Thursday, September 10, 2009

The Savvy Way To Compare Hotels

By Clayton Dani

When you're planning your next trip for business or pleasure, do some research and compare hotels before you book. The world is in a hurry to get everything done and travel arrangements are typically made on the fly. Find a few minutes for yourself and do some comparison shopping. You'll be much happier when you know you will be staying in a quality establishment that saves you money!

Many components go into a solid hotel comparison. Forget about the big name hotel commercials you see on TV and hear on the radio. Their gimmicks may not be as sound as your own judgment. Big name hotels are great, but they're not always the winner. Be open to looking into smaller, lesser known hotels as well as the brand name establishments.

Ahead of all others, information regarding the location of the hotel should take precedence. After you've been driving or flying for hours and are ready to get some rest, the last thing you want to do is stay somewhere that is another long car ride away from the location you're going to be visiting. Online comparison websites typically give you accurate distance information. Use it toward your advantage.

Not only is proximity important when you're looking at location, physical location within the area is important, too. You don't want to stay in the middle of gang land. You also don't want to be out in the middle of nowhere, far from restaurants and places of interest. Find out about parking facilities and overnight watch duty.

Decide what you want and need out of your hotel experience. Will you just be crashing there in between trips to theme parks or will you be doing some work in your room, also? Find out what amenities are offered and don't be afraid to call and ask if you don't see what you're looking for on the list. Find out about swimming pools, exercise rooms and in room amenities, as well.

Try to get the insider's perspective on the hotels you're comparing. Individual hotels, chains and even independent hotels often post the most flattering comments from past guests on their site. Find an impartial travel site or blog and get the skinny on the hotel. Star ratings can be overinflated, so it's best to go with real time information.

While price isn't everything, you don't want to end up over paying or under staying. Big named chains offer discounts sometimes but they're really not doing you any favors. Rack rates should only be charged when the hotel is at capacity. If a price seems way too low, investigate further. It may be that the service or conditions are so poor; no one is staying at the hotel. You'll pay more for bigger names, just keep that in mind.

Bottom line is that you get what you pay for, one way or another. There are many ways to compare hotels, find what works best for you. Look into bonus points programs; you can get all sorts of goodies in the future when you stay at the same hotel or chain.

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