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If you plan on traveling, there are many things you should do before you leave. You need to pack your bags, put gas in the car or maybe purchase airline tickets. And, making a hotel reservation is one of these things. Read this article for tips that will help you out.
Online travel sites like Orbitz and Expedia can help you find the lowest rates on hotel rooms. If you are a member of a particular hotel’s loyalty program, remember to include that information when you are checking on rates. You might also have other discounts from a membership in the AARP or AAA.
Room service can be a great way to have a private, comfortable meal. While this could cost you a little more, it will be worth it because you can stay in your room and take care of the cravings you’re having.
Double-check your organizational memberships. Some organizations will receive discounts for different reasons from different hotels. It is easy to forget about the discounts. For extended stays, this can really add up. For a week of vacation time that adds up to an extra day!
Prior to making a hotel reservation, do some research online in order to discover the best deals. Often, the reservations clerk will not advise you that a better deal is available online. So, it’s up personally to you to go searching for such discounts. Look at websites such as RueLaLaTravel, Jetsetter, and SniqueAway.
Upon arriving at your hotel, check your room before you unpack. Make sure there is no mold or mildew anywhere in the room. Does your shower, sink, and toilet work in the right way? Have the staff provided all the necessary soap, shampoo, towels, etc. that you will be needing? This quick check can keep you from discovering a problem later, after you have unpacked and all other good rooms are taken. Tell the front desk immediately.
If you want to find the absolute rock bottom hotel prices, plan your trips weeks or months ahead of time. If you can book early, you may get a huge discount. You might only pay half price for premium hotels.
Don’t assume your hotel is pet-friendly. Call them ahead of time to see if they are even if the website they’re on says yes. Also ask exactly what they mean by pet-friendly, as there might be restrictions on certain breeds and sizes of pet that they allow on their premises.
If you’d like to bring Fido on your next trip, you must make some advance plans. Be sure that this hotel will be friendly to pets. It is also a great idea to bring along some plastic bags to clean up when your pet makes a mess. Finally, ask the hotel staff if you can have a room on the far end away from guests so that you don’t interfere with their visit.
Be sure to follow your fitness regimen while staying in a hotel by packing your workout clothes and any other equipment you may need. For an early morning jog, get up and throw your gear on, and then head out the front door. When you go running in a new city, you will get a free tour, up-close and personal.
If you want your family to have a happy stay, call the hotel ahead and ensure that their swimming pools are available and in good working order. Nothing is quite as frustrating as arriving at a hotel with children clamoring to jump in the pool only to find that it is closed.
Make sure to ask up front if the hotel allows smoking or does not. If you are a nonsmoker, you may want to avoid hotels that offer smoking rooms. Even non-smoking rooms can have smoke billow in from next door. You may find that a smoker has been in your non-smoking room before you and ignored the rules. If you are a non-smoker, be sure to request a non-smoking room in a non-smoking area of the hotel or you can find a hotel that is completely smoke free.
Review the pet policy at the hotel. When you are scared of animals or allergic, you won’t want to stay at pet-friendly hotels. Rooms that allow pets may also have the odor of animals. This can be in the linens and carpet. Depending on the hotel, you may be expected to pay extra for keeping a pet, but it isn’t usually a large sum. If the hotel you are staying at does not incorporate much of an extra fee, the cleaning service might not be up to par.
It may come as a shock to you, but most hotels don’t allow you to check-in early. Be sure to plan your arrival with that in mind, or you may be sitting in the lobby area for some time. The room needs to be cleaned after the last guest leaves. If you’re going to have to show up early, speak with the people at the front to see if you’re able to get into the room, but don’t think that it will happen.
Getting a good hotel booked will be a very important part of any trip. It doesn’t matter if it’s a big vacation with the entire family or just a business trip; your choice of hotel has a large impact on your stay. Refer back to these tips the next time you have to book a hotel room. Your enjoyment depends on it.