Have you ever booked a hotel only to find out later than it was dreadful? If this has happened, you know the wrong room can ruin a trip. Paying the right price for a good room is important. Read these tips to improve your skills when shopping for a hotel room.

Use travel websites, like Expedia and Priceline to find great hotel deals. If you are in a hotel loyalty program, put your information in. Find out if you can get a discount for being an AAA or AARP member, too.

There are tons of online search tools that help customers find satisfactory rates they can’t find elsewhere. It is possible to find good deals fast when using sites such as these. They display the average rates of hotels so that you can see if the deal you are getting is good. They also can help with figuring out when the ideal time to go on vacation is and what you can do once you are there.

Never book a hotel room before seeking out online deals. Many times, the reservation specialist won’t tell you of discounts when you call to book your room. This is why you should always do your research well online to find these hidden discounts. Look at Jetsetter, RueLaLaTravel or similar websites for discounts.

Don’t unpack upon arrival without checking your hotel room first. Is the room mildew-free and otherwise clean? Are the showers, sinks, toilets, etc. properly functioning? Are all the towels you’ll need present in the room? If you find obvious problems, notify the front desk right away so the hotel can correct the problems or they can assign a different room.

Know the hotel’s check-in time. If you don’t know you may end up waiting a long time. Call and ask if you think you’ll be early.

Do not make the assumption that your pets are welcome at all hotels. Call the hotel in advance to ensure the hotel is pet friendly. Get the term “pet-friendly” defined, as well. The hotel may not allow large dogs or certain types of pets.

If you’re interested in the massage services of a hotel you intend to stay at, reserve your appointment ahead of time. Frequently, the best massage people will be booked by name. This means that if you book early, you’ll have a better experience.

Always see if your AAA membership can get you a discount on the hotel you intend to stay at. You could also get a surprise that you have an auto club membership that gives you hotel discounts. You can save 5 percent or even more on hotels around the country. The savings can really add up nightly.

Environmentally Friendly

Choose a green vacation if you care for the environment. Luckily, you can choose from quite a few green hotels these days. There are newer hotels that were built to be environmentally friendly. Eco-friendly strategies are also now commonly adopted by many older hotels. A good travel agent can help you find hotels that are environmentally friendly.

If you do a great deal of traveling, consider joining hotel chain loyalty programs. Then you can accrue points, get extra perks, and save money.

Aaa Members

To make reserving a hotel easy, use AAA. People who are AAA members receive discounts at many hotel chains. In addition, having a AAA membership will make it easier to get a rental car when it’s needed. Many car rental agencies add perks, such as a child car seat at no charge, for AAA members.

Never use the hotel phone for long distance calls. Use the Internet, instead. Many hotels now offer Skype connections via Wi-Fi. In this way, you can stay in touch with friends, relations and colleagues without racking up a big phone bill.

If you want your family to have a happy stay, call the hotel ahead and ensure that their swimming pools are available and in good working order. It will be a huge disappointment if you arrive at the hotel with the kids ready to swim and they are not able to do so.

You should always be aware whether or not the hotel allows pets. If you are afraid of pets or have allergies to them, you should probably avoid booking at pet friendly hotels. These hotels could have weird odors because of smells getting into the linens and the floor. You may get charged extra for having a pet, but a lot of places don’t charge all that much. The fee may be for any cleaning that needs to be done.

If you will require a crib or a rollaway bed during your stay, make sure you make this known at the time your reservation is made. Not every hotel will have these items available, and the ones that do only have limited quantities. Additionally, you may need to pay an extra fee. Ask about this before you finalize your reservations, to make sure your needs are fully met.

After having read through this helpful information, you are ready to book that nice hotel room that still fits your budget. Getting hotel deals can be easy if you look for them. Keep this information in mind during your search.