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Helpful Tips On Booking Your Hotel Stays
It’s always great to get some helpful travel tips from experienced and seasoned travelers. We’ve also picked up a few excellent pointers along the way over the years. Here’s a few, I thought I would share with you when your …
🌺 Booking Hotel Stays 🌺
Some of the things listed below, we always try to do when making bookings for accommodations. Others, I’ve learned from seasoned travel experts and bloggers.
Book Directly With The Hotel Whenever Possible
When booking your hotel stays and/or motels, I always try to make my reservation directly with the property, or online with a very reputable and respected digital travel company {on-line travel company}.
Booking directly, will improve your chances of getting a nicer room and also reduce your chances of getting bumped, or your reservation lost in the wind.
I’ve booked accommodations online for many years now and with great success. Even so, I always try to contact the property in advance of our arrival. I like to confirm my reservation, if I haven’t received an email notification just prior.
Also another option to consider and again depending on your travel plans, is that you may want to have a …
book your hotel reservation for you, if convenient.
Your chances of getting a complimentary room upgrade increase as well, just by using an agent. Particularly so, if they book that property frequently for their clients.
This was a nice pleasant surprise for us, staying at a hotel in Australia a few seasons ago. We had a local travel agent specializing in Australia travels at home, make our hotel bookings and other arrangements for us.
The front desk staff advised us of the room upgrade, because we used this agent and business, for our booking.
Requesting A Desired Room
It’s always a good idea to request a desired room, when making your reservation. There’s usually an area for {special requests} when booking online. You can also request this at the time of booking, when ☎ calling directly.
I prefer a higher room and in the quiet section of the hotel, whenever possible. I want to ensure the best possible chance of having a; quiet, restful sleep and stay.
Ask For A Room Upgrade
It’s the old saying …
“If you don’t ask, you won’t get it.”
It never hurts when checking in, to ask the clerk politely, if there’s any chance of getting a room upgrade.
If you are a; return customer, a loyalty member, and/or have stayed in that particular brand hotel elsewhere and let them know, your chances definitely increase.
I always ask when checking in. 🙂
Sometimes it works out great, other times not so. Its definitely been worth it, by just asking over the years. If you’re willing to pay for the upgrade, experts suggest no more than; {10%} extra, of what you originally paid.
Early Check-In Or Late Checkout
❓ How many times have you travelled over the years and either have arrived at your destination, before the listed {Check-In Time}, or have had a later flight departing on check-out day❓
I know we have, and many more times than I care to remember!
If arriving a few hours earlier than the normal check-in time and within reason if your room is ready, normally there should be no problem checking in early. This of course, unless the property has strictly enforced rules in place.
I will always try contacting the hotel directly and request either an early check in and/or a later check out time. I try to do this especially if we happen to be traveling by air ✈ to our particular destination.
So many flights leave late at night, particularly those charter flights that fly to and from popular holiday destinations. Even if I have to pay a surcharge to stay later, I will definitely do so, for the convenience and comfort.
Always ask ahead of time, so the hotel won’t book your room for that day. If you happen to have a late evening flight, I usually book the room for an extra night. On a number of occasions, we have received a special day rate for the room.
Seasoned Travelers Tip
If you have to check-out at the scheduled time and don’t want to pay the day fee for a room, did you know it is possible to spend the day at your hotel’s pool?
Well, it seems so!
Apparently and according to other seasoned travelers, you can use these facilities after checking out. For me and unless it’s an all inclusive type resort, then I would like to see that in writing somewhere official.
Hotel Stays And Resort Fees
This has definitely become a hot topic as of late, especially in popular cities with Casino Resort Hotels such as Las Vegas. Resort fees can be extremely high and are even added, after you’ve booked
your reservation!
They are a complete rip off and something you should take extra care to watch out for when booking your hotel stays, at these types of resort properties.
Some hotels will show a resort fee prior to booking and others will not. These hotels may even wait until you’ve made your reservation and given your credit card deposit. Yikes!
Be sure to watch for this 💰 Added Fee 💰 when booking, especially in the fine print. If you don’t mind the extra fee, then don’t worry about this.
If you do, then be sure you know exactly how much you’re paying each night, and what for. It can be very high depending on the property and where you choose to stay.
Tipping Housekeeping Staff
This is definitely a personal choice, depending on the service rendered. At all inclusive resorts and cruise vacations for example, tipping is always included in our overall travel budget.
These people work very hard and earn very little. A small gratuity for their service is greatly appreciated and will certainly help support themselves, and/or their families.
For a more detailed look on this subject, be sure to check out my post here on …
and why it’s a great idea to include; gratuities in you holiday budget.
Many times, we’ve been surprised by the little extras received from staff, as a result of leaving a small gratuity for them.
Checking Your Guest Room Before Departing
Be sure to double and triple check your guest room before checking out. Hotel staff report that they are amazed by the amount of items that are left and/or discarded in guest rooms.
Cellphone and laptop chargers are now common items left behind, along with various items of clothing. I know while traveling in India a few seasons ago, I left a brand new tailored shirt hanging behind a door. 🙁
Guest room locked safes are also at times, completely forgotten by some guests.
Did you know at many hotels, you can ask to keep your valuables secure and safe at the hotel’s main reception? This is a great option and especially if your guest room does not have an in-room mini safe.
How To By-Pass Check Out Lines
Many business travelers prefer and quite often, don’t have the time to wait in line when checking out. You can easily bypass this, by leaving your email address when checking in and asking for your receipt with your charges to be emailed to you.
Just leave your door keycards in the room, to be picked up and reassigned for future guests. On our recent trip to South Korea, on 2 occasions at our hotels, they had self-serve kiosks for both check-in and check-out.
Both were done quickly and easily on our own in seconds. I’m sure this is definitely most higher end properties will be adopting!
These are just a few helpful tips to consider when making hotel bookings, along with a few extra things that are always good to know during your stay.
😎 Safe and Healthy Travels! 😎
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