The hotel where you stay can be paradise or a very expensive nightmare. Considering the costs of hotels, it is important that you know what to look for (and what to avoid) when you are making a reservation. These tips will help you find the best value.

Prior to making reservations, research hotels on sites like TripAdvisor. These will give you some information from people that have stayed at that certain hotel. Find out what actual customers say about the hotel and it can help you avoid a costly mistake.

Room service is one of the best parts about a hotel. How else could you possibly enjoy a midnight snack without leaving your bed? Room service can be expensive, but the luxury of being able to lounge about in your room in your jammies can make it worthwhile.

Make use of the room safe to ensure the safety of your electronics when you are not in your room. This safe will store your small important items, such as your iPad, iPod, GPS, jewelry, etc. By doing this, you can keep these items secure and enjoy your day without fretting about someone stealing them.

There are things to think about when choosing a hotel. Of course you want to consider price, but you should also consider the hotel’s location. A pool, a gym, a restaurant, free breakfast, free local calls and free Wi-Fi are other amenities that may be important to you. Try to find a hotel that offers as many of your desired amenities as possible.

Use hotel search tools online. These kinds of websites allow you to locate great deals fast. In addition, these websites will provide a comparison of different hotel prices, which will allow you to find the best possible deals. Finally, they can also help you figure out when you want to go on your vacation and what you want to do there.

Plan your trip in advance for the best rates. Some hotels have great discounts when you book a couple of months in advance. Even some elite chains will offer discounts as much as half off.

There are three things to do ahead of time if you want to bring your pet to a hotel with you. Check to see if the hotel actually permits pets. In addition, you will need numerous plastic bags and cleaning supplies so that you can make sure you clean up any messes your pet makes. If you can arrange a corner room, there will be less likelihood of your pet disturbing other guests.

Take your GPS watch with you on vacation and some running clothes. Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you should skip on your daily running regimen. Simply set an alarm or get a wake up call and take an early morning run. You’ll get plenty of good exercise and a better understanding of the city around you.

If you travel frequently, it is wise to enroll in hotel loyalty programs. They have benefits for those who frequently stay at a hotel. You can often earn free upgrades, free stays, and complimentary late check out with enough points accrued.

If you are always staying at the same chain, find out about the programs they offer to frequent guests. Similar to how you earn points from frequent flyer programs, hotels offer you similar rewards for your stay. As a result, you could have your next stay discounted or receive other benefits, like tickets to a show.

Green Hotels

If you are concerned about the environment, you may want to take a “green” vacation. The great thing is there are plenty of green hotels you can select from. Some hotels are certified to be green. Other older hotels will just provide green options for you. Talk to your travel agent in order to find the best green hotels for your needs.

To keep from having an unwanted major expense on your hotel bill, ask about the cost of hotel transfers before booking them. Especially in situations where the price of the room represents a major deal, the hidden cost of the transfer can often make the difference. Inquiring about this in advance will maximize any savings.

Being a member of AAA can save you money on hotels. AAA members not only get discounts at many hotel chains, it will also make it much easier to rent a car. It’s great to know that you can count on both of these things.

Avoid making long distance calls from the hotel room phone. Using the Internet is a better option. A lot of hotels offer wi-fi, making it possible for you to use Skype. Use these connections to keep in touch instead of costly long distance calls.

Make sure to ask up front if the hotel you’ll be staying in allows smoking or does not. If you are not a smoker, you might want to avoid hotels with smoking rooms. Even in a non-smoking room, the smoke from other rooms is in the air and might infiltrate your clothing. Sometimes, smokers rent non-smoking rooms and smoke in them. To be sure you don’t absorb cigarette smoke, think about staying at a nonsmoking hotel.

If you smoke, learn the smoking policy of the hotel where you are staying. Many hotels set aside certain rooms or wings for smoking guests. If they do, ask for this type of room. Some hotels fine guests if they find that they smoked in a designated non-smoking room. This means that you must be sure to obey the hotel’s smoking rules.

You should be aware whether or not the hotel permits guests to have pets in the rooms. If you dislike or are allergic to pets, you should avoid hotels allowing them. The smells tend to stick around. Some hotels charge a nominal fee for pets, while others charge substantially more. The fee charged may not be adequate to cover the extra cleaning needed to completely remove the odors.

These tips should help you understand that preparation is one key to getting the best room for your situation. You just need the right information. So keep the above suggestions in mind so you ensure you find the perfect hotel that will fit all your needs.