Have you booked a hotel room and showed up to find that the hotel was dumpy? If the answer is yes, then you already know that this can be disastrious for your vacation. Luckily, you can get good accommodations at a price that’s affordable. Read on to learn some valuable tips that will help you find a great room at a great price.

If you want a nice meal at night with your special someone, and you are too comfortable in your room to go out, order some food through room service. While you’re likely to pay a little more, it’s worth having the convenience of staying in your room (and in your pajamas) while you wait to satisfy those nocturnal cravings.

When you get to your hotel room, look over the room before unpacking. Is the room clean and free from mildew or mold? Are all bathroom fixtures in proper working order? Make sure you have the linens, bath supplies and towels that you will need. If you see any issues, be sure to tell the front desk. This way, they can fix the problems or switch rooms for you.

Know the hotel’s check-in time. Some people end up waiting for their room to be available because they forget to check this critical detail. Call the hotel if you are early and find out if your room is ready.

If you want to find the absolute rock bottom hotel prices, plan your trips weeks or months ahead of time. A lot of hotel locations offer discounts for reservations a month or more in advance. Doing this could save you up to 50 percent off your room, and this holds true with the more elite brands as well.

Be sure and take care of three important things before bringing a pet on your trip to any hotel. Be sure that the hotel really does allow pets. Also, take a good supply of plastic bags, such as grocery bags, to clean up after your pet. Finally, ask the hotel staff if you can have a room on the far end away from guests so that you don’t interfere with their visit.

If you belong to the AAA, see what kinds of discounts the hotel offers. Did you know that this membership entitles you to hotel discounts? You can save five percent or more on certain hotels. These savings really add up.

You should always find out how much hotel transfers will cost before you book a room. If the rooms are cheap, the transfer could ruin the deal. You can increase the amount you save by simply finding this information out in advance.

If you travel frequently, you can maximize your hotel benefits by looking into reward programs from large hotel chains. You will build up points with that hotel for added benefits. It works a lot like frequent flier miles do for airlines.

You can get great hotel discounts by becoming a member of AAA. If you do a lot of traveling, the AAA membership can pay for itself, and you can also get deals on rental cars. It is definitely worth looking into.

Check with the hotel to make sure the pools are ready to go if you are traveling with children. You don’t want to get there, only to disappoint your children when you find out the pool is closed.

Moking Rooms

See if the hotel is non-smoking or smoking. If you aren’t a smoker, then you want to avoid smoking rooms and maybe even smoking hotels in general, but most hotel chains do have smoking and non-smoking rooms. Even if you stipulate that your room should be non-smoking, second hand smoke can still enter your room. It is not unheard of for those who smoke to stay in non-smoking rooms and proceed to smoke. Think about staying at a hotel that is totally nonsmoking if you don’t want to stink when you check out.

You should know that you generally aren’t going to be able to do an early check-in at a hotel. If you are going to arrive early, plan on doing something to fill your time. Most hotels clean and prepare rooms at a certain time, so that they are ready for check-in. Having said that, don’t hesitate to ask the front desk about checking in if you do arrive early; however, you shouldn’t expect to be able to do this. The best thing you can do is arrive on time.

Ask about a rollaway or crib when you book your room. Such items usually have a limited amount of such extras. On occasion, these services may require an additional charge. Let the hotel know what you need to avoid anything that you will turn in a bad surprise.

Know what the industry term “walk” means when booking a room. This happens when the room you requested is unavailable because of overbooking on the part of the hotel. They might try and send you to a different hotel. Try to avoid this scenario if you can, but if it becomes necessary to secure alternate accommodations, be sure that the room is at least comparable to the one at the hotel you booked, and get compensation for your travel expenses.

Stay away from the bottled water! You may be thirsty and tired when you arrive. The mini fridge is calling your name. Hotels know this and charge more for bottled water. Check the hotel gym and see if they offer it for free. Or, if you are thinking ahead, just bring a bottle with you.

You can get a cheaper price on a nice hotel if you book during their slow times of the year. This is when you get charged high rates. Instead, try and travel during the off season when there are lots of vacancies. You will have a better chance in getting a good rate.

After reading all of the great information provided above, you should be more prepared in your quest for the perfect hotel room at an excellent price. Getting hotel deals can be easy if you look for them. All you have to do is remember the tips provided here.