BEFORE
YOU GO
Do a
hotel research looking
not only for the cheapest accommodation rates but also considering the
amenities and
services provided, location as wel as possible references from other
people.
Travel guidebooks can also be very helpful for choosing the hotel that
suits you best. We have a wide assortment of
travel
guides, including the famous Rick Steve's "
Europe Through the Back Door"
guide which you can buy with a 35% discount, check it out! Be as much
flexible with your trip schedule as
possible. For example, business class hotel accommodations often have
lower weekend
rates.
As soon as you reserved the hotel room(s) online,
document all information about
the hotel(s). The easiest way is to print out the whole
page off your computer screen so you will have a clear statement that
you can use as evidence in case of misplacing or incorrectly entering
your accommodation information by a hotel clerk. Take a copy with you,
make another
one for your relatives so they will know when and where you are going
to stay, so they can contact you in emergency cases.
If you plan
late arrival
(after 6 p.m.), call the hotel and ask to hold your reservation until
you arrive. In such cases a hotel representative sometimes asks a
customer to guarantee the reservation with his credit card number.
WHEN
CHECKING-IN
Learn the
proper
check-in
and
check-out
times at the hotel.
Confirm the
amenities
and
services
the accommodation provides. Ask the hotel's staff for
directions,
a local map. Get a card with the
hotel's name,
address and
phone number so you
can show it to a taxi driver or a passer-by in the street if you get
lost.
Some hotel accommodations may provide
extra services that
you may not know about
unless you ask for it:
- laundry service,
- hair dryers,
- voltage converters/ adaptors,
- hotel's newspaper service,
- complementary meals,
- access to the hotel's fax machine, copier, printer, computer,
Internet connection,
- cable TV, rental movies, video games,
- portable beds, baby cribs,
- complementary shuttle service from the hotel to airport,
- rental safe for your money, jewellery, documents,
- telephone access charges,
- fees for using the hotel's mini-bar,
- guided tours, excursions.
AT THE HOTEL
Safety should be a priority for everybody and
you have to take some precautions. We devoted a whole separate page to
travel safety including hotel
safety measures so we will skip this part here. When you go out for the
day, leave your key at the hotel's reception desk. Confirm closing
time. Some
hotels do lock up at night and you're expected to keep the key if you
stay out late.
BEFORE LEAVING YOUR HOTEL
Check out your accommodation room for
left-behind items. If you need extra time for
staying over the regular check-out time (usually it ranges from 11 a.m.
to 2 p.m), make a request in advance or the hotel may charge you an
additional night. Review the hotel bill making sure that all charges
are accurate.
TIPPING GUIDE
- Bellhop – $1 to $2 per
bag (extra if bags are heavy or
cumbersome).
- Coat check – $1 to $2
- Concierge – $2 to $10 depending on the service; 10 percent
of the cost for securing hard to find items like tickets to the theatre
or sporting events.
- Doorman – $1 to $2 for hailing cab (extra in bad weather).
- Housekeeping – $1 to $2 per night (extra for upscale hotels
or if room was particularly messy).
- Room Service – 15 percent or at least $2, unless gratuity
is included.
- Valet – $1 to $2 each time you request your car (extra in
bad weather).
USEFUL
LINKS
