What English topics should I consider when booking a hotel room?

Booking a hotel room is a bit like buying a big screen TV. If you don't do your homework in advance and find the best combination of function, quality and price, when you buy a TV in another store, you will probably feel pain. Being burned in a hotel room is undoubtedly worse, because not only do you have to stay there, but better deals are in front of you, because they may be the next hotel. To avoid this situation, use the following tips on how to best book a hotel room.

Before booking

In order to book a hotel room that is most likely to meet your wallet and needs, you have to spend almost all your time looking for a suitable place. To maximize these efforts, you should make use of Internet travel websites, consumer reviews and travel agencies. Follow these steps and you will have a good figure:

Browse travel websites. Many travel and hotel reservations are now purchased through commercial websites, such as Expedia.com, Travelocity.com, Orbitz.com and Hotels.com. Be sure to shop around for the best price, and don't forget to visit the hotel website. Individual hotel websites usually have transactions that are not available on commercial websites. Be sure to read hotel reviews on these commercial booking websites.

Look at the cancellation policy. If you make a reservation on a commercial website, be sure to study their cancellation policy. Although most websites have stopped charging high cancellation fees (sometimes the full cost of booking), you need to make sure that you can make a reservation on the website and cancel the hotel reservation if necessary.

Read the comments. Look at consumer review websites, such as TripAdvisor.com, which collects and summarizes previous customer comments on hotels. TripAdvisor.com is a good resource because it organizes reviews according to the type of accommodation (for example, couples, business trips, young travelers, etc.). ) So you can search for people who are most like you and see what they think of this hotel. Usually, these comments will point out any attributes you are looking for in the hotel, and you can make better decisions based on them.

Dig deep into deals that are too good to be true. If a transaction looks much lower than the surrounding hotels, check to make sure that the hotel has not been renovated or there is no other reason for the low price (for example, it is in a high crime area or very old and dilapidated).

Find the location. If you have a target geographical area, enter the address in Google Maps. You can zoom in to see its exact location and the surrounding area (the map will tell you the shops, restaurants and so on around. ), you can also use Google's street view function to accurately see what your hotel and surrounding areas look like.

Call ahead. Once you choose a hotel, or narrow down your list to a few, be sure to call them and ask about your needs or concerns. For example, if you want to make a lot of calls, you will want to ask whether they have free local calls and how much they charge for long-distance calls. Or you want to know how big the swimming pool is and whether there are lifeguards on duty. No matter what concerns you have, call the concierge so that you can make a reservation with confidence.

Contact the travel agency to learn about exotic or remote destinations. If your trip involves a more exotic or remote place, you should probably consult a travel agency that knows the region, its culture and business. Travel agencies are very useful in avoiding the trap of booking foreign travel online.

Reservation and arrival

Once you are ready to book a hotel room, there are still some questions you should confirm before committing, and some actions you should take to avoid the trouble and headache when you arrive in advance.

I checked these before. Make sure the amount of the deposit before booking a room. Deadline for cancellation and fine collection (for most hotels, the deadline is 24-48 hours before arrival, otherwise the first day's accommodation fee will be deducted from your credit card). Any discount offered by the hotel (senior citizen discount, government discount, military discount, etc.). )

Check-in and check-out time If you want to check in late, be sure to inform them so that they won't give up your room to other customers. Hotels have the habit of overbooking rooms, and it is well known that they will crowd out guests who arrive late.

If they charge you any extra fees (vacation fees, parking fees, etc.) for your accommodation. )

Asking about the room type. When you book a room, be sure to ask what kind of room you want. For example, if noise is a problem, you will want to be placed away from elevators, ice machines, and in a room that does not face the street. If this is a resort and they have a nightclub by the swimming pool, you will want to be on the side not facing the swimming pool. Whatever you need, please tell the concierge clearly.

Book by credit card. Book a hotel with a credit card instead of a debit card. Credit cards provide consumers with more protection in the event of fraud. If there is a fraudulent transaction, you will only be cheated of $50, and the credit card will fight against criminals on your behalf and pay more than $50 on the card. However, with a debit card, you may have to bear all the expenses alone.

Confirm the reservation. Call the hotel a few weeks before check-in, make sure they have your reservation, and make sure they have your special requirements (for example, a room away from noise).

Write it down. Require written confirmation of all reservations. Almost all hotels will email you to confirm your reservation, or fax you to confirm if you don't have an email. When checking in, please bring a copy of your reservation in case the hotel loses your information in their system.