Your hotel stay can be a factor that can make your stay a dream come true or an expensive nightmare. With the high cost of staying in a hotel, it’s crucial you are aware of what to search for when booking a room. So here are some tips to help you get the best room at the best price.

Prior to reserving a room at a hotel, look on the Internet for reviews. One great site is TripAdvisor. These reviews can give you a customer’s perspective of the hotel you are planning on staying at. What people say about a hotel can help you figure out where you should be staying.

Find great prices at online travel sites like Orbitz and Expedia. If you are a part of a loyalty program, make note of that. Don’t neglect to check for other discounts in which you may qualify, including AAA and AARP.

Think about using room service if you want to enjoy late-night dining without needing to leave your hotel room. It might cost a little extra, but it’s definitely worth the bill. Nothing is more enjoyable than having food delivered to your room while you’re in your PJ’s.

What groups are you a member of? Hotel discounts are often one of the benefits offered. Discounts of 10% or more are often available, and people sometimes forget that they are eligible to claim them. This can result in significant savings, especially for longer stays. Over the course of a week it’s nearly a free night!

There are quite a few things you need to think over when you’re about to stay at a hotel. You should look at the price, but you should also look at the location that is most convenient for what you want to do. A pool, a gym, a restaurant, free breakfast, free local calls and free Wi-Fi are other amenities that may be important to you. Seek to locate a hotel that provides lots of attractive amenities.

Prior to emptying out your suitcase, carefully look over your room. Is it tidy and sanitary? Are the facilities operating correctly? Make sure you have the linens, bath supplies and towels that you will need. If there are any obvious problems, report them to the front desk immediately so that they can be taken care of or you can be moved to a different room.

Know when you are able to check in and get your room. Some people forget to find out what time they are allowed in their room; they show up at the hotel only to find their room is not yet ready. Ask for an early check-in time if absolutely necessary.

In order to get the best prices for hotel stays, you will want to plan your trip several weeks or months beforehand. Quite a few locations will give discounts if you choose to book a room a month or more in advance. This way, you can save as much as 50 percent even with the most elite brands.

If you’re going to be wanting a massage at your hotel, book it well in advance. The best massage therapists are usually booked up for months ahead of time, and you don’t want to miss out.

If you are someone who travels a lot, signing up for any hotel loyalty programs is probably a good idea. These programs provide perks to those who stay at a particular chain regularly. You can earn things like free upgrades, complimentary late check-out times and free stays if you accrue enough loyalty points.

Environmentally Friendly

If you are an environmentally conscious traveler, you should look into “green” hotels. Many hotels offer environmentally friendly standards today. Newer hotels are often certified green and designed and built using green standards. Older hotels can go green by making environmentally friendly choices in energy use. Ask around for hotels that are friendly to the environment.

How much you pay for a hotel room depends on when you book your room. Rooms are typically priced according to availability. If you can, make your reservation no earlier than 24 hours before you arrive. You’ll end up with a great deal this way. An empty room will earn the hotel no money; so, they generally slash the price.

If you are a frequent business traveler, establishments like Marriott and Choice Hotels offer attractive membership programs. This allows you to earn points each time you book a room. You can use these points to purchase perks in the future.

Try not to make long distance calls from your hotel room. Rather, use a web tool. The hotel may even offer Skype calls via Wi-Fi. This saves you a ton of money.

If you’re traveling with kids, be sure that you check on the pools to ensure they’re open and in service. There aren’t many things that are as frustrating as going to your hotel with kids that really want to swim only to see that it has been closed.

If you want to inspect a hotel room for bed bugs, start with the bathroom. This is the last room they are likely to be. Stow you suitcases and other items here and then take a good look at the rest of your room. It is a good place for pets or children to wait for a couple minutes as well.

Make sure to ask up front if the hotel allows smoking or does not. If you are a non-smoker, you might want to stay away from hotels that offer smoking rooms. While you can book a non-smoking room, smoke can infiltrate your room and settle into your clothing. Sometimes, smokers rent non-smoking rooms and smoke in them. Choose a non-smoking hotel to a smoke smell on your clothes.

Clearly, doing your homework can assist you in finding a good hotel at a great price. The key is to be prepared and know the things to look out for. If you follow these tips and do your homework in advance, you should be able to book the ideal hotel room with ease.