Whether you are headed for the beach or the mountains, you want your vacation to be special. Part of making your vacation special involves choosing the right hotel. This may seem a daunting task, but once you’ve done it a time or two, you can get it right every time. Keep reading to find out more.
If you are traveling for work and staying at a hotel, ask for a room at least some reasonable distance from the pool area. You will probably want to be in a room where you can concentrate. The noise levels near a pool can be distracting. Pick a quiet room where you can be productive.
When you are staying at a hotel, it is a good idea to leave a small tip for the housekeeping staff. It is best to tip daily instead of waiting until the entire trip has come to an end since there is a chance that the same person will not be assisting you every day.
If you are out of the room for any length of time, protect the valuables you leave in the room. In addition to leaving expensive items in a safe, leave the television on when you are out of the room. That will make it look like you are still there and thieves will move on.
Use online hotel search tools. These websites can help you quickly find the best value. They also can show you the average hotel rates, letting you see whether the deal is good or bad. On top of that, they can help you determine the cheapest destinations.
Read the reviews before choosing hotels that look less than top notch. Sure there are lots of hotels that don’t look like the Four Seasons, and there are many that are plenty clean to stay in. There are others though that can be very dirty inside. Reading reviews can help you steer clear of the poorer lot of hotels out there.
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.
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.
It can be hard to know how to select good hotels. Joining a travel club can be a very smart choice if you do a lot of traveling. Your travel club will provide you with hotel guide materials. Representatives can answer your questions, help you choose hotels and even help you plan and book your reservations.
Visit several online travel websites and compare hotel room prices. These online travel websites do not always offer the same price for hotel rooms at a specific location. By choosing two or three different online travel websites, you can assure you are getting the best deal possible. Also, booking close to your travel date will usually net you a better price.
Do not assume all hotels allow pets. Some hotels allow pets of any size, some have certain restrictions, and some do not allow pets at all. If you have a pet and book a room at a hotel that has a no pet policy, you will not be allowed to stay there with your furry friend.
Make sure that your family enjoys their stay by calling ahead to ensure the hotel’s swimming pool is working, There is nothing worse than getting to a hotel with kids to find the pool is closed.
If your hotel offers a kid’s club, and you are considering leaving your child there, take a few precautions. Find out if the staff has undergone background checks and ask about the child to adult ratio. In addition, ask what the procedure is for picking up the child. You want to make sure that someone can’t just walk up and leave with your little one.
To keep the smell of swimsuits and wet feet out of your hotel room, have your kids put their Aquashoes and swimsuits out on the patio. Hanging them over the rail and letting the towels and suits dry will keep that chlorine scent out of your room, and the shoes and sandals will make your room stink, so keep them out!
Don’t limit your hotel bed bug inspection to the bed. Bed bugs can be up to fifteen feet away. So, check any chairs and other furniture around the room. Also look in drawers and closet spaces before unpacking your clothes and risking them. As always, flag someone on the staff down if you find anything.
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 read the fine print.
Understand your rights when it comes to hotels “walking” you. Hotels routinely overbook, which means that you could find that there is no room available for you when you arrive at the hotel. This means that they will direct you to another hotel. If you can’t avoid this make sure the room you get there is better or comparable and that they pay for the travel there.
As you can see, choosing the right hotel just requires having the right information. Now that you have it, you are fully prepared to pick a great place to stay. Make your reservations so you can cross that task off your list. Then, sit back, relax, and vacation time will be here before you know it.
