As you know, I love to travel. However, one of the tricky bits is all in the planning. In my working life I’ve been both Cabin Crew and a Travel Agent so I like to think I’ve got a bit of experience when it comes to hotel booking, although even being a ‘pro’ I’ve still had some crazy experiences! When I’m planning a holiday, the first step is the best flights and transport, then the next step is always to find the right hotel for our stay. There is always so much to consider, so it’s not an easy one and usually the bit that takes me the most time when I’m holiday planning. After all, you’re choosing your home away from home during the time of the trip, so it’s a big decision. So if you are thinking of booking a trip away this summer, look no further, here are a few tips to help you on your way….
1. RATINGS
The key is to strike a balance between a hotel that is right for your needs and selecting the hotel with the highest star rating, if you can. For example, a person who is going on a business trip and will not be spending a great deal of time in their room may decide that they are fine with two star accommodation, whilst families traveling together usually require more amenities and a central location. Of course, you can always shop around for the best deal too, check out Discountrue coupons for Hotels.com that will allow you to book accommodation with special discounts.
2. LOCATION
If you focus solely on the price of your hotel, often the convenience of a central location will fall by the wayside. The key here is to ask yourself what you want from a location or how much the local transportation will be to get around. Be sure to avoid this common mistake by planning ahead and doing a bit of research. Are you someone who enjoys the nightlife or are you wanting go sightseeing everyday? If so, you’ll want to choose a hotel that places you in the centre of the action. Meanwhile, if you are looking for a quiet and peaceful stay will benefit from choosing a hotel that is located in a more rural area, like when we travelled to Turkey last year.
3. REVIEWS
Ratings can be misleading, but thanks to the Internet, we can read real reviews that have been written by real people. These reviews provide us with the information that we need to make a truly informed decision and allow us to find out more about the ins and outs of the hotels we are considering. Just be sure to avoid any reviews that have been written and posted on the hotel’s official website as often many of these are constructed by paid employees, as opposed to impartial observers like you or I.
4. SERVICES
How much are you going to be in your hotel? If you are on a city break, chances are there won’t be much need for extra services (well, apart from WIFI to post those all important Instagrams!) So, when planning a more relaxing hotel stay – are you looking for a hotel that provides you with a variety of restaurants to eat in? Would the presence of a pool end up swaying your decision making process? Make sure you have a good idea of the services you need for your trip before you decide on a hotel.
5. CHAIN OR INDEPENDENT?
While chain hotels offer their guests a certain level of reliability and convenience, some travellers are looking for a more unique and personal experience. For those who would rather have a unique experience, family and locally run hotels are able to provide the best option for you.
Overall, follow the above advice and take some time to chose your hotel, do your research and I’m sure you’ll have a lovely trip.
Happy Travels!
Collaborative post with Discountrue
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Nowadays we often book via airbnb. It’s usually a lot cheaper than 4 star hotels and you can get a bigger space with more privacy and meet the locals too!
Thanks for the advice about planning ahead to make sure you find lodging that’s in the right location. My dad wants to take my husband and me on a fishing trip in a few months, and we’ll need to spend a few nights there. I should do some research to find a hotel that’s near the fishing location so we don’t have to travel too far.
I do like how you mentioned that it would be wise to get a hotel based on the services that our family would be needing for our stay. That will surely help us make the most out of our planned summer vacation too. Being able to enjoy the new place as we’ll be going on a tour would most likely mean that we won’t need a lot of services. I’ll be sure to make a plan first before looking for a hotel later. Thanks!
I like your suggestion to think about what you want from your location and about the cost of transportation. My husband and I are going to be going on a week-long vacation to celebrate our first anniversary, and we just need to figure out where we’ll be staying. We’ll have to think about the location as we try to find the right accommodations for us.
I thought that it was helpful when you suggested to choose a hotel in a location that will work well for you. We have been wanting to find a hotel for our family vacation this fall, and it would be important that we could know that we have found the right one for us. When we look for a hotel, I will be sure to choose the location carefully.
Thanks for reminding me to plan ahead and do my own research before booking a hotel for our trip. I’m looking for some oceanfront hotel accommodations even though we haven’t settled on a date yet. To make it easier for my friends, I’ll probably volunteer to do your advice and look for reviews before trusting a hotel.
I like that you said that I should read the reviews of the hotels I’m considering to make a truly informed decision. My husband and I plan to spend our third wedding anniversary in a beautiful hotel. I’ll follow your advice and check the reviews of the hotels on our list to choose the best one among them. Thanks!