Have you ever made a hotel reservation, only to discover upon your arrival that the place was a dump? If you’ve been through that, you’re well aware that this can make your entire stay miserable. However, a decent hotel room should not cost an arm and a leg, either. For ways to find a great hotel for a reasonable price, continue reading.

If you wish to keep things safe in a hotel, use the hotel’s safe that’s in the closet of your room. You can use it to store your tablet and other expensive items to keep them secure.

When picking a hotel, there is a lot to think about. While price is obviously a factor, you may want to think about room size and amenities as well. Amenities like a swimming pool, a gym, free local calls or breakfast, and other amenities may be things that you prefer. Look for the hotel that gives as many of the extra you desire as possible.

Take advantage of tools provided online when searching for a hotel. It is possible to find good deals fast when using sites such as these. They also let you see what full price is, so you know you are saving money. Also, hotel search websites can assist you in determining where to vacation and what to do there.

When get to your hotel, inspect the room before unpacking. It should be free of any mildew or mold. Are all bathroom fixtures in proper working order? Have the staff provided all the necessary soap, shampoo, towels, etc. that you will be needing? If you spot any problems, immediately notify the hotel staff so they can fix it or move you to another room.

You don’t want to assume that the hotel you will be staying in is considered pet friendly. Be sure to call in advance and find out about their policies, regardless of website info. Ask about their pet policy. Many hotels have restrictions on the breed and size of pet allowed on the premises.

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. Be sure to have plenty of plastic bags on hand to make pet cleanup easy. When you make a reservation you should see if you can stay near the back of the hallway to keep other guests away from your pets when they are making noises.

If you want to have a massage with your partner on your vacation, make sure that you schedule an appointment with a masseuse as early as possible. The best professionals are often in high demand, so get in while you can.

If there’s a hotel chain you stay at often, check out their membership programs for frequent guests. Like the programs for frequent flyer, these programs the hotel offer give you points whenever you stay with them. These points can be traded in for restaurant discounts, tickets to shows, free nights at the hotel, and much more.

Inquire about hotel transfer costs before before booking. In many situations in which the room’s price is a great deal, the undisclosed price of your transfer can frequently eat up the savings. If you know this upfront, you can save more money.

To make reserving a hotel easy, use AAA. AAA members can receive great hotel discounts as well as locate a rental car much more easily. You might even get a free car seat if you have kids.

Check with the hotel to make sure the pools are ready to go if you are traveling with children. Nothing is more frustrating than to have kids nagging you about swimming, only to find that the pool is closed.

If you are searching a hotel for bed bugs, you should check the bathroom first. This is the last room they are likely to be. That means your luggage will be safe there while you check out the other areas of the room. Kids and pets can safely wait there too.

Ascertain whether or not the hotel you plan to stay at allows smoking. If you are a non-smoker, you may not want to stay in a smoking room. While you can book a non-smoking room, smoke can infiltrate your room and settle into your clothing. There are times when smokers light up in a non-smoking room. Instead of choosing a non-smoking room, you can actually find an entire non-smoking hotel if you really want to avoid nasty, secondhand smoke.

Do you smoke? If so, it is important that you are aware of a hotel’s smoking policy in advance. Many have rooms set aside for people who smoke. If the hotel has one, ask for this kind of room. If you smoke in one of the hotel’s non-smoking room, you can be charged hefty fees.

Find out how the hotel handles pets. If you are allergic to pets, avoid pet friendly hotels. These hotels might also suffer from odors sinking into the floor and bed linens. Some hotels may charge you extra for pets, and some may not charge at all, or the fees are lower. The fee may cover totally or partially the cost of the extra cleaning involved.

Early Departure

If possible, do not check out earlier than your scheduled departure day. Many hotels will charge a fee for early departure. Booking a hotel room means the hotel is going to take that specific room off of their market. If you wind up leaving early, then they’ll be losing money for every day that you don’t stay. Make sure you understand that you might be charged for an early departure.

Now that you have read this article, you should have a better idea of how to find a great hotel without having to pay through the nose. It is easy to get great value in hotel accommodations when you have good information. Keep this information in mind when booking and staying at a hotel.