If you have found the ideal hotel for your trip, we recommend checking a few things first before you make your booking. To ensure you have the best break possible, we’re offering 8 things you must do before you book a hotel.
1. Check the Hotel’s Location
You might be looking for a Liverpool city centre hotel because you’re travelling to Liverpool – which makes perfect sense. However, Liverpool isn’t confined to just one small space, so take a look at the proximity of your accommodation to the city’s attractions. The hotel might be gorgeous or available for a discounted rate, but it could be a good journey away from your preferred part of the city.
2. Read Reviews
There’s no excuse for not making an informed decision in today’s modern world, as websites such as TripAdvisor offer impartial reviews so guests can avoid making their mistakes, or to encourage people to visit a specific hotel, restaurant or bar. In fact, the 2014 Local Consumer Review Survey found that 88% of consumers trust online reviews just as much as a personal recommendation. If your hotel sounds too good to be, there’s a chance it is. By reading reviews you’ll find out just how perfect a hotel actually is.
3. View Close Transport Links
You might have found the perfect hotel – but can you actually get to it. If you’re travelling by train, bus or plane, take a look at the nearby transport links. If a hotel doesn’t have a train or bus station close by, you might have to pay an expensive cab ride just to reach your accommodation.
4. Ask About Car Parking
If you’re reaching a hotel by car, it’s important to check they have car parking facilities either within the hotel or in a nearby car park – and don’t forget to check how much they charge per day for the service!
5. Think About Breakfast
Don’t assume a hotel stay comes with breakfast. When you make a booking, ask if breakfast is included in the price of your stay. If it isn’t, you may have to add this service on for an additional fee. Also, if you don’t ask, you might not realise the hotel stay actually does come with breakfast, so you could have missed out on a great meal!
6. See If There’s WiFi
We live in a modern world, which is why so many people fail to ask if a hotel provides free WiFi. Unfortunately, not all hotels offer WiFi, and some might even charge for the pleasure. WiFi can often be a necessity, especially if you’re travelling on business and need access to the internet. If it doesn’t say on the website, ring up the hotel and ask; otherwise, you might end up wishing you’d booked a stay somewhere else.
7.Book Through the Hotel
You might be tempted to book a hotel through an online booking website, as this will give you the option to browse through multiple hotels in one quick swoop. Whilst this can be quite handy when you’re looking for a lovely hotel break, it’s your bank balance that could end up paying the price!
Hotels are required to pay a fee for each booking taken from an online booking website, meaning their hotel rates will be higher. So, if you want to bag the best deal, we recommend booking directly through the hotel, as you’ll cut out the middle man.
8. Be Cheeky
Don’t be afraid to be a little cheeky when it comes to booking a website. Think about it, the hotel wants you to book there as much as you want to stay there – so why not ask if they could provide the stay at a cheaper rate. The worst thing they can say is no, but they could actually offer a discount to secure your booking. If they state they can’t provide a better hotel rate, why not ask if they have a freebie they are willing to throw in, such as a bottle of wine, breakfast the next morning or free car parking.
