Going abroad is a very exciting experience, but if you do not make the effort to make sure that you are booking the right hotel then this can cause you some serious problems in the future. You may find that the whole thing becomes very problematic, very quickly and you may also find that you struggle to find a hotel that you can be truly comfortable in as well. Research is key if you want to avoid all of this and you also need to ensure that you are diligent in your approach to the amenities that are available.
It’s All About the Location
When you are choosing a hotel, you need to make sure that it is centrally located. If you are choosing a duplex in Malaysia for example, it’s a good idea to check it is close to all of the local attractions. Of course, it also helps to be close to the local transportation routes as well. The last thing that you need is to have to spend hours on end just trying to get from one place to another, and you also don’t want to be limited to where you can park either. Of course, taking local transportation helps you to avoid all of this and it is a fantastic way for you to make sure that you are getting the best result out of your vacation in general. If you are going on a business trip then it helps to ensure you are close to the commercial centre and you also need to make sure that you are close to wherever the business meetings are taking place as well. After all, when you are out travelling for work, your time is very valuable and you won’t want to waste it making the huge trip from your hotel to your office. If the area that you are travelling in has a very hot climate, you won’t exactly feel refreshed after a long train ride either. The main problem that a lot of people experience when they book a vacation is that they find it hard to spend thousands on a hotel for a few nights, even if it does happen to be in a great location. Of course, if you are finding it hard to find somewhere that’s great without paying the huge price tag then one way that you can get around this would be to book somewhere just outside a tube station or bus route, this way you can instantly travel whenever you leave your room and you won’t be too far away from everything that you want to see and do. If you are travelling for leisure, it helps to really take into account the country you are visiting. For example, if you are travelling somewhere hot then being close to a pool may be way more of a priority when compared to being close to a casino or a bar.
Parking and Shuttle services
One of the main problems that a lot of people experience when they choose to travel via car is that they find it hard to find somewhere to park. If you are choosing to go by car then it might be worth checking to see if the hotel is able to offer parking for the guests and even to find out how many parking spaces are available. Some hotels can even offer you dozens of parking spaces to choose from and this is ideal if you are travelling during the off-season. Other hotels may see guests fighting over the spaces that are there, and this can be a real nightmare if you are travelling with kids or someone who finds it very hard to walk. Of course, it’s also worth checking to see if they can provide you with free daily parking or if you are going to experience a charge for it. If you are travelling by train or anything else for that matter then why not find out if your hotel is able to offer you a shuttle service? If they do, find out if you have to book this beforehand or if they run throughout the day. When you find out this information you can then book your hotel much more efficiently while also giving yourself peace of mind.
Rooms and Amenities
Your hotel isn’t just a place for you to shower and sleep. It really is going to be your home while you are away, so it’s important that you treat it as such. You need to feel comfortable and relaxed at all times and this involves you sitting down and trying to work out what exactly what you need in your room. For example, if you are choosing to travel with your family then you may need to get more than one room.
If you know that your family do need more than one room, check with the hotel to find out if their rooms are connecting. You may also want to ask to see if they are able to provide you with a suite. Of course, the last thing that you need is to book a room and get there, only to find out that you are not able to sleep in there because the third bed that you have is actually a fold out sofa. If you can, you should also find out if you are able to get a bath, a shower or both. It also helps to have a separate toilet if there are a lot of you because when you have kids and someone needs the bathroom, it never turns out well.
Amenities
Amenities are a huge part of booking a hotel room. It’s important that you know which amenities come with which room. Some of the things that you have probably come to expect include an iron, a safe, a telephone, a TV and a hairdryer. It’s also worth asking the hotel if the internet is free and if they are able to provide an ironing board at your request. You would be surprised at how many hotels state that they can provide you with a free iron, but when it comes down to it, they can’t provide you with an ironing board or anything else of the sort. Some hotel rooms even come with a minibar as well, but be careful with this. Even though it is very convenient and you may think that it is the best thing since sliced bread, it’s not at all. In fact, the prices for these mini bars are so expensive that you may go through a small fortune in no time at all. One issue with them is that some of them charge you as soon as you open the fridge. If you were to take out a can of pop, the digital sensor would detect this and they may even charge you even if you happen to put it back. This is the last thing you need and when you have kids with you, the whole thing can become super hard work and very, very expensive.
Checking In
It’s also a super good idea for you to be able to check your hotel’s check-in and check-out times. It can be quite disastrous to check-in to a hotel, only to find that they cannot give you a room for another two or three hours. When you have very tired relatives with you or a baby that needs a nap, this can make the whole thing even more stressful. If you want to avoid all of these issues then try and work with your hotel provider to find out if they can give you an early check-in. When you are able to talk to them about this, you can then work with them to find out how you go about getting it. If you want to save money then just get early check-in for one room. This way, you can put the kids down for a nap when you arrive, you can go to the bathroom, get changed and more, and then everyone else can go to their own rooms when the time comes for them to be available. By doing this, you can save yourself a small fortune, especially if you book the early check-in for the biggest room as usually it is the same price.
Hotel Facilities
Some hotels have endless facilities. They have coffee houses, bars, in-hotel stores and more. It’s worth checking out these facilities to find out if you need to have a specific dress-code and to also find out if you have to get something for the kids to wear as well. When you are able to do this, you can then get the best result out of your vacation and you can also try out some new places as well. This is all very easy to do and it is a great way for you to relax and unwind without experiencing a ton of extra hassle and fuss trying to find a shop nearby that sells smart clothes.
Jessica Lippe 