Everyone has their story about staying at a hotel. Whether it's a story about a hotel you chose specifically because of an amazing pool that turned out to be closed when you arrived, a hotel that double-charged you, or a hotel whose website claimed it was minutes from everything but actually was a long 45-minute walk from anywhere.
When it comes to hotel stays, we have our share of experience from over 14 years of traveling together. Therefore, we have prepared a short list of some of our surest quick tips for the best hotel stay.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Make sure you know what you're getting
It's a pity this isn't always the case, but many hotels include misleading information in their hotel descriptions and amenities. I can't count how many times we've checked into a hotel that states it is within walking distance of the city center, only to find the hotel's definition of walking distance is over an hour.
In most cases, you can easily double-check a hotel listing. Google Maps is great for quickly verifying the hotel's location. Recent hotel reviews are also a helpful source of information.
We've also learned to call the hotel directly to ask if specific amenities will be available during our stay. We were previously disappointed to discover that the beautiful outdoor hotel pool we were looking forward to was closed for renovations or, even more puzzlingly, closed for the winter despite it still being summer.
Inform the hotel in advance about a special occasion
If your hotel stay marks a special occasion such as a honeymoon or anniversary, you have a chance for an upgrade or special treatment if you inform the hotel prior to check-in. If you inform the hotel upon arrival, it might be too late to secure special treatment if all upgrades have already been used.
A better strategy is to call the front desk in advance and notify them of your special occasion, giving the staff time to prepare.
Get the best price
I'm often surprised by how many people think the hotel price is the average rate for a hotel room. In fact, the rack rate is usually the maximum price the hotel charges for a room.
Even if you're not a big fan of hunting for discounts, it's usually worth a quick 10-second Google search for a discount code to make sure you're paying less than the rack rate. There may be rooms available even if the board says "No vacancies."
If you're like us and often travel spontaneously, you might sometimes encounter the sad hotel sign that says "No vacancies." If so, don't despair, as there may be one or two vacant rooms at the hotel.
In some cases, a room is marked as reserved due to maintenance issues. Chat pleasantly with the hotel agent, and you may find a good discount on a room with a minor problem.
Don't be a jerk
Anyone who has ever worked in customer service knows well that rude customers receive worse service. Why? Would you be motivated to help someone who was rude, condescending, or outright offensive to you? No? Well, you can bet the front desk agent won't be either. It's worth remembering that front desk agents hold a lot of power in a hotel.
Not only can they give you free stuff, but they can also make sure you get a room with a noisy air conditioner or curtains that don’t close completely if you're not nice.
Always be nice. It costs nothing.
On the other hand, a bit of kindness and respect for the front desk can work wonders. A front desk staff member on your side can help you find an upgraded room, a late checkout, or a thousand other little things. Even if they can't help you, at least you've made someone's day a little better. And that's worth a lot. If you're really after excellent service, try a $20 tip.
Tip, even a little
It’s no surprise that people working in the hotel industry, especially those doing housekeeping, have some of the lowest salaries, so every tip counts. Tipping the housekeeping staff every evening (not just the last day) can help you get impeccable room service throughout your stay and an exceptionally clean room.
Ask to see a few different rooms
If you're not happy with the first room you get, ask if you can look at other available rooms. Often managers try to fill the least desirable rooms first, so you might be surprised when other available rooms have a much better view or even more space.
Join the hotel loyalty club
Even if you only plan a one-time stay, joining the loyalty club can bring some benefits. Filling out the hotel loyalty program form online usually takes less than five minutes and can pay off in benefits offered only to loyalty program members. Most loyalty clubs are free, and since you're staying there anyway, you might as well earn points.
Avoid cancellation fees
If it turns out you need to cancel a hotel room after the cancellation date, call and politely ask to move your reservation to the following week. Then call back a few hours or the next day and cancel the new reservation. This little trick might just save you from a cancellation fee. If it doesn't work, you can always use Roomer to try to sell a non-refundable hotel room.
Looking for more tips for the best hotel stay? I had a great time researching this post and even found some great books about hotels and the hotel industry. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
