Looking for the right hotel can sometimes be a fine line between quality and costs. No one wants to over pay for a hotel, but a hotel isn’t a bargain if the quality is poor and you are uncomfortable. The tips found below are here to help you save money and get a room that makes you quite comfortable.
Check out online travel and vacation websites in order to discover the best deals on hotels. Examples include Orbitz and Expedia. If you are in a hotel loyalty program, put your information in. Also, you might be able to get some discounts offered by organizations that you might be a part of like AAA or AARP.
After you check prices for hotels online, call the hotel’s direct number. Sometimes you can get a better price when you reserve directly through the hotel rather than through the company’s website or toll-free number. In addition, you can make any special requests during this call, such as requesting a quiet room or a crib.
When planning a vacation, be sure to make all of your hotel reservations well in advance. In this way, you can lock in lower rates. If you have some flexibility regarding when you take your vacation, be sure to find out about off season rates. Very often, the rate you pay in non-peak times of year is significantly lower.
When going on a trip, it is a good idea to book a vacation package instead of booking each service separately. While it may seem like you are spending a lot more money at once, the reality is that you will be getting a cheaper hotel stay than you would otherwise.
When travel and vacationing with a pet, your choices of hotels will be limited. Once you find a hotel that is pet friendly, find out what the policies are with regard to pets. Most hotels charge an extra fee for pets, and they may have designated areas in which to walk your pet. Be sure you know the particulars ahead of time to avoid potential problems later.
Do you stay at a particular hotel chain fairly often? Consider signing up for their loyalty club. As long as it is free to do so, you really have nothing to lose. Giving the hotel your contact information could mean getting special perks that you can use the next time you stay there.
To keep from paying through the nose for dry cleaning services from a hotel, ask what the costs are before you send your clothing out. If you need cleaning done, it’s often cheaper to walk down the street to a nearby dry cleaner. People who are in town on business often benefit greatly from these savings.
Pack your GPS and running clothes while on vacation. Simply set an alarm or get a wake up call and take an early morning run. Even if you are running down roads or down city streets, you’ll get a new perspective on the city you’re visiting before you’re done.
There are membership programs that hotels offer for those that stay frequently at their chains. These are similar to frequent flyer programs. They allow you to accrue points during your hotel stay. You can accumulate points that you can redeem for free hotel stays, discounts at restaurants, and all types of entertainment.
You can get a great room and spend too much, or you can save a lot and get a room that frankly scares you. But in between those choices is a wide variety of rooms that have the best of both worlds. So use the guidelines above to help you get the amenities you want at a price you can easily afford.
