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.
If you've left amenities at home, ask the front desk. Often you won't need to go out to buy things like toothpaste and toothbrushes. The front desk typically has the staples available to customers at no cost whatsoever. Sure it's only a few dollars saved, but every dollar counts.
Choose a green vacation if you care for the environment. Fortunately, many green hotels exist nowadays. Some of the newer hotels are certified green. Eco-friendly strategies are also now commonly adopted by many older hotels. Check online or ask a travel agent for help.
Verify the check-in time at the hotel. If you don't know you may end up waiting a long time. If you will be arriving early, call and ask if this is okay.
If you travel often and prefer one hotel brand, consider signing up for a loyalty program. These programs offer free room upgrades, a free night's stay after so many days and other advantages. To get the most from this service, sign up to be alerted of specials the hotel may run from time to time.
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.
If you are interested in "going green" when traveling, try going to a "green" hotel. Start by looking for these hotels online. There are several organizations that let you search for these hotels easily like Green Hotels Association and Green Globe. They will have a comprehensive list of green hotels in different locations.
When traveling with small children, try to choose a hotel that caters to them. Most hotels offer cribs. Some have playgrounds and/or pools to help keep your kids entertained. Some even offer or children's programs during the day or babysitters at night. Many hotels do not charge extra for children under a certain age to stay in the same room with their parents.
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.
You should be aware whether or not the hotel permits guests to have pets in the rooms. If you fear pets or have allergies it may be best to make reservations at hotels that have a strict no pets policy. Because odors have a tendency to linger on fabrics and rugs, the hotel may have an odor about it. Some hotels add an extra charge for pets, other do not. The fee may be for any cleaning that needs to be done.
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.
Unless it is an emergency, always stay for the total number of nights that you have booked. You may be charged a fee if you do. Booked hotel rooms are taken off the market, so if you leave early, the hotel loses money. So, they may charge you a fee for early departure to replace the loss in revenue.
Stay safe and secure in a hotel. Travelers to hotels are often robbed even when they are inside the room. Use every lock the hotel provides, including the handle lock, chain and deadbolt. Hotels are a magnet for shady characters looking to exploit people who are traveling with a lot of money and valuables.
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.
Don't get that bottled water and open it! You may feel a bit parched shortly after checking in. This could tempt you to open the water that is in the http://www.orbitz.com/vacations/Beach.tBEACH/ mini-fridge or on the desk. Hotels know this and charge more for bottled water. Some hotels offer complementary bottles of water in their gyms. It's better to simply bring your own bottled water.
To keep your car safe and secure while you are staying at a hotel, make sure that you either bring your valuables inside or conceal them in the trunk when you park the car. Even if you lock the doors, if valuable items are visible, thieves will often break in and take them, so be proactive and save your treasures.
Bring a carrier or crate for your pet when staying at a pet-friendly hotel. If your dog has to stay in the room alone, put him in the crate to keep him out of any trouble. However, make sure you do not leave him alone for a long period of time since being in a strange place can make him nervous.
So many vacations are spoiled because the hotel accommodations were not as expected. You can avoid this by doing look here your research and choosing your hotel carefully. You have waited so long to take a vacation. Do not let bad accommodations spoil it. If you apply the tips in this article, you can find the right hotel for your needs.
