Booking the right hotel for your vacation is crucial to the enjoyment of your vacation. If you have a bad experience with your hotel, it can spoil your entire vacation experience. Read the following article to find out things that you should consider when you are booking your hotel for your next vacation.
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.
To make sure that you don’t have an allergic reaction to the soaps and shampoos that you find in hotel rooms, bring your own, particularly if you have sensitive skin. While it’s nice to find the freebies, the rash that sometimes results is quite unpleasant. Take along your own things to keep things clean.
If you take a lot of electronic gadgets with you on a trip, lock them up in the safe when away from the room. Place all electronics there along with important documents, such as your passport or plane tickets.
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.
Don’t think that all hotels will be pet friendly. Even if the website says they are pet-friendly, always call in advance to verify. Be certain you understand all rules pertaining to pets. Some hotels only allow certain types, sizes and breeds.
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.
Bedbugs have become a problem at hotels in recent years, so upon entering your hotel room, check for signs of these critters. Check for stains on bedding and behind walls. If you notice any signs that point to the possible presence of bedbugs, request a different room. Bedbugs can travel home with you in your luggage, causing an unwelcome infestation in your home.
If you are a member of AAA, ask about a hotel discount. Your membership in this auto club has just such a discount available to you. It will let you save 5% or so on hotels that are around the nation. Those discounts add up to great savings, especially if you will be having an extended stay.
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.
Avoid using the phone in the hotel to make any calls. If you do not have a mobile phone, it would be a good idea to purchase a prepaid phone to make calls during your stay. The only exception should be if free local calls are included in the room rate.
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.
If you are looking for deals on a hotel room, you may have to go straight to the source yourself. Many hotels do not post ads all over the Internet offering discounts. You usually have to find them yourself. Simply call potential hotels and ask them if they have any promotions or discounts.
To save money on a trip when you are traveling with a large family, choose a hotel that offers a free breakfast. Even if it’s just continental fare, you’re saving a significant amount of money by cutting out having to pay for that one meal each day on the road.
So many vacations are spoiled because the hotel accommodations were not as expected. You can avoid this by doing your research and choosing your hotel carefully. You have waited so long to take a vacation. Do not let bad accommodations spoil it. If you apply the tips in this article, you can find the right hotel for your needs.
