Now that travel is back in full swing, people are eager to book vacations again. And, of course, finding the perfect hotel is the key. Also, it wouldn't hurt to save some money, too. Am I right?
As it turns out, there are things you should keep in mind when booking that hotel stay. When a recent Reddit thread asked hotel workers to share their insights, secrets, and hacks, I was all ears. So I'm going to share a few of them with you below. You're welcome.
"Biggest piece of advice is to just be polite to the front desk person, and we will go the extra mile every time. Bottle of wine, freshly baked cookies in your room, late check-in, hints of the best local eateries, whatever."
Oh, yeah! If you endear yourself to the front desk staff, you'll have a much better time.
"A front desk employee here. If we are at low occupancy at my hotel, we will often upgrade, if requested. But don't be a [jerk] about it. Do: 'Is it possible to have an upgrade?' Don't: 'Hey, hook me up with the prez suite! Ha, ha JUST KIDDING. But, no, really, is there an upgrade for free?'
Ha, ha, there's a polite way to ask, huh?
"Many hotels are independently owned. If you need a place to stay on the same night you’re booking, use an online booking service to find which hotels in the area have availability. Then call the hotel directly and ask if they have any special rates for that night."
Honestly, I always call the hotel directly. I think you'll get the best price that way.
"Ask the hotel to remove such fees as Wifi, newspaper, gym, and pool. These are often included but they will remove if requested."
Oh, my! I actually didn't know about that. What a great tip, huh? I'm so doing this from now on.
"Also, if you need to cancel but are too close to the reservation date call and change to a date a few months out. There's usually no charge for this. Then, call back and cancel that reservation."
Oh my goodness, why haven't I thought of that? It's pretty genius.
"For extended stay hotels, you get the absolute cheapest rate possible (especially for 30+ day sales) by calling them and haggling. Also, a lot of hotels are seasonal. Find out if they are in their 'off-season' and then haggle if they are. They pay for the room regardless of whether or not you stay (via cost of capital expenditure) so most are usually willing to give you a cheap rate if you keep it hush-hush."
Is that right?
"Also, don't be afraid to ask for extra toiletries, towels, linens, or coffee. We don't care how much you take, all you have to do is ask."
Oh, that's good to know. Am I right? I always thought that's a way to charge the guest more, but I'm happy to find out that's not the case.
"No longer a hotel worker but: do not use the provided glasses. Or, if you need to, wash them yourself first."
I knew that, and I always wash the provided glasses if I plan on using them at all. I thought it was common sense, ha, ha.
"A room can have bedbugs even if you see no evidence of them on the mattress itself. If it's not attached to the wall, looking on the backside of the headboard is always a good idea."
Bed bugs scare me to the core. I'm not going to lie about that.
"Also, never put your luggage on the bed. This is how bed bugs travel from hotel to hotel. Source: I've worked the front desk for the past two years."
I also heard about this, and I try to remember that when I travel. Better to be safe than sorry, huh?
"If a hotel is 'smoke-free,' and you smoke there, you are liable to get pinned with a $150 or more damages fee. It happened at the hotel that I worked at every time someone smoked inside."
Yikes!
"Often you can find 'treasures' left behind by former guests. Rip the room apart! Look under the mattress and box spring. In vents. Move the night stand and dressers. Just be sure to put it back together before you leave. If you stay in enough hotels and do this you will find something left behind. Housekeepers generally have 10-15 min to clean each room."
Oh, my goodness. Ha, ha!
"Rinse tubs before use, most clean them with white tub cream that can irritate your skin if it gets on it."
Oh, man. I didn't know that. But now that I read it, it does make sense to me.
"If anything in the restroom is dirty or seems 'off' to you, it means housekeeping is slacking and/or their morale is low. This is likely the result of negligent management, owners, etc. The place is rotten to the core, and other rooms aren't likely to be any better."
So what do you do now?
"Look at the bathroom in the pictures on their site. If it is super nice, usually the rest of the hotel is, too. If it’s just a standard-looking bathroom, dig deeper before booking."
I guess this answers the above question. Do more research before you book a place, and you won't have that problem.
"As a frequent business traveler and a frequent drinker, I have found out that the bottom of the ironing board can usually be used as a bottle opener."
Haha, thanks for the tip, man. I'll keep that in mind.
"If you need a crib, call ahead. At our hotel, we only have eight cribs, and it isn't all too uncommon for them all to be lent out on our busiest days. Call ahead and see if we have any available or if we can set one aside for you."
Who knew, huh?
"When you book with a website (not the hotel's), you often can't change your reservation with the hotel because your contract is actually with whatever site you used. Cancellations, refunds, and the like are out of our hands. It usually doesn't matter, but it's always good to know. Prices can also vary, you won't always get a better deal on the travel site. You essentially now have two people making money off of you instead of one. It really depends on the availability and nightly rates, which change all the time."
That's why I prefer to book with the hotel instead.
I'm starting to look forward to traveling again. And now, with these insights, I feel a lot more confident than before. So, let me ask you: where would you travel next? I haven't decided yet, but a hot climate place is always my number one choice. I just hope I won't have any issues like those above, hee-hee.
