Are you anxious about your vacation? Do you have your destination picked out but not your hotel? If you are putting off making reservations because you aren’t sure how to choose your accommodations, you need to keep reading. This article has advice that will help you pick your vacation hotel.
To accommodate a small family without having to pay for more than one hotel room, look for a location that offers suites. Often the rates are competitive with single-room rates at other hotels, but the addition of a living area (and a fold-out bed) means that more of you can sleep comfortably.
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.
See if your organizational memberships offer any benefits. Many clubs, groups and organizations are able to get members discounted hotel rates. People often forget about these discounts, which can be 10% or more. On a multiple night stay, these savings can really add up. A stay of 5 days or more could add up to one free hotel night stay!
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.
Look into club-level rates. While these rooms are more expensive up front, they typically offer a great value. For example, included in the price could be breakfast or dessert, Wi-Fi service or other perks, like drinks and snacks. See what is offered and decide if the extra cost is worth it to you.
One way to save money when traveling is to search for a hotel that offers a free continental breakfast. This can save you a lot of money if you are staying for a week. Many of the top hotel chains offer large continental breakfasts consisting of breakfast meats, pastries and drinks.
To keep from paying through the nose for dry cleaning services from a hotel, ask what the costs are before you send your clothing out. If you need cleaning done, it’s often cheaper to walk down the street to a nearby dry cleaner. People who are in town on business often benefit greatly from these savings.
If you plan on bringing your family to a hotel, you should look for family-friendly policies and special deals online. Try using family vacation review sites. You can find many family hotels and resort reviews. Searching through these sites should help you also locate deals to make your trip more enjoyable and affordable.
Call the hotel you are planning to stay in and see if they offer any discounts. Many hotels offer discounts for senior citizens, business travelers, military personnel and government officials. Additionally, if you are a member of an automobile association, you may qualify for a reduced rate on your hotel stay.
If you are planning to stay in a hotel for an entire week or longer, ask the hotel about long term price discounts. Hotels will often have weekly and monthly rates which are unpublished. These can offer significant price breaks for your hotel stay. Be sure to mention it upfront.
To enjoy a tropical destination a bit more quietly, stay away from the large, all-inclusive resorts that bring in quantity but also feature nonstop partying. Instead, choose a smaller resort that also offers shuttles to the major local attractions. You’ll have a stay that is more on your terms, especially when it’s time to sit out on your patio in the quiet of the night.
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.
In order to enhance your hotel visits, especially when traveling for work, you should consider joining membership programs that hotels provide. Examples include membership programs provided by Marriott or Choice Hotels. By joining a membership program, you earn points during every visit. These points can add up to free items over time.
Now that you know something about choosing a hotel, go make your reservations. That will be one more thing you can cross off your list. This vacation may just be the best one you ever take. Enjoy it, and remember what you’ve just learned the next time you plan a vacation.
