Whether your trip is for business or please, finding the right hotel is important. If you have ever had a bad hotel experience, you never want to experience that nightmare again. So here are some tips to help you find the right hotel and book a great room at a price that is sure to make you smile.

Prior to making reservations, research hotels on sites like TripAdvisor. These types of sites let you read about real customers’ experiences with each hotel. Reading other people’s reviews of the hotels you’re considering can really help you decide which one to choose.

To find the best deals on hotels consider a travel agent. Many times travel agents can find wonderful hotels at a great price. When booking with a travel agent, ensure that the agent knows both your wants and your needs. This will allow the travel agent to shop for both and offer you choices.

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.

Spend some time reading online reviews of hotels left by real customers before you make a reservation. These reviews are often your best source of information, since they are written by people who have actually stayed at the hotel. Be sure to pay attention to the most recent reviews, since the hotel may have already addressed older complaints.

When traveling 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.

One way to save money when traveling is to search for a hotel that offers a free continental breakfast. This can save you a lot of money if you are staying for a week. Many of the top hotel chains offer large continental breakfasts consisting of breakfast meats, pastries and drinks.

Read the reviews before choosing hotels that look less than top notch. Sure there are lots of hotels that don’t look like the Four Seasons, and there are many that are plenty clean to stay in. There are others though that can be very dirty inside. Reading reviews can help you steer clear of the poorer lot of hotels out there.

If you go out to travel quite a bit, it’s good to get signed up for a hotel’s loyalty program. There are some great benefits offered to clients who often book the same chain. There are many rewards given when you accumulate loyalty points such as free stays, free upgrades and later than usual check out times.

It is often helpful to choose a hotel that includes a free breakfast. While many of the breakfasts are not elaborate, they offer you a way to start your day off right without having to search for a place to eat. Many hotels offer a continental breakfast that includes, coffee, tea and pastries while others offer cereal, eggs, pancakes, waffles and other breakfast foods.

As you know, staying in a bad hotel can ruin a trip. Whether it is business or pleasure, you need a hotel that makes you comfortable and fulfills your needs. So keep the tips from the article above in mind as you look for a hotel and you will quickly weed out the bad ones and find the one that is right for you.