Do you have plans to take an epic vacation? It's always fun to travel somewhere new and exciting that you've never been to before. That said, it can also be extremely stressful when you're trying to figure out where you're going to stay.
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Hotels can be expensive and tricky to book depending on what you're looking for. We've devised a handy guide full of tricks that should make hotel-hunting much easier for you!
10 Figure out where you're going first
Obviously, you know where you're traveling if you're planning to book a hotel but we mean specifics! Even if you're planning to explore all of New York City for a week, you'll want to try and figure out a hotel that makes traveling around the area easiest. If most of the places you want to visit are concentrated in one area, it would save you cab fare and make your trip move smoothly if you pick a hotel there as opposed to somewhere on the complete opposite side of town.
Sometimes people think to pick a hotel anywhere in their destination of choice will suffice but if you do a little planning ahead of time you can minimize additional travel fees by staying as close as possible.
9 Decide if you want your hotel to be part of your experience
Are you staying in a hotel just to have a place to rest your head at night, or would you like your hotel to also be part of the complete travel experience? This is important to decide early on, especially if you're going somewhere like Disney World. The Disney Parks offer their own unique Disney resorts on the property.
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They'll help you maintain the magic of the Disney bubble by never having to leave the park. If you're traveling abroad, maybe you'll want to stay in a castle while touring Ireland or Scotland. There are a lot of different places you can stay that will add to your overall experience so consider if you're willing to shell out extra money for that.
8 Make sure they provide the amenities you need
Before you pick any hotel, you'll want to be sure they have all the amenities you need. If you are bringing pets, make sure the hotel allows them, if you need Wi-Fi access, ensure the hotel offers it, most do for free! Not all hotels provide continental breakfast either. These are things you'll want to know about ahead of time.
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If you're planning to stay for a long period of time, you may want to check out their facilities such as laundry, gyms, pools, and more. It's always a good idea to be informed so you're not in for a shock when you show up and they don't provide something you need.
7 Don't worry about the no vacancy signs
Sometimes hotels and motels will put up no vacancy signs because a room is under maintenance. Just because a hotel says there is no room doesn't always mean that is the case. If you're in a pinch and need a room, it doesn't hurt to stop in and ask the front desk about the sign.
If you're polite and the issue is something minor, they may be able to accommodate you. Sometimes staff forgets the sign is even lit and they might have had a cancellation, so you never know unless you ask.
6 Call the hotel before you book it
Before you decide to book a hotel, you should call them ahead of time and see if they'll match rates with other offers. This is a great way to save you money. Not all hotels will do this but you'd be surprised how many will.
Again, it doesn't hurt to ask about it. It's always a good idea to pick out a few different hotels from different price ranges and see if the one you're most interested in will match offers with some of the lower-priced offerings.
5 Join the loyalty clubs
Even if you only plan to stay at a certain hotel chain one time, it's not a bad idea to join up in their loyalty clubs if you have a moment. You never know, you could get some nice perks and even discounts on your stay if you do.
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It might even entice you to come back a second time in the future. Most hotels offer these loyalty clubs and the majority don't cost you a penny. You just fill out some paperwork and then you're good to go!
4 Check the bed bug registry
Did you know there is an actual online bed bug registry that lets you know if a hotel has ever had issues with them before? It's a user-run website and tells you about any hotels in the country that have had bed bug reports submitted.
Sometimes you might have to take it with a grain of salt and follow up on the reports, especially if they're old, but it's not a bad place to look if you're a little nervous about the cleanliness of your place of stay. It also includes apartment complexes and other residential areas as well.
3 Pay attention to rankings and reviews
It's always a good idea to pay attention to hotel reviews and rankings. If a hotel has a staggering amount of one-star reviews, there is probably a good reason. That said, make sure you read the reviews too, sometimes people are hard to please or they just have a bad experience of their own design.
Use your common sense when reading to decide if it's something that might have been blown out of proportion. Also, some hotels simply aren't as clued in on social media and may not have many reviews. That doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad place to stay. It may just be lesser-known.
2 Use travel points if you have them
A lot of different credit card companies will offer you reward points, particularly for hotels and travel, it's always a good idea to see if you have any stored up as you get some pretty good deals and discounts if you have them available to you. In general, any points you get from rewards programs are helpful when you're planning to travel.
Check ahead of time too to see if they apply to certain chains, sometimes the credit card companies and hotel chains have their own deals and you can double your reward points if you stay at a certain company as opposed to a different one.
1 Try to travel during off-seasons
One of the best things you can do when you travel is to travel off-season. If you travel off-season you are far less likely to deal with major crowds. You'll be able to take your time and do what you like without having to worry about long lines.
If you're going somewhere tropical consider traveling during winter. Try to go places on weekdays if possible. Do your research ahead of time and figure out when the peak seasons are so you can avoid them.