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Hotel Check List

Hints to help your hotel stay go smoothly

• Print out your confirmation and receipt (if prepaid) and take these with you to your hotel.
  
  At some point during your travels, you may need to prove that you made a reservation that somehow became "lost" in a computer system.
  
  
• Soon after booking online, call your hotel or resort and confirm that it received your reservation and that all is well.
  
  
• Give your hotel any special requests you may have, such as a nonsmoking room or king bed. You are never absolutely guaranteed these, but it helps to request (or reconfirm) these directly with your hotel in advance of arrival.
  
  The more in advance you make these requests, the more likely they will be honored.
  
  However, wait until check in to ask for any free upgrades. (See below)
  
  
• Ask the hotel what parking costs, if traveling to a large city.
  
  Parking rates can be astronomically high, and cheaper rates may be in unsafe areas.
  
  You simply do not need a car in Manhattan or in downtown areas of cities such as Chicago, San Francisco, or Washington, DC.
  

The following hints may also enhance your travel experience.

• Sign up for your hotel chain's frequent guest program, especially if you are staying at a top rated hotel.
  
  You may get a free upgrade, express check out, and other perks. You will probably not receive any points for a Hotwire or Priceline stay, but you may, especially if you have spent additional money while at the hotel.
  
  
• Avoid checking in during the late evening.
  
  Hotels overbook, so you'll want to avoid this major hassle, especially late at night. Try to show up before everyone else has.
  
  An exception is Las Vegas, where guests arrive and depart at all hours.
  
  
• When checking in at better hotels, dress appropriately for your destination and age.
  
  You do not have to wear a business suit when arriving at a top hotel in New York, but you should wear something more upscale than what you wore while camping at the Grand Canyon.
  
  Like it or not, hotel desk clerks and those who guard the doors of the best clubs and restaurants are more likely to do favors for you if they think that you belong.
  
  
• If you have an American Express or airline frequent traveler credit card, use it when you check in. This tells the hotel that you probably travel frequently, and it would be wise to treat you well.
  
  
• Especially when arriving at first-class and deluxe hotels, do not ask for free upgrades if you are a Hotwire or Priceline customer, unless you hold top status in the hotel's frequent guest program.
  
  Check in clerks are quite jaded when it comes to these requests. After all, using Hotwire.com or Priceline, you are paying the rock bottom rates at these hotels. See
  
  See Winning Hotel bids in Top Cities from $28 per night!
  
  INSTEAD, politely ask how much it costs to upgrade to a "lake front," "partial ocean view," or whatever type of room you wish. You may be surprised at how little it costs—and how often you are upgraded for free.
  
  Partial ocean view rooms, by the way, are often great values with views more interesting than just staring out to sea from a full ocean view room.
  
  
• If you must travel with valuables, take advantage of hotel secure storage facilities, instead of less secure room safes. Bell captains at better hotels can put large items, such as laptops, in locked storage while you are away.
  

Best wishes for smooth and happy traveling!

Go to Hotel Savings Strategies for powerful techniques that help reduce the costs of your hotel rooms.

Car Savings Strategies gives the information you need to reduce your rental car costs.

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