Archive for the ‘Hotels’ Category

Traveling Smart and Grabbing the Best Hotel Deals

Wednesday, February 11th, 2009

Budget-conscious travelers should realize that one of the ways they can save on their travel expenses, aside from booking cheap tickets, is by grabbing the best hotel deals around. In reality, it is not really difficult to find the hottest deals in hotels. All you need is a bit of persistence and a lot of patience.

Hotel and Resort

  • Check Online Deals – there is nothing easier than sitting in front of your computer and browsing the different websites that offer great hotel deals. Of course, you will need to so a lot of shopping and comparing. When doing this, you should make sure that you also take note of the incentives that these hotels might offer such as free breakfast, airport transfers and even guided tours.
  • Contact the Hotel – if you are having a hard time looking for the best hotel deals online, then you should probably just pick up the phone and call them. True, it will be time consuming but all your queries regarding their hotel services will be answered at once. For travelers who desire a customized accommodation arrangement, this is probably the best way to plan your travel. Calling hotels will also allow you to avail of promos and deals not yet offered online.
  • Walk In – sometimes, you will be able to enjoy great prices on hotel rates even without a reservation. Many hotels experience cancellation at the last minute and they will certainly welcome walk ins. Plus, you can even negotiate rates!

These tips are certainly helpful especially if you are looking to enjoy some savings. When booking your hotel, you should make sure that you have read and understood all of the terms and conditions attached to the package. If you have any questions, you should not hesitate to ask the hotel. You should also make sure that you have provided the correct information if you do not want to experience any inconvenience upon arrival and checking in.

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Answers to Hotel Reservation Woes

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

One of the things that could ruin any trip, whether business or vacation, is discovering you have no place to stay because your hotel reservations were not made properly. Many travelers have actually experienced this inconvenient situation and since it can happen to the most organized person, it is probably best to find out how to avoid these kinds of inconveniences.

Answers to Hotel Reservation Woes

Although many travelers prefer making hotel reservation directly, many experts recommend that you do so through a reliable travel agent. Most travel agencies have tie- ups with certain hotels and you might enjoy some perks if you allow your travel agent to do the booking.

If you prefer making your own hotel reservations, you should make sure that you call the hotel directly instead of simply making reservations online. This way, you can ask questions regarding the amenities and room rates directly. It is very important that you write down your conformation number as well as the name of the hotel representative you are speaking with. Bring a copy of this list with you and make sure that you present it to the reservation desk as soon as you arrive at the hotel.

For travelers who are unexpectedly delayed en route to their hotels, you should try to contact the hotel upon knowing that you are going to be late in order to avoid having your reservation cancelled. It is probably better to provide your credit card number as guarantee.

In case you still lost the reservation, you should not let it get you down. Speak with the reservation officer and find out if there are rooms available. If there are none, you can ask for assistance in finding another hotel. If it is the hotel’s fault, you will probably be transferred to a sister hotel and have all your additional expenses covered.

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Avoiding Hidden Hotel Surcharges

Wednesday, June 4th, 2008

While you might put a lot of effort into finding cheap hotels in the same way you put effort into maximizing the value of travel through cheap airline tickets, sometimes hotel reservations still end up costing you a lot more than you want to pay for, and a lot of it has to do with hotel surcharges. These are little extra costs for things you’d never expect would cost money, including everything from receiving packages or mail to a flat rate for even picking up the phone to make a phone call.

Resort

Unfortunately, hidden surcharges like these are one of the ways many hotels are profiting these days. Experts say that last year alone, U.S. hotels brought in more than $1.6 billion through hotel fees and surcharges such as these. They’re coming up with new ways to charge you all the time as well, so staying on top of these charges and planning ahead can end up saving you a bundle on hotel vacations.

Watching for taxes is one of the most important ways to plan for the true costs of hotels. No estimated or given room rate ever includes taxes, so be expecting to see an additional amount added on to cover that expense every time you book a hotel. Know where you’re traveling and what the local law is, because it varies for different locations. For example, New York state charges an 8.75% sales tax, and also adds on a 5% hotel tax for the total cost of a reservation.

And be aware of individual fees charged by hotels. Call ahead and inquire about them and what extra services, usually considered perks, may cost. Watch out for the notorious “resort fee” which many hotels charge for being of higher quality than other hotels, and can be a flat rate of anywhere from $25-$50.

Some hotel chains, such as Hilton are now making commitments to including the “total cost” up front when you book, so you can’t be charged for anything additional. Many travel sites also factor in the surcharges and costs associated with certain locations and make sure to present them up front.

If you do get charged with extras, make sure the hotel staff at the front desk can explain everything to you, every charge and every detail. If he dismisses any charge as simply mandatory, but cannot explain why, you have grounds for dispute and can pursue the issue further with the hotel company.

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Finding Cheap Hotels

Thursday, April 24th, 2008

There are a lot of opportunities for finding cheap hotels out there, you just have to know how to go about booking and finding them.

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Hotel Reservations – The Art Of Saving Big On Hotel Reservations

Wednesday, October 10th, 2007

We all know how expensive travel can really be. Staying in a star hotel is even more expensive than traveling by air as you at least have cheap airline tickets now. But hotel reservations have only become more expensive with 2006 being the year when the room revenue was at the highest level ever!

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Hotel Topic – Hotels & Travel News, Articles and Reviews

Thursday, September 20th, 2007

Welcome to Hotel Topic, Here you’ll find the latest news, articles and reviews for Hotels & Travel.

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