An overnight trip to a new city always brings concern about what your hotel will be like. Will it be in a safe area? How will you get around? Will the hotel have the services you need?
In other words, we worry about things that we don’t have to if we use the right steps to make our lodging choices.
Most of us filter our hotel searches based on location and price. But with a few small tweaks and these tips, you can find a great hotel in any city that has all the features you prioritize.
1. List Your Must-Haves
Before you get started with your search, what does your hotel have to include?
Some features are optional for you but would be nice, and others are essential. Take a minute to list out the things you can’t live without.
For instance, what’s the parking situation? It’s pretty common for hotels to charge guests to park their vehicles on-site in big cities. This can be $20 or more per night. That makes a big dent in your budget, especially if you can find a similar hotel for the same rate with free parking.
Speaking of parking concerns, don’t book anything just yet if you’re bringing your oversized company truck. You’ll need to check with the hotel to see if they’ll allow it or if you’ll have to find a nearby parking garage.
Other popular features include handicap accessibility, fitness centers, free WiFi, suites, and long-term booking options.
What features are you absolutely not willing to compromise on? Those are where you need to focus as you look for a hotel.
2. Find the Right Booking Method
A quick Google search of hotels in “name of the city” with your must-have features will get you thousands of results. Unless you want to go through all of them to weed out which ones are legit, you need a better plan of action.
Going directly to the source when you’re booking personal rooms is often cheaper than using a booking site. Head to the hotel chains you’re most familiar with, then call to find out their features and rates.
It sounds like a headache, but sometimes the old-fashioned ways are best.
Since many hotels lose a portion of their profit to the booking platform, calling gives you better rates. At the same time, you can get all your questions answered.
But for corporate rooms, it’s a little trickier. Not all hotels are designed for business purposes. Whether you’re calling or using a corporate booking platform, first review the best hotel chains in the business world. It will help you narrow your search to those that have your essential features.
3. Read the Hotel’s Description
Aside from the reviews, the price, and the pictures of the room, do you use the rest of the information to learn about the hotel?
Most of your questions can be answered by reading the summary. Hotels almost always tell you:
- Distance from the city center
- Nearby attractions
- Check in/Check-out time
- Directions from major landmarks
- Handicap accessibility
- WiFi packages
- Popular amenities
- On-site restaurants and gift shops
- COVID-19 policies
- Business amenities
There will also be a reference to the most convenient transportation options in bustling cities. And if there’s anything you can’t find on the website, check the FAQs, call, or send an email.
4. Check the Reviews
One last step before you book that hotel that looks perfect: check the reviews.
Use sites like Yelp, Google Reviews, and TripAdvisor to get a good picture of previous guests’ stays. You may see a negative review or two, but if the majority of comments are positive, it’s probably a good hotel.
On the other hand, if you see a 5-star hotel on your booking site and multiple poor Yelp reviews that have similar complaints, that’s a red flag. Keep on searching for something else.
Those reviews can also clarify some questions you may still have. For instance, a glowing review could talk about the incredible food at the hotel’s on-site restaurant.
Whether it’s business or pleasure, planning a trip means putting in some time to research your agenda. Since the hotel will be the center of your stay, the more you know about it, the better you can decide about the rest of your itinerary.
With these simple tips and a bit of Google research skills, you can find the perfect hotel in any city.
Photo by Quark Photo
