Have you ever booked a hotel room, only to find that the place wasn’t up to snuff when you arrived? If you have, you know a bad hotel can ruin your vacation. Luckily, you can get good accommodations at a price that’s affordable. The following article is packed with tips on how to find a great hotel room.

Be sure to keep your valuables and electronics secure by locking them in your hotel room’s safe. You can place your small, expensive items such as your iPad in the safe, so you can enjoy your day knowing they are safe and secure.

Take a look into organizations you are part of. Many of these places will give you cheaper hotel prices. These discounts can be as much as 10 percent or even more. When you’re staying for more than one night, this can add up to a decent savings. That’s almost an extra free night throughout an entire week.

There are quite a few things you need to think over when you’re about to stay at a hotel. Price is always important, of course, but you might also want to find a hotel near a certain attraction or business. Other amenities that people look for are a gym, pool, free local phone calls, free Wi-Fi, and free breakfast. Look for the hotel that gives as many of the extra you desire as possible.

Once you get to your hotel, do not unpack until you check the room. Is the room mildew-free and otherwise clean? Check the toilet, the shower, and the sink to make sure they are clean and function properly. Have the staff provided all the necessary soap, shampoo, towels, etc. that you will be needing? If you have any questions or notice any problems with the room, immediately call the front desk and report them so that they may be handled. You may also asked to be transferred to a new room if the problem is serious, such as mold or mildew.

Plan your trip in advance for the best rates. If you can book early, you may get a huge discount. Even high end hotels can offer you a substantial savings this way.

Most hotels are not pet-friendly. Even if the website says they are pet-friendly, always call in advance to verify. Be sure you know what pet-friendly means because there could be specific restrictions on sizes or certain breeds of dogs.

Make sure you know hotel transfer costs prior to booking a hotel room in order to avoid a large unexpected cost. In many situations in which the room’s price is a great deal, the undisclosed price of your transfer can frequently eat up the savings. You will save more by asking about such a thing in advance.

Consider joining a membership program if you travel often. Each hotel stay can accrue points towards vacation perks.

Do not make long distance calls from your hotel room. Using the Internet is a better option. Many hotels now offer Skype connections via Wi-Fi. This will help you converse with those back home without racking up a lofty bill.

Your children will be happy when you call the hotel to make sure their pool is open and working. It can prove rather frustrating when you check in to your room with the kids screaming “pool” only to find out it’s closed.

If you smoke, you should understand the hotel’s policy about smoking before you book a room. There are sometimes rooms designated for people who smoke. So if you are a smoker, be sure to ask for one of those rooms. Don’t smoke in a nonsmoking room, or you may be charged by the hotel for doing so.

Early Check

You should know that you generally aren’t going to be able to do an early check-in at a hotel. Be sure to not to show up early so you don’t have to wait. Hotels have to make sure their rooms are ready for you. If you should happen to get there early, ask at the desk about early check-in, but your request may not be granted.

When making your reservation for a room, specify when you need a roll-out bed or crib. Some hotels don’t have them, and others have a limited amount. On occasion, these services may require an additional charge. Talk about your needs when you reserve a spot so you don’t get surprised with something you won’t like.

For hygienic purposes, you may want to avoid using the bedspread that the hotel provides. The bedspread is one item that does not usually get washed between bookings. For this reason, there’s no telling what might be on that bedspread. Remove it from the bed before you use it.

You have rights in the event where a hotel needs to “walk” you. There may be times when a hotel overbooks, leaving with no room. In this case the hotel has to send you to a different hotel. Getting there early can usually prevent this, but if you do get “walked,” make sure your accommodations are not being downgraded in any way.

You can save quite a bit on your next vacation when you choose to bundle your hotel room and flight. A lot of travel websites provide significant savings for people who reserve a hotel and a rental car or flight from them. Compare the rates from different websites to find the best deals.

Having read the advice presented here, you can find an affordable hotel room. It’s easy to come up with good hotel deals when you have an idea of how to proceed. Follow the tips presented here to get great accommodations.