Booking a hotel room? Give these tips a try and you might have your best, least expensive stay yet!
- Call the hotel’s local number and ask to speak to the manager-on-duty or director of sales to get the best rate.
- Everything is negotiable. Look around. If the parking lot is relatively empty, ask to have the parking fees waived or reduced.
- Rooms are often available even when the hotel has no vacancies.
- Rooms are more expensive in the morning. Make your reservation just after 6 p.m. for this is when all the no-show reservations that were secured by credit cards are freed up.
- If you want a more spacious room without paying more, request a corner room or a handicapped one.
- When you check into a hotel, find out what is free or included in a possible “daily amenities fee” and what is not.
- Tip the housekeeper every day. Leave your tip on your bill or dress with a note so the housekeeper knows that it is for them. Don’t wait until the end of your stay to leave a larger tip. $2-5 is adequate depending upon the condition you leave the room.
- The lost and found is a great resource for your cell phone needs. Charging cords are the number one item left behind so hotels usually have a stock of unclaimed ones and willing to lend chargers out.
- Don’t call the front desk with a special request between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Chances are they will be busy with a long line of guests waiting to check out or in, and will just want to get you off the phone.
SOURCE: The A Position
IMAGE: Getty