{"id":91133,"date":"2017-04-03T13:48:35","date_gmt":"2017-04-03T13:48:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sftarticles.wpenginepowered.com\/en\/?p=91133"},"modified":"2025-07-01T23:53:36","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T06:53:36","slug":"tips-booking-hotel-eng","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/tips-booking-hotel-eng\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything to keep in mind when booking a hotel for vacation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Planning a getaway? Then you\u2019ll have to <\/span>book a hotel room. <\/b>Or maybe you prefer to rent a house or room from an individual. Both options are good and may afford you a great vacation, but there are certain things you should keep in mind when booking so you don\u2019t get ripped off.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the subject is long and involved, today we\u2019ll focus on hotels, on everything I keep in mind every time I go to book accommodations for my vacations. If you follow these tips, <\/span>you can save a little money and, above all, avoid some unpleasantries. <\/b><\/p>\n

Follow the rule of 7<\/b><\/h3>\n

I suppose I\u2019m not saying anything new when I tell you that before booking a hotel room, you must check <\/span>references<\/b>. Luckily, we\u2019ve got websites such as <\/span>Tripadvisor<\/span><\/a> (or its <\/span>Android<\/span><\/a> and<\/span> iOS<\/span><\/a> apps), which offer outspoken traveler reviews.<\/span><\/p>\n

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An unwritten rule of mine is to make sure I don\u2019t reserve anything below 7<\/strong><\/span>\/10 or 70\/100 points or 3 stars minimum, <\/b>especially if a hotel has repeated reviews with low scores. It\u2019s possible that a hotel has\u00a0an average of 70 through\u00a0many high scores and a few low ones that make its ratings go down. That being said, if negative reviews dominate, there\u2019s a reason why.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t obsess with negative comments either<\/b><\/h3>\n

This point doesn\u2019t take away from the previous one: don\u2019t consider every negative comment that you read in a review. There are some very fussy people (\u201cunbelievable, there were only 6 types of juice at the breakfast buffet!\u201d) or those who simply had a one-off bad experience (\u201cthey gave me a room with plumbing problems\u201d). <\/span>If these kinds of comments are not commonplace in reviews, don\u2019t worry: <\/b>unfortunately, that person was \u201cjinxed\u201d or had a bad day, but that doesn\u2019t have to happen to you!<\/span><\/p>\n

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What\u2019s more, even the best hotels may make one-time errors during your stay. For the most part, these cases are solvable\u00a0(for example, if one day you find dirty sheets, complain to the reception desk\u2026 and you\u2019ll see that the next ones they put on will be white and spotless!). <\/span><\/p>\n

Carefully analyze why that room has a lower price<\/b><\/h3>\n

Alright, you\u2019ve already used a website for comparing prices (like <\/span>Trivago<\/span><\/a>) to find the best hotel price. You go to the booking website and oh, surprise, there are assorted prices for the same type of room. <\/span>What makes a double room with a queen-sized bed cost 60 dollars and the one below 81? <\/b>Well, various factors, some obvious and others included in the \u201csmall print.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Among the most obvious are occasional offers that hotels use to fill up on certain dates or the fact that one room is somewhat smaller than another, less illuminated, or with not-so-nice views. If these aspects don\u2019t matter to you, go for the cheapest room! That being said, you should investigate a little further\u2026 and <\/span>here is where the \u201csmall print\u201d comes into play.<\/b><\/p>\n

A cheaper price for a seemingly identical room may indicate a <\/span>change in booking conditions. <\/b>The clearest example is the right to cancellation: as a general rule, hotels don\u2019t charge you anything if you cancel a booking before a certain date, and if you cancel with short notice, they\u2019ll charge you only a part of it.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, hotels also may have <\/span>rooms without the right to cancellation,<\/b> which means that even if you notify them in advance that you can\u2019t make\u00a0it, they\u2019ll charge you the full booking amount. You may think nothing will go wrong, but once, to save a few measly euros, I booked a room without the right to cancellation. Just that one time (the only time in my life), I had a major setback that forced me to cancel my stay on the same day I arrived\u2026 I didn\u2019t see those dollars ever again!<\/span><\/p>\n

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There are hotels that don\u2019t offer the right to cancellation\u00a0but do offer<\/span> insurance<\/b> if something happens. It usually costs a few euros and it ensures that, if you have to cancel your room, you\u2019ll get your money back. Seriously, it\u2019s better to lose 10 euros than a couple hundred, right?<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch out for extra charges<\/b><\/h3>\n

For most hotels, common services are almost always covered, but not necessarily. For some hotels (increasingly fewer),<\/span> you have to pay a surcharge for wifi, certain toiletries, use of hair dryers or other small fees. <\/b>It\u2019s not a lot of money, but keep that in mind when you book and, above all, don\u2019t be surprised if the receptionist wants to charge you for them\u2026 it\u2019s clearly indicated in your booking!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"bathroom-2094716_960_720<\/p>\n

In fact, some hotels can afford to be cheaper by offering these services with extra charges. Remember that the next time you travel, <\/span>maybe you can get a 3-star room for the price of a 2-star room<\/b> if you bring some personal belongings from home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another expense to consider is the <\/span>fees for some cities, which usually are about one dollar per person and day <\/b>of your stay (for example, in Barcelona). This small fee (not so small, for example, if you\u2019re a group of 4 people traveling for a week) is charged separately from your room, so it won\u2019t show up on your receipt when you book the room\u2026 don\u2019t be surprised when they charge you at the end of your stay!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"barcelona-984035_960_720<\/p>\n

Are included meals worth it?<\/b><\/h3>\n

For most hotels, breakfast is included, but not always. <\/span>Is getting a more expensive room worth it if breakfast is included? <\/b>What\u2019s more, is it a good idea to get half board (the stay includes one meal a day, either lunch or dinner) or full board (both meals included)?<\/span><\/p>\n

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Here you\u2019ve got to do some field work to know <\/span>what the restaurant prices are like in the area<\/b> you\u2019re visiting (again, Trip Advisor does a great job) and think about what kind of trip you\u2019d like. If your plan is to <\/span>relax<\/b> and not leave the hotel and its surroundings often, maybe it\u2019s a good idea to <\/span>choose half board or even full board. <\/b>However, if you plan to wander throughout the city, it\u2019s not worth returning to the hotel to eat, or if anything, only for dinner.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"berlin-951617_960_720-1\"<\/p>\n

Regarding the prices for breakfast, half board and full board, also make sure that drinks are included. Many hotels and resorts have success claiming <\/span>\u201cmeals included\u201d<\/b> but drinks aren\u2019t included, which you must pay for at the end of your stay\u2026 They can charge you as much as <\/span>5 euros for a water or soft drink!<\/b><\/p>\n

Keep your papers in order<\/b><\/h3>\n

The truth is that I\u2019ve never had this problem, but I know other travelers who\u00a0have: you get to a hotel, give your information and they say that your booking doesn\u2019t show up and they don\u2019t have a room for you, that the hotel is full\u2026 False, you booked online! That\u2019s why it\u2019s very important that after making a hotel reservation, you ALWAYS bring printed papers of your booking, just as this ABC article<\/a> recommends: \u201can online booking has the same legal value as a traditional contract, so <\/span>it\u2019s important to bring the paper proof of the booking with you<\/b>, as if we had contracted the hotel through an in-person agency.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Showing this paper shouldn\u2019t make it difficult for them to magically find a room, or return your money and <\/span>find an alternative for you,\u00a0<\/b>in the best case. Sometimes you\u2019ll even end up on top: if they miscalculated and there aren\u2019t any more rooms in your category, they might give you a room upgrade at no extra cost.<\/span><\/p>\n

Speak up, speak up, speak up<\/b><\/h3>\n

Whether before or during your stay, <\/span>don\u2019t hesitate to communicate with the hotel when you\u2019re not sure of something<\/b>. They\u2019re there to help you. I even recommend that once you\u2019ve made your reservation, call or send them an email as soon as possible to confirm your arrival time, since often room check-in is at a certain time, but if you notify them in advance, they\u2019ll have the room prepared beforehand. What\u2019s more, creating <\/span>\u201cgood vibes\u201d<\/b> can even get you a room upgrade\u2026 Trying never hurt anyone!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"person-woman-hand-smartphone<\/p>\n

Enjoy your stay!<\/b><\/h3>\n

As you can see, booking online is very simple, but just like \u201coffline\u201d life, <\/span>you must always check everything you buy carefully,<\/b> read the small print and don\u2019t click \u201cbuy\u201d until everything is in the clear. That being said\u2026 I hope you can go on vacation soon and have a delightful stay!<\/span><\/p>\n

Sources consulted for the making of this article: <\/span>Turismo Casual<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>ABC<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>\u00c1mbito Financiero<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Planning a getaway? Then you\u2019ll have to book a hotel room. Or maybe you prefer to rent a house or room from an individual. Both options are good and may afford you a great vacation, but there are certain things you should keep in mind when booking so you don\u2019t get ripped off. As the … Continue reading “Everything to keep in mind when booking a hotel for vacation”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2041,"featured_media":91137,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","wpcf-pageviews":0},"categories":[],"tags":[],"usertag":[],"vertical":[],"content-category":[],"class_list":["post-91133","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91133","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2041"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91133"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91133\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":328835,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91133\/revisions\/328835"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/91137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=91133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91133"},{"taxonomy":"usertag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/usertag?post=91133"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=91133"},{"taxonomy":"content-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-category?post=91133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}