booking so you have a good idea of what to expect.
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.
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.
Your children will be happy when you call the hotel to make sure their pool is open and working. You don’t want to get there, only to disappoint your children when you find out the pool is closed.
If you have a little one with you, remember that hotel rooms aren’t usually set up for babies. Don’t forget to pack a few things so that you can baby proof the space. For example, an outlet cover is small but it plays a big role in keeping your child safe.
To keep your car safe and secure while you are staying at a hotel, make sure that you either bring your valuables inside or conceal them in the trunk when you park the car. Even if you lock the doors, if valuable items are visible, thieves will often break in and take them, so be proactive and save your treasures.
As you can see, choosing the right hotel just requires having the right information. Now that you have it, you are fully prepared to pick a great place to stay. Make your reservations so you can cross that task off your list. Then, sit back, relax, and vacation time will be here before you know it.
