America features thousands of hotels, from luxury resorts bragging about their five stars to homely motels on the side of the road that look ancient. If you have great accommodations, your vacation will be enhanced. Bad accommodations will ruin it. You will be able to use the following information to help ensure you select the right hotel.
If you are hungry when you get to your hotel and do not want to leave, consider ordering room service. It might cost a little extra, but it’s definitely worth the bill. Nothing is more enjoyable than having food delivered to your room while you’re in your PJ’s.
To get a meal later at night order yourself some room service. Even though this will cost a bit more, the convenience and comfort are worth it.
Many things must be considered when choosing the right hotel. While price is obviously a factor, you may want to think about room size and amenities as well. A gym, pool, free breakfast, free wireless Internet, free local calls, and all kinds of other things may be important. Look for a hotel that provides you with the amenities that are a priority to you.
Look at organizations you’re part of for discounts. Some of these organizations will offer you discounts on hotel prices. A lot of people don’t use these discounts, and you may save 10% or even more. You end up with an even bigger savings if your hotel stay is going to be for multiple nights. After a week has gone by it will add up to a free night almost!
Search for hotel deals online. You might not learn from the person on the phone that you can actually get great discounts over the Internet, instead. It is your responsibility to scour the Internet for these savings. Websites like Travelocity and Expedia can be a great way to do research on hotels.
When you get to your hotel room, look over the room before unpacking. It should be free of any mildew or mold. Are the facilities operating correctly? Count how many linens and towels you were given and make sure there are enough for everyone traveling with you. Any problems that you notice should be reported to front desk staff right away. That way, they can be rectified or you can change rooms.
In order to get the best prices for hotel stays, you will want to plan your trip several weeks or months beforehand. There are quite a few hotels that will reward booking your room a few months in advance with nice discounts. That saves you 50 percent or more frequently!
Be aware of when you can check into your room. You don’t want to arrive early only to find out your room isn’t ready yet. If you will be arriving early, call and ask if this is okay.
Do not make the assumption that your pets are welcome at all hotels. Call the hotel in advance to ensure the hotel is pet friendly. Be sure you know what pet-friendly means because there could be specific restrictions on sizes or certain breeds of dogs.
Although many hotels have certain rooms that allow pets, never assume your hotel will without researching ahead of time. Call the hotel to verify, even if it says so on the website. Verify exactly what is meant by “pet-friendly” since certain breeds and pets over a certain size may not be allowed.
If you need to have a pet stay with you in your hotel room, do a few things ahead of time. First, find out if the hotel allows pets. Make sure you have some plastic bags to get rid of pet messes. You should also see if you can get a room near the end part of the hallway to make sure other guests don’t have to put up with pet noise.
If you want to arrange for a couples massage at your hotel, be sure to book the appointment right away. The best massage therapists are usually booked up for months ahead of time, and you don’t want to miss out.
If you’re interested in the massage services of a hotel you intend to stay at, reserve your appointment ahead of time. Frequently, the most skilled massage specialists at the best hotels are reserved by name, so when you plan ahead, you can get the best.
If you enjoy a morning run, try booking a hotel room that’s near the beach or an open park. If you want to jog early in the morning, don your gear and then go for it. Running not only provides you with great exercise, but it also helps you better learn the city in which you are residing.
To keep your running regimen up while you are traveling, pack your GPS watch and plenty of running clothes. For an early morning jog, get up and throw your gear on, and then head out the front door. Running in a city allows you to see things other travelers miss.
The price of a hotel room is often a mix of many factors. Rooms are priced based on availability. Try to book a specific room at least 24 hours ahead of time, but it’s even better if you book weeks ahead of schedule. This will get you the best hotel rates. They’ll lower the price to fill the room.
Do you travel on a periodic basis and use the same hotel chain? If so, check out the loyalty programs provided by that hotel. This type of program provides discounts and benefits for frequent visitors. There are many rewards given when you accumulate loyalty points such as free stays, free upgrades and later than usual check out times.
Joining certain clubs that let you accrue points can help you reap major benefits from your regular hotel stays. This allows you to earn point you can redeem for vacation freebies for you and your family.
There are membership programs that hotels offer for those that stay frequently at their chains. They provide you with points for every stay. Use them for discounts, entertainment tickets and other things.
A membership in AAA can make booking a hotel easier when you travel. If you do a lot of traveling, the AAA membership can pay for itself, and you can also get deals on rental cars. People that have young kids will get a car seat for free in a lot of different places.
You don’t want to make too many long distance calls while you’re staying in a hotel room. Use the Internet, instead. Some hotels offer free Wi-Fi, so you can use Skype. You can stay connected with people back home by using this instead of making expensive long distance calls from your hotel phone.
Make sure to ask up front if the hotel you’ll be staying in allows smoking or does not. If you do not smoke, you might not want to go to a hotel with smoking rooms. Even in a non-smoking room, the smoke from other rooms is in the air and might infiltrate your clothing. In addition, some smokers will rent out non-smoking rooms and smoke in them. Request a non-smoking room if you do not want to smell like cigarettes.
If you are concerned about bed bugs, look in the bathroom first. Bedbugs are least likely to live here. That means your luggage will be safe there while you check out the other areas of the room. Not to mention a great place for your children and pets too.
Be sure you know what the hotel smoking policy is if you smoke cigarettes. Hotels normally have rooms set aside for smokers. If that is the case, you should ask for one of those rooms. If you smoke in one of the hotel’s non-smoking room, you can be charged hefty fees.
Inquire if the hotel is a non-smoking hotel. If you’re someone who doesn’t like cigarette smoke, you may want to find a different hotel. Even in a non-smoking room, the smoke from other rooms is in the air and might infiltrate your clothing. Also, people may rent a non-smoking room and smoke in it. Request a non-smoking room if you do not want to smell like cigarettes.
Find out what the policy on pets is. If you’re scared of pets or are allergic, you might want to stay away from pet-friendly hotels. The smells tend to stick around. Most hotels charge a pet fee; however, sometimes this is negligible. Some hotels use the paid fees to clean the hotel more thoroughly.
You know your rights if a hotel attempts to take advantage of you. If your hotel overbooks, your room may not be available when you get there. That means the hotel will send you to another establishment, or “walk” you. Try to avoid this if you can, but if not, make sure that you are given a room that is equal to or better than the one you booked. They should also provide you with transportation to get to the other hotel.
It is not always possible to check-in early. You need to plan appropriately to avoid waiting in the lobby all day. The hotel must clean each room prior to the next visitor taking it. Should you arrive early, ask at the desk if it is possible to check in, but do not be surprised if they say no.
Do not give in to the temptation to run off with hotel towels or sheets. Housekeeping keeps track of linens. If you just fall in love with the towels or pillows, ask if you can buy them directly from the front desk of the hotel.
A lot of people aren’t able to look for a hotel in the right way and they go with the first one they see. However, if you try this kind of approach you may have problems. Use the advice you’ve just been given, and enjoy your stay.
Try getting an upgrade without paying for it. An easy way to get this to happen is to show up on time for when you’re supposed to be checking in. A lot of the times your room may not be ready yet so they’ll give you a deal on a different room that’s better for free.
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