Booking the right hotel can be one of the most important decisions when planning a vacation. You won’t just be looking for the lowest price, as most people do, but also for the best experience your money can buy. To make a smart choice, don’t focus solely on how the hotels look online; according to Reddit users you should read reviews from past guests and check for amenities like breakfast, among other specifics. We’ll reveal the hotel booking tips you should consider!
Read the Lowest-Rated Reviews First
Highly rated reviews will reveal the positive aspects, but you need to look for one-or two-star comments that expose the real problems, issues that management won’t mention in conversation. This is one of the best hotel booking tips. These might include complaints about excessive noise, broken amenities, or poor customer service, among many others.TripAdvisor user TMR complained about a hotel in Times Square: “They have shifted from a hotel that caters to the business and tourists family crowd, to the loud noise party groups. Extremely disturbing at all times.”
Check the Hotel on Google Street View
The images on the hotel booking page won’t reveal the neighborhood where the property is located or whether it sits on a busy street. You should check the surrounding area using Google Street View to see if there is nearby construction, whether it is safe to walk there, and other such details. It is one of the easiest hotel booking tips. This is not a time-consuming hotel booking tip. Reddit user FruitOfTheVineFruit mentioned: “Google Street View helps me to have a feeling of the area I’ll be staying, especially because I like to walk.”
Search for Resort Fees and Parking Costs
When you see a low hotel rate, mandatory fees may be added to the cost, so keep an eye out. Fees for parking, Wi-Fi, pets, and some others can increase the final price. Keep those hotel booking tips in mind. Reddit user youcantdenythat revealed: “I stayed in an Orlando hotel, and they charged me an extra $7 per night to use the safe and it was not optional. And there are also other hotels that try to lure you with low nightly prices but they charge you $40 per night parking fee.”
Verify Exactly What Kind of Room You’re Booking
The images hotels display of their rooms are premium and may be retouched, meaning they don’t show reality accurately, so your booked room might look different. You should look for actual photos taken by guests who have stayed at the hotel to check details like bed size, the balcony, whether the room has been renovated, and so on. One of the simplest hotel booking tips. Reddit user pizzainoven added: “Back in the day before smartphones, guidebooks always said to check hotel room before checking in, now it’s easier.”
Look at Guest Photos, Not Just Professional Ones
A positive aspect of technological advancement is that, nowadays, you can truly see what a hotel is like thanks to the images that travelers themselves post about the establishment. Everything, from the carpets to the bathroom and the hallways, is revealed to you before you book your room, making one of these hotel booking tips easier. Reddit user -Samg381- noted: “The photos when you click on the maps page are often hilariously unrealistic. You have to select the images ‘From Visitors’ tab.”
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Research the Neighborhood, Not Just the Hotel
Booking a hotel with a nice interior and useful amenities is certainly worth considering, but you will spend most of your time out and about exploring. That is why you should keep one of these hotel booking tips in mind, check out the neighborhood where you’ll be walking. See if there are grocery stores nearby and restaurants that suit your taste, among other things. Reddit user milkyjoewithawig opined: “I generally just search for best neighborhoods to stay in. You can avoid problems with a little bit of research.”
Compare Prices on Multiple Sites and Then Check the Hotel’s Website
Sometimes, the prices shown on hotel websites are better than those on third-party apps, so one of these booking tips is to call directly and you might get a better deal. You can compare prices on apps like Booking, Expedia, and Hotels.com. Reddit user Latenightraveller revealed: “Information from Booking is partnered to Agoda, and Expedia is also partnered with TripAdvisor, Hotels.com and Trivago, so you should look there and then go into the hotel’s website to compare prices.”
Check Whether the Hotel Is Under Renovation
When a hotel is undergoing renovations, it can create a lot of noise and mean that certain amenities are unavailable, potentially ruining your experience. You can call the hotel directly to ask, for instance, whether the pools are affected, if the elevators are working, if the restaurant is open, and so on. These hotel booking tips don’t take much time. Reddit user Competitive_Air_6006 noted: “Many hotels operate with construction without being upfront about the property being a construction site.”
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Confirm Which Amenities Are Actually Included
A few years ago, many hotels included free breakfast and airport transfers, but that is no longer the norm. One of these hotel booking tips is to confirm which amenities are included, such as breakfast, airport transportation, gym access, pool hours, and so on. Reddit user TheSpiritofTruth666 remembered: “We had a woman who booked a bed and breakfast and expected 4 people to get breakfast every day when on the website it clearly said two.”
Check the Cancellation Policy Carefully
You should carefully read the hotel reservation cancellation policy, as the cheapest rates often come with certain restrictions in this regard. This is one hotel booking tips that is worth noting. You need to pay attention to refund rules, the free cancellation deadline, prepayment requirements, and flexibility regarding date changes. Reddit user jerediahdavis added: “Read the cancellation policy before purchasing. It is worth paying a higher rate that is refundable if your plans aren’t set.”
Search Recent Reviews Only
Checking the opinions of recent guests seems like a no-brainer and not one of the hotel booking tips. After all, an establishment that might have received poor reviews a few years ago could have improved, or vice versa. Pay attention to comments from the last three to six months and look for any recurring complaints among guests. Reddit user emaddxx pointed out: “You can search reviews for keywords that are important to you, and skip the rest.”
Call the Hotel If Something Matters to You
Calling a hotel directly to clarify details about a reservation that hasn’t been finalized yet isn’t done as much as it used to be. It’s about being mindful, rather than one of the hotel booking tips. However, if you have questions about whether the rooms are quiet, whether you can check in early, or other specifics, call directly. Reddit user Specific_Camera_8866 observed: “A quick tip that’s saved me money is to call the hotel directly and ask what matters to you. Do the call and ask trick, it’s as effective as it used to be.”
Conclusion
When booking a hotel, you might focus solely on getting a low nightly rate, but you should also consider hidden fees, outdated rooms, or inconvenient locations, as these could ruin your experience. Savvy travelers have already adopted these hotel booking tips that save them hundreds of dollars on their trips.
