When traveling, whether it is a short trip or a lengthy vacation, you often have to find somewhere to stay while you are away from home. A hotel is the obvious choice, but not all hotels are equally nice. Find yourself a quality hotel at an affordable price with these tips.
Use Orbitz or Expedia to find a great deal. Make sure you notify the reservation clerk about any loyalty program you belong to with the hotel. You can also get additional discounts from any organization you are apart of, such as the AAA or the AARP.
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’ve left amenities at home, ask the front desk. Often you won’t need to go out to buy things like toothpaste and toothbrushes. The front desk typically has the staples available to customers at no cost whatsoever. Sure it’s only a few dollars saved, but every dollar counts.
When searching for a hotel, consider “bundle” packages. For example, if you have to fly to your location, look for a bundle that includes both your hotel room and your airfare. You should save quite a bit of money that way, but make sure to always double-check the regular room rate to ensure you are getting a good deal.
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 know that you will need to make phone calls from your hotel room, check to make sure you will have free Wi-Fi service. Rather than using the in-room phone, and getting charged an arm and a leg, use an Internet phone service that is free. For example, both Skype and Line are possibilities.
The cost of your hotel room largely depends on the dates on which you plan to stay there. Rooms are priced based on availability. Whenever you can, maker your room reservation no more than a day ahead of time. A late booking when the hotel is slow often results in a bargain. Hotels would rather discount the price because an empty room does not earn them any money.
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.
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.
Before booking a hotel room, ask the hotel about their return policy. You never know what could happen and you may end up having to cancel your reservation. If there is no return policy, you could be basically throwing your money down the drain. Don’t book with a hotel until you know this information.
If you want to save money when booking a hotel room, call the hotel directly. Tell them you’re interested in receiving a good deal. Let them know of any discount you may qualify for. This can include government rates, senior rates, auto association cards or rates for business travelers.
Here is a simple tip to help you make sure you don’t leave any valuables behind in your hotel room. After checking the bathroom, drawers and closets thoroughly, take all the bed linens off the bed including sheets, blankets and pillows. Refold the linens carefully checking the bed and surrounding floor area to find any items that may have fallen out of your suitcase or pockets during your stay.
If you are looking for the least expensive hotel room, sometimes just asking for it does the trick. People don’t take this simple step sometimes. They take the room that is offered by the front desk, yet there could be a cheaper alternative still in stock. Just ask, and you could be rewarded.
A good hotel is a valuable thing to find when you are on the road, far from home. The last thing that you want is to have to sleep in a smelly, run-down hotel where you do not feel safe. To make sure that you find the right hotel, just remember the tips you have read here.
