You have decided on your destination and travel dates. Now the interesting part that immerses you into the trip mood is booking accommodation. This is an important part that can determine whether your trip will be a success. Don’t let the excitement of your trip cloud your judgment and make you miss on a few aspects to consider while shopping around and booking your accommodation. Lucky for you, we have done the digging and come up with a few tips that will come in handy when you are booking your accommodation to ensure you get value for your money.
Like in any other trip,accommodation and a means of movement when you arrive at your destination go hand in hand. With a car rental being the most ideal means of transport ensure you book one too. Use Rental24h.com to compare the different car rental options in your destination to settle on one that best suits you. Whether it’s a group trip that will need you to rent a car for 9 passengers or a couple’s trip or a solo trip that will need smaller cars, you will get your ideal car.
After getting your car, which is the simpler of the two processes, now it’s time to book your accommodation.
Below we discuss 6 tips to apply to get yourself the best possible deal.
Get your dates right
Don’t make the mistake of entering your accommodation dates based on your date of departure. This applies to check-out dates too. If you for example have your flight departing after midnight you will have to check-out on the day before your flight.
Consider if you are flying through time zones or have a flight that lands after midnight or even both. These situations can be tricky and it’s an idea to come up with your rough itinerary before booking.
How far in advance should you book your hotel?
Like plane tickets and car rentals, booking in advance is always wise. But how far in advance is ideal? One or two months before travel is the optimal time. Unless there is a popular event or a major holiday. Booking too far in advance could result in you getting higher prices while waiting too long can result in you missing out as the hotel can be fully booked on your dates of travel.
Filter your hotel search results by rating
After deciding on your travel dates it’s now time to start filtering your search results. Focus on star and guest ratings. You can further narrow the search by clicking on the type of accommodation you intend to use. You can choose either hotels, hostels, apartments or any other type.
Depending on your budget you can choose between 1-5 stars. If you are not on a tight budget choosing between 4-5 stars considerably reduces the search results and leaves you with a lesser volume to go through.
The guest rating is another useful filter option. The scale used can vary but most sites use a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best. Aim for 8.5 and higher.
You can also read reviews by previous guests. You can further filter reviews by using keywords like pool or breakfast to see what previous guests have to say about them.
Hotel amenities and accessibility
In case you or your travel partner have any issues with mobility you may want to filter your hotel search to look for a hotel that has wheelchair accessibility, or visual aids if one of you has sight issues.
On amenities and facilities, ensure you filter with all your preferences. There are things like air conditioning that you may take for granted only to find it isn’t provided. If you are traveling with your pet you may want to find out the hotels accepting pets. List your preferences and filter out hotels that can’t accommodate them.
Book a hotel in the right location
Take into consideration the hotel’s location before being excited about a facility like rooftop pool. Often you will prefer hotel locations that are close to the city center or near the airport, or if traveling for an event, near the event.
Confirm the check-in and check-out time
The standard check-in time in most hotels is between 2-3 pm and check-out is between 10-12 pm. When booking keep it in mind to plan your arrival. You can also request early check-in and late check-out.
Conclusion
When planning a trip, booking your accommodation is always a crucial part. In this article, we have discussed 6 tips to apply when booking your accommodation on your next trip to have a good time. Apart from accommodation, your means of movement when you arrive at your destination will also be crucial. Check out the available car rental options available in your destination and also make the booking in advance. There are many USA cars for rent companies so this will be an easier task. You can now pack your bags and wait to go and enjoy your trip. Don’t forget your camera!
