When you are going on a family vacation, making a hotel reservation is an important part of the planning process. However, it is all too easy to end up choosing a shabby hotel that overcharges you. Use the following tips to make sure that you choose a great hotel at a good rate.
To minimize your travel expenses when you are staying near a resort area like Walt Disney World, choose a hotel that offers a complimentary shuttle to nearby attractions. In this sort of area, you shouldn’t need to rent a car. Instead, use a cab to get to your hotel and then use the shuttle to enjoy the fun.
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.
To keep your family active and engaged when you are in a hotel far from home, talk to the concierge when you check in to get a list of nearby attractions. At the end of each day, sit down and map out a plan for the next morning. This gives you more vacation time and less time sitting in front of a television waiting to decide what to do.
When searching for a hotel, consider “bundle” packages. For example, if you have to fly to your location, look for a bundle that includes both your hotel room and your airfare. You should save quite a bit of money that way, but make sure to always double-check the regular room rate to ensure you are getting a good deal.
If you are traveling with pets, be sure to select hotels that have good accommodations for them. This is especially true if you are planning on an extended stay. A good hotel that allows pets should have amenities for them. These might include and groomer, doggy day care and special walking areas.
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.
If you’re interested in the massage services of a hotel you intend to stay at, reserve your appointment ahead of time. Many top masseuses book by name, so plan as early as possible.
Pack your GPS and running clothes while on vacation. In this way, you can simply suit up and enjoy your workout as usual while on the road. Even jogging on pavement and alongside city avenues can provide you new perspective of any city that you visit.
Be sure to check for online deals. Most of the time, you can get cheaper deals by taking a few minutes to search for them on the Internet. It is a great way to choose your hotel. You will find deals this way that the hotels won’t tell you about over the phone.
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 which are unpublished. These can offer significant price breaks for your hotel stay. Be sure to mention it upfront.
To get a workout without leaving your hotel room, take your suspension training gear along. Most systems fit into a bag that doesn’t weigh more than three or four pounds, and all you need is a door frame to attach the system to. You can get a solid strength training workout by using your body weight to provide resistance.
Vacation “green” if you are worried about the environment. Green hotels can feature specialized recycling programs, may only use recyclable products and use environmentally friendly cleaning supplies. There are newer hotels that were built to be environmentally friendly. Some older inns just select one or more of several eco-friendly strategies to show environmental awareness. Ask your booking agent about green hotels.
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.
Nothing can ruin a family vacation more quickly than a stay in a dirty, grimy hotel. You want your family to remember the good times about the trip, not the disgusting hotel room that you had to stay in. Remember the advice you have read here to make the right hotel reservation.