New to online travel self-planning? Here are basic tips for the perfect hotel stay
In my childhood and junior years all travel arrangements was organized by my mum. Beautiful places, friendly staff members never disappointing vacations. Then was my first out of the family nest travel with a friend and I wish I knew a few basic surmounts.
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.
Use Orbitz or Expedia to find a great deal. If you are a member of a hotel loyalty program, make sure to indicate this when searching for rates. Additionally, there may be other price breaks for you through various organizations, like AAA or other exclusive clubs.
To keep your drinking water clean in a hotel room, rinse out your drinking glasses, even if there is a paper cover or a plastic wrapping around it. Dust and debris from the plastic can settle in the glass, leading to an unpleasant first sip. Taking the time to rinse it out will make your experience better.
Spend some time reading online reviews of hotels left by real customers before you make a reservation. These reviews are often your best source of information since they are written by people who have actually stayed at the hotel. Be sure to pay attention to the most recent reviews, since the hotel may have already addressed older complaints.
Do not always assume that staying on the club floor of a hotel is a great way to waste money. While you may have to pay for this upgrade, you will end up saving more money in the end. This is because things like drinks, appetizers, and free breakfast are part of the deal, and these things are very expensive when purchased separately.
One of the best bonuses of a AAA membership is great discounts on booking a hotel. It may come as a surprise to find that an auto club membership offers hotel discounts, but that is the case. You can save up to an additional five percent at certain hotels throughout the country. These savings quickly add up, especially if you are staying for multiple nights in a row.
Always remember that 5 stars in one place are 3 stars in another.
Check out the prices on the hotel website. Sometimes the hotel website will have better deals.
by Kenneth Diaz
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.
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 that are unpublished. These can offer significant price breaks for your hotel stay. Be sure to mention it upfront.
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.
Talk to a travel agent about potential hotel deals. You may think you’ll be paying more by going through a travel agent, but more often than not the opposite is true. Travel agents typically have access to unpublished deals not only for the hotel but also for airfare and vacation activities.
…Be sure you know the cost associated with hotel transfers when booking a room. If the rooms are cheap, the transfer could ruin the deal. You will save more by asking about such a thing in advance.
Beware of the bottle of water beside your bed. Many hotels charge as much as 10 dollars for that bottle of water. Other items that you may not realize you will be charged for include: pool towels, newspapers, and Internet access. To ensure you are not being charged for items you do not want to read the fine print.
Before you pick a deal be sure to do this due diligence. You can even call the hotel to ask if they have any unpublished rates.
by Kenneth Diaz
Many hotels now give you a towel card at the time of check-in. These cards are exchanged for a beach towel to be used in the pool area. On your last night, turn your towel back in and get your towel card back. If you do not, you may be charged as much as $25 at check-out time.
Do not check out early. The hotel might charge you a fee for early departure. Booked hotel rooms are taken off the market, so if you leave early, the hotel loses money. As a result, hotels will attempt to regain some of this lost revenue by charging you a fee for leaving early.
It is important that you find out how often rooms are vacuumed in a hotel. It may sound silly, but it isn’t. Some places use a small sweeper to gather large particles. Many times, they only vacuum when the room is really messy. You should try to get a room that has been recently vacuumed so that it gathers the particles that you cannot see.
Did you receive a newspaper outside of your hotel room this morning? If so, chances are you will be charged for it. To avoid being charged for an unwanted newspaper, take the newspaper to the front desk and inform the desk clerk that you do not wish to receive a newspaper during your stay.
It is sometimes possible to save money on your hotel costs by booking a package deal that includes your flight, hotel, and rental car. Before you decide what to do, check the prices of the flight, hotel, and rental car individually and as part of various packages. Then you can choose the most lucrative deal.
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.
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