How to Find a Clean Hotel Room

Your hotel room is your home away from home, with a few exceptions -- hundreds of strangers from every corner of the world have slept there, and the hotel staff may not have the same standards of cleanliness that you do at home. It's nice to have someone fold up your towels and make your bed while you're out exploring the world, but in terms of sanitization, a neatly made bed does not equal a germ-free room.

A study conducted by the University of Virginia found that people infected with a cold who spent a night in a hotel room left contagious germs on nearly 35 percent of objects they touched. The study showed that a virus can live on objects like faucet handles and ice buckets for at least a day -- disturbing evidence of what might be waiting when you wheel your suitcase into a suite.

Are you prepared for a dirty bedspread, a scummy toilet or even a bed bug infestation? It's highly unlikely that a slightly soiled bathroom floor will put your life in danger, yet an unclean hotel room could affect your health; the most common afflictions are colds or stomach viruses. Try the following tips and sleep more soundly on your next adventure.

How Do I Make Sure My Hotel Room Is Clean?
Put your black light away. We've all seen footage of people scanning dark rooms with the revealing black light; stains and smears, invisible in the daylight, pop up in the most unexpected and shocking places (not the pillowcase -- anything but the pillowcase!). But traveling with this device, which is a great for dramatic effect on television, is far from necessary. Here are a few other, less obsessive things you can do to rest assured you have a clean hotel room:

Read the Reviews
There are no international standards for hotel cleanliness. Price, location or a brand name will not guarantee completely sanitary digs. So until some international "clean commission" starts sending out fastidious officials to size up squalid toilets in hotels around the world, your best bet is to find out what your fellow travelers are saying. Most travel and hotel review sites have cleanliness as a category for evaluation. Our favorite is TripAdvisor, which offers user ratings of thousands of hotels, restaurants and businesses around the world; you can also find hotel reviews on major booking engines such as Travelocity, Hotels.com and Orbitz.

Wash Your Hands
In the interest of not sounding like your mother, I would like to preface this by saying that it doesn't bother me if you chew with your mouth open or your shirt's not tucked in. Hand washing, on the other hand, is near and dear to my heart. Frequent hand washing has been proven to reduce the transfer of colds and viruses, and will prevent bacteria getting from whatever it is you're touching (why is this remote control sticky?) to your mouth, eyes or nose. So even if your hotel room is poorly sanitized, some good ol' hand washing will keep the icky germs at bay.

Fling Off the Bedspread
sink bed hotel room You've probably heard this one before: Most hotels do not wash bedspreads after each unique guest. The frequency of laundering varies from hotel to hotel, so if the idea of an anonymous stranger cuddling up with the blanket that now lies across your queen bed creeps you out, call your hotel and ask how often they wash their bedspreads. Or bring your own blanket and remove the hotel's altogether.

Disinfect
Yes, you're paying (and tipping, hopefully) so that housekeeping will keep your room in order. And I must admit, I've never once sprayed, dusted or polished anything in a hotel room, so I can't blame you if you choose to leave your toilet brush at home. But if you're feeling a little icky in your dumpy budget hotel room or you just want to be extra cautious, simply spraying a few frequently touched surfaces with some antibacterial sanitizer could make your life a whole lot cleaner. Key places to spray for germs include the phone, door knobs, toilet handle, ice bucket, remote control and bathroom faucet handles.

Avoid the Glassware
It's the law in both Missouri and Kansas that hotel room glasses and cups must be sanitized. Kansas' law goes even further to state that washing of glassware must take place outside of the room. This means that if you're hanging your hat at a Holiday Inn in Wichita, you can pour yourself a cold glass of water and relax -- your cup is clean. In most hotels, however, there's no guarantee that your room glasses and mugs aren't simply rinsed off under the tap by the cleaning staff. The quick way to deal with this is to run your cup under hot water for a minute or two before using it; this will kill most bacteria. Or you can pack a mug from home.

Eek! Does My Hotel Room Have Bed Bugs?
There's been a recent resurgence of these blood-sucking pests, which were nearly eradicated in North America decades ago. Reports of bed bugs in hotels across the States have been rising, probably in part as a result of the comings and goings of world travelers -- bed bugs are found around the world and can easily hitch a ride across the ocean in a neatly packed suitcase. And not even luxury hotels are immune.

A family member of mine who manages a brand-name upscale hotel in New York City acknowledged that his hotel occasionally has bouts of bed bugs. He explained that they usually come over in the baggage of international travelers. It's nearly impossible to check all rooms for the pests after every guest, and, unfortunately, every once in a while a guest will wake up with unsettling red welts. The hotel staff refunds the guest's money, offers a room change and fumigates the infestation, but there is not much they can do in terms of prevention. Bed bugs are a nuisance, but they're not dangerous -- their bites do not transmit disease as do the bites of ticks and fleas.

Bed bugs are tiny, but they can be seen with the naked eye and resemble small, reddish brown ticks or cockroaches. These miniscule menaces feed at night and their victims will develop itchy red bumps within about 24 hours of a bite. Bed bug bites are similar to mosquito bites, so before you throw a fit at your hotel's front desk when a red bump appears on your arm, give the hotel the benefit of the doubt and check your room for other signs of bed bugs -- especially if you are traveling in a place that has lots of mosquitos.

City From Rome  US$49 Beijing  US$15 London  US$29 Shanghai  US$28 Venice  US$64 Prague  US$29 Istanbul  US$25 New York  US$31 Madrid  US$43 Marrakech  US$35 Sydney  US$24

To find evidence of bed bugs, look first under the mattress. Do you see reddish brown spots (the dried excrement of the insects) on the underside of the mattress, or on any other part of the bed? It's hard to spot the actual bugs -- these guys are sneaky and their flat bodies allow them to hide in the smallest mattress crevices during the day -- but it is possible to see some bugs, especially if there's a major infestation. You can also check between couch cushions or between the carpet and the wall.

If you discover the above signs of bed bug life, call the front desk immediately and do not put your suitcase, coat or any of your belongings on the bed or near the site of the infestation. In most cases, the hotel staff will already be aware of the situation (bed bugs can, and often do, spread from room to room) and will move you to another room. If you have an inauspicious encounter with a stubborn front desk person, request to speak to a manager or even the hotel owner if necessary.

While there are no international standards for hotel cleanliness, under no circumstances should a traveler be expected to pay for a bug-infested room. If the hotel staff refuses a room change or a refund and you are 100 percent certain that your room is infested, find alternative lodging and write a review on your favorite hotel review site. Do your fellow travelers a favor and let them know that their money is better spent somewhere else.

Fortunately, getting stuck with a bed-bug-infested hotel room and a surly hotel staff to boot is unlikely. Yes, bed bug cases are on the rise in all over the world -- but the majority of hotel rooms are free from these irksome insects. Avoiding bed bugs, the most democratic of all pests, is a crap shoot. Because bed bugs don't feed on filth, a hotel's cleanliness does not make a difference to a family of hitchhiking bed bugs arriving in the bag of a European tourist. Your best bet is to check your bed for bed bug signs (before you sleep in it or put your luggage nearby), keep your suitcase in a trash bag during your stay and vacuum your suitcase when you get home.

Hotel Safety Tips

We know, we know -- when you're on vacation, the last thing you want to worry about is hotel security. But returning from a day of exploring Mayan ruins or sampling French wines to find that your hotel room has been ransacked is a surefire way to put a damper on an otherwise decent trip.

Break-ins, fires, natural disasters and terrorist attacks are just a few of the potential threats to travelers' safety in hotel rooms. While we don't recommend being too paranoid about some of these -- after all, one safety expert puts a hotel guest's chance of dying in a terrorist attack at a remote one in a million -- it's in your own best interest to take a few precautions to protect against more common risks, such as burglary or fire. Read on for our top hotel safety tips.

Before Your Stay
Long before you actually book your hotel, start by doing your homework. Take a careful look at the security situation in the country and/or city you'll be visiting. Is terrorism a threat? Are tourists often targeted in local crimes? Are there certain neighborhoods, cities or regions that are more secure than others? The U.S. State Department offers country-specific safety information on its Web site; see Travel Warnings and Advisories for more details.

When the time comes to book your hotel, don't just look at rates and amenities -- pay close attention to location as well. Is the hotel in an upscale residential neighborhood, a bustling business district or a seedy commercial area? Is it safe to walk around after dark? Is there a police station nearby? All of these factors could affect the likelihood of a break-in or assault during your stay. You can find neighborhood information online or in a good guidebook.

You'll also want to find out about the hotel's own security measures. Call ahead and ask whether the front desk is staffed 24 hours a day, if there are security guards on the premises and if there are surveillance cameras in the public areas. In areas where terrorism is an issue, are vehicles inspected before coming onto the premises? Is access to guestroom floors restricted to guests only? If hotel staff can't offer any specific examples of what they do to keep guests safe, book somewhere else.

Arrange to pack a cell phone that will work throughout your trip. (If you're traveling abroad, see our International Cell Phone Guide to learn more about your options.) Program key phone numbers into it ahead of time -- like the direct line to your hotel's front desk, the number of your home country's nearest embassy and the local equivalent of 911.

Make two copies of your passport and credit/ATM cards: one to leave at home with a friend or family member, and the other to bring with you on your trip. (Be sure to keep it in a separate place than the originals in case of theft.) It's also a good idea to leave a copy of your itinerary with someone at home to make it easier to track you down during a natural disaster or terrorist attack.

For protection during international travel -- particularly long-term trips or visits to less stable countries -- we recommend registering your presence with your country's embassy or consulate in the region. U.S. citizens can do so here.

Checking In
Don't accept a room on the ground floor if you can avoid it. Many safety experts recommend staying somewhere between the third and sixth floors -- where rooms are high enough to be difficult to break into, but not so high that they're out of the reach of most fire engine ladders.

If you're staying in a motel where doors open directly to the outside (rather than a hallway), see if you can get a room overlooking an interior courtyard instead of a parking lot.

Don't let the front desk attendant publicize your room number. If he or she announces it out loud when giving you your key, ask for a different room.

hotel hallway corridorWhile you're at the front desk, ask what phone number you should dial in case of emergency. Is there a direct line to the hotel's security team? Should you call the local equivalent of 911?

Upon arriving at your room, immediately identify a fire escape route. Check the location of the nearest stairwell and/or emergency exit (elevators should be avoided during a fire) and figure out a couple of potential plans for escape in case the hallway is blocked in one direction or another.

Check the locks on the windows (and balcony door, if applicable) as soon as you arrive, and notify the front desk if any are not functioning. It's a good idea to check these locks again each time you return to the room, as housekeeping may open them and forget to close them again.

During Your Stay
Keep your door locked at all times whenever you're in your room -- including any deadbolts, security chains or swinging metal security locks. Never prop your door open, no matter how briefly.

At night, leave a pair of shoes next to the bed in case you need to leave in a hurry. Keep your room key and a flashlight close to hand as well.



If someone comes to your door unexpectedly and claims to be hotel staff, call the front desk to make sure the visit was actually authorized. Never open your door to someone until you're sure of their identity; use the peephole instead.

Protect your valuables by using the hotel safe -- or, better yet, leaving them at the front desk while you're out. Get a written receipt for anything you leave with the front desk and find out whether you're covered in case of loss. (Many hotels do not accept liability for items left in guestroom safes.) If you're traveling with a laptop, you may want to consider bringing a security cable to lock it to a piece of furniture. Small locks are also available for suitcases.

When you leave the room, leave the TV or radio on, or put your "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door; both of these tricks will give potential thieves the impression that you're still there. (You can contact the front desk to arrange a housekeeping visit even if the "Do Not Disturb" sign is up.)

The hotel parking lot and hallways should be well lit. Report any outages to the front desk and ask for a security escort if you feel unsafe.

If you do experience a crime during your stay, don't simply complain to the hotel -- file a police report as well. Your homeowners' insurance policy may cover certain losses during your travels, and the insurance company will need a copy of the police report and any other relevant documentation.

Get the Best Hotel Room

So you've chosen your hotel. You've made sure it has all the practical amenities you require; it's in the ideal location; it has ambience and flair at just the right price. And you've done your homework -- surfed the Web for the best rates, maybe gotten an online discount or a weekend special, even picked up the phone and called the hotel yourself to make sure it offers what you need.

Now, you may think you're done, but there is one final step that is essential in ensuring that your stay is a pleasant one: you must get the best room in the joint.

Nothing is foolproof, but here are a few tips for landing the best available hotel room on your next trip.

Plan Ahead, Arrive Prepared
There are ways to get upgrades and preferential treatment at a hotel just for being you. Join the hotel's rewards program and get credit for each of your stays; this is an easy way to earn upgrades, discounts and even free nights. You can also get these types of perks through your airline's mileage program, so ask which hotels participate.

Join a travel club for discounts, and seek out deals that could help you afford a better room than you might ordinarily choose. Try the Entertainment Book, which comes with a card that can save you money not only on hotels but also on dining, airfare and other travel-related benefits. AAA membership is also good for hotel discounts. And don't forget to check out our discount hotel deals for discounts on accommodations around the world. Save a few pennies on the front end and use the savings to upgrade yourself to a better room!

Do your research. Sites like TripAdvisor, VirtualTourist and MyTravelGuide offer honest hotel reviews from real travelers, many of whom offer details on what their individual rooms were like. Read travel guides, scan ads in newspapers and magazines, join frequent anything clubs, talk to anyone who has been where you are going and keep notes about everything you find out.

You should also visit the hotel's Web site before you go. Often there will be photo galleries or even floor plans that will give you an idea of what the rooms look like and which ones might suit you best. Hotel Web sites also will occasionally have upgrade or discount coupons that you can print out and take along.

When staying at a resort that has multiple buildings, you may want to ask the resort to e-mail or fax you a plan of the property. Then give the property a call to describe what you are looking for (best view, proximity to beach, etc.) and ask for their recommendation as to the room or suite that will best meet your interests. While discussing the options, you can refer to the property plan and determine whether to take their recommendations or select another option of your own.

You may also want to obtain and bring along with you a brochure or a print-out from the hotel Web site when you go to check in. If you don't get a satisfactory room, explain that you expected the type of room represented in the photo/description when you made your reservation (or at least something similar).

Remember to be realistic in your expectations. If you're traveling to a chain motel where most of the rooms are pretty much the same size and configuration, there may not be much of an upgrade available -- though there may be a better view on one side of the building or the other. And keep in mind that availability may be limited if you're visiting at a busy time of year when the hotel is sold out, or if you're staying at a bed and breakfast where rooms are booked on an individual basis. However, it never hurts to ask!

Hotel front desk concierge bellAt the Front Desk
Presumably, at this point you're prepared. You know what type of room you want, and you've presented your frequent stay card and your free upgrade coupon. Even so, make it painstakingly clear what you expect. Be firm but polite when making your requests; employees will be much more willing to help you, even bend over backwards for you, if you treat them kindly.

Consider the noise factor; look out for the locations of restaurants, parking lots and pools. The top floor is generally the quietest. You should also ask which side of the building has better views, particularly if you're facing the beach, mountains or a city skyline.

Tell the front desk that you want to see the room prior to checking in, and before moving your luggage. Be sure to address any concerns immediately before you get settled in.

Also, if it's any kind of a special occasion and you haven't mentioned it, this is the time to do so. Don't feel foolish telling them it's your anniversary, birthday, baptism -- whatever!



Traveling with Kids?
When traveling with children, make sure to select hotels that offer amenities for them such as play areas, nearby parks, pools and (most importantly) free meals. And for longer stays, you may want to consider booking a room with a kitchenette -- it will make your life easier and can save you money, even if you just use it for cooking small meals and snacks.

A lot of hotels have suites for just a few dollars more. Think about that if you are traveling with several people, as most hotels offer suites with two full beds and a fold-out sofa. Another alternative to paying full price for two adjoining rooms would be to ask about a "junior room." These are smaller rooms that are usually priced much less. This is a great idea if you are traveling with older children.

How to Find the Perfect Hotel Online

Before a recent stay in a hotel near Boston, William Campbell wanted to map out some alternate local driving routes to and from the hotel so he would not be late for events during his stay. What he found in his search prompted a call to the hotel that greatly improved his stay there.

Specifically, Campbell was staying at the Crowne Plaza Newton, which, as he discovered when he looked closely, just happens to straddle the Massachusetts Pike. That is, the road goes directly under the hotel -- and under most of the hotel windows. Campbell called the hotel to ask if they could guarantee a room on one of the upper floors (it's a 12-story building) to minimize noise from cars and trucks barreling down the road below.

When booking travel, you more or less know what you are going to get when you book a flight or a car --the legacy airlines aren't really so different from one another, and an economy car is an economy car whether the rental car sign is yellow, white or green. But a bad or poorly located hotel can ruin a trip. It's the one booking item about which you will want to sleep well -- literally.

Campbell's research saved him a few noisy nights, but there are other critical pieces of the hotel puzzle you can find out with 15 to 20 minutes of research before booking. For instance, are there any restaurants within a very short walking distance? Is the neighborhood walkable and are the streets near the hotel safe and accessible? Do rooms on one side of the hotel have a better view? Is the hotel clean, up to date and in working order? Do you need a car or is the hotel close to useful public transportation? You get the idea.

The big problem with Web research is that the sheer abundance of stuff out there can make the research more daunting than the travel. After a few hours of reading mixed reviews, no one could blame you for simply giving in and taking your chances on the easiest/cheapest/closest hotel. To reduce the time, effort and enthusiasm you spend on hotel research, I'll share my relatively straightforward method for looking beyond price and availability, finding the right property, and getting the best room in the place.

Location, Location, Location
The old realtor's mantra applies directly to hotels; if you have to "live" there, you want to be in a safe, attractive location with easy access to restaurants, coffee shops, attractions, maybe a small park.

I suggest using Google Earth for this one -- among all the competing mapping applications, it seems to have the most complete quick snapshot of an immediate area available. The checkbox "Layers" option allows you to toggle various amenities on and off: coffee shops, restaurants by type of food, banks/ATM's, gas stations, grocery stores, pharmacies, parks, malls, churches and many more.

Where available, the Street View option offers 360-degree snapshots of the neighborhood, which can tell you a lot: whether it's clean or grubby, busy or quiet, populated or more like a strip mall zone. These are things that just a couple of years ago you had to take on faith, and didn't really know until you arrived.

Room Choice
Even in the best hotels, all rooms are not created equal, and traditionally it has been very hard to tell the best rooms from the worst before you have already checked in. Changing rooms is a stressful hassle -- by the time you arrive at a hotel, mostly you just want to put down your bags and decompress from all your travels, not tromp back down to the front desk for a run-in with hotel staff.

laptop computer older woman sofaTo figure out your room choice at the time of booking, I suggest using Bing's bird's eye mapping utility. This app features what are perhaps better called "helicopter views" of an area, as if a 360-degree camera were mounted on the bottom of a helicopter. Viewing a hotel while using this application, you will see very quickly if some rooms face a rock quarry, while others face a park; if there are "courtyard" rooms that may be quieter, but could also be much darker; or if there are street-level rooms, rooms that face alleys, or others that might leave you feeling less safe and less sane than you might hope.

Also, I suggest checking some of the hotel review sites below; many posters take the time to warn fellow travelers off of specific rooms, such as rooms next to a restaurant, next to vending machines, on an airshaft or the like. You can often find information on specific room numbers to request or avoid, which can be very helpful information to know before you book yourself into a nearly full hotel and set yourself up to stay in the worst room in the house. (For more tips on avoiding such a fate, check out Get the Best Hotel Room.)

Hotel Quality
The abundance of review sites on the Web gives consumers an unprecedented voice, and although I am wary of relying too much on specific reviews, in the end the sum total of comments does add up to a formidable assemblage of collective wisdom.

I take the reviews seriously, but usually with a grain of salt, simply because folks who have a good stay at a hotel rarely rush to a computer when they get home to rave about it -- but folks who have a rotten stay can be very motivated to do so. As a result, reviews tend to over-sample disgruntled (or merely grumpy) travelers. Alternately, folks with a stake in a property's success, such as hotel managers or marketing executives, have been found to post glowing reviews on many sites (most sites have adopted measures of decreasing or at least flagging these).

That said, anything you see mentioned two or three times in different ways by different authors can probably be taken as gospel truth. For example, Campbell confirms that the Crowne Plaza's hallway rugs were indeed shabby, and the location not entirely hospitable to walking around -- both cited in multiple reviews of the property.

The most popular review sites are:

* Yelp
* TripAdvisor
* Citysearch
* Yahoo
* Kudzu

With regard to the two most popular on the list, Yelp and TripAdvisor, my experience is that Yelp tends to lean toward locals posting reviews of their regular haunts, while TripAdvisor includes mostly posts from travelers/visitors. As a result, Yelp is a bit lean on extensive hotel reviews, but can tell you a lot about the nearby attractions.

And although it is considerably more of a free-for-all and thus more daunting, Twitter has become a useful and popular travel planning resource, although I would say less for full-bodied reviews than for good deals, resource listings and breaking news. (Check out How Social Media Is Changing Travel for more on the direction social apps are taking travelers.)

Using Twitter for hotel research may not be quite up to snuff at the moment; a recent survey of industry experts found that most hotels are not using the service very effectively at present. That does not mean it is not worth a look; if you have had success using Twitter to research and book hotels, let us know about it here.

Get the Best Hotel Rate

While even cars have gone the way of reliable sticker prices, hotel accommodations remain a haggler's game, with arcane and confusing rules and terminology that seem aimed to sneak dollars out of your pocket even when you think you're making out well. Take the term "corporate rate," for instance. Corporate employees travel a lot; they must get a good rate, right? Well, some of them do, but probably not the ones who ask for the corporate rate.

Following are some tactics for getting the best hotel rates any time you travel. Your mileage may vary, and some hotels are more flexible than others, but these 15 tricks should keep you on the winning side of the bargaining table.

1. Ask for a lower rate.
This sounds simple, even doomed, but very often works like a charm. Ask whether the hotel is currently running any promotions or packages, and then see if any of the following special rates might apply: AAA, senior, family, hotel membership, weekend, government discount, frequent flier, convention, shareholder or corporate. Hotels sometimes even have what is called a "fallback" rate for travelers who are resisting the quoted rate.

2. Shop around online.
For the latest hotel bargains in locations around the world, be sure to check our discount hotel deals daily. In addition, check the Web sites of your favorite hotel chains; often they will run promotions exclusively for Web bookings.

Hotel discount reservation services like Hotels.com can also help you save considerably on hotel rates, as can general travel booking sites like Expedia and Travelocity. Note, however, that these sites often charge booking fees, so often your best strategy is to shop around to find the lowest rate and then call the hotel directly to see if they can match it.

You may also want to check aggregator sites like Kayak or Mobissimo, which search a wide range of hotel chains and travel sites, and then send you directly to the provider for booking.

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3. Book by price, not by property.
If you care less about a specific hotel than getting the cheapest deal, you may want to consider choosing your own price on Priceline or shopping the anonymous (but deeply discounted) hotel inventory on Hotwire. On these sites you often won't know which hotel you're staying at until it's booked, but you can request the general location and quality (three-star, four-star, etc.) -- and you could save a significant amount of money over other booking sites.

4. Call the hotel directly.
Many times specials are offered at the hotel that can't be submitted through the 1-800 central reservations system. The 800 agents have no direct access to room availability, and are often not authorized to negotiate. Hotel agents are generally more in touch with availability and specials, and are therefore more flexible with rates.

Many chains allot only a select number of rooms to the central reservations system, so 800 agents may even tell you a hotel is sold out when in fact the hotel is discounting rooms because of low booking rates!

5. Be flexible with your dates.
Hotel rates can vary widely based on the time of year and the time of week when you travel. If you're staying at a property that serves mostly business travelers, you may find great weekend deals, while B&B's and other leisure properties tend to have lower rates midweek. On a broader scale, know when the peak seasons to visit your destination are -- such as wintertime in the Caribbean or summertime in Europe. Rates will be sky-high at those times of year, so scheduling your trip for a less popular travel time could save you big bucks on your hotel.

6. Take advantage of last-minute specials.
If your travel plans are flexible, you could get a great rate by waiting to book your hotel until the last minute. Hotel managers are often willing to lower their rates to fill their last remaining rooms.

7. Consider a package deal.
If you're looking for both airfare and hotels, shop around and see if it's worth booking the two together as a package deal. You may not have as many hotel choices as you would if you were booking your lodging separately, but the discounts could be worth the lack of flexibility.

8. Consider a private sale.
Private sale sites like SniqueAway, Jetsetter.com and TabletHotels.com/privatesale/ offer exclusive deals on hotels and resorts, but you must be a member to access them, and most sales don't last very long. If you're open-minded about where you want to go and when, these sites can help you land deep discounts at upscale properties.

9. Look beyond the big hotels.
If you're seeing high rates at big chain hotels, consider some alternatives. These could include bed and breakfasts, vacation rentals, hostels or independently owned small hotels -- most of which can't be found on big booking engines. For advice on how to research these, see our guide to finding hidden hotels.

10. Know the full cost.
You may think you've found a great deal, but keep in mind that the base rate isn't the only thing that will determine your total bill. Be sure to ask what taxes, resort fees, parking costs, energy surcharges, and other odds and ends will apply to your final tally. Even if one hotel has a lower base rate, it may end up being a more expensive option once all the extras are added in. For more information, see Hidden Hotel Fees.

11. Keep an eye on your credit card statements.
Occasionally, buried in all that junk stuffed in with your credit card statement are vouchers or guarantees for good hotel rates offered in conjunction with your credit card company. Typically, you have to request a specific rate code, included in the "literature," and reserve and pay for the room with that particular credit card (or one issued by the same bank or company).

12. Use coupon and voucher books.
The number of discount coupon and voucher companies, both in print and on the Internet, is almost mind-boggling. Everywhere you look, you can tear off, cut out, download, print out or merely mention a discount coupon rate, and you can save on just about every aspect of travel. Do a Web search for "coupons" for your destination or hotel chain, or take a look at Yahoo's coupons section for some links to local and online coupon distributors.

In the midst of this abundance, one discount book stands head and shoulders above the rest: the Entertainment Books published by Entertainment Publications. The great majority of discounts available come in at half price, whether they're two-for-one meals or movies, or straight 50 percent discounts on hotel rooms. The company publishes books annually for dozens of major U.S. and Canadian destinations. They can be purchased online for $25 to $50.

13. Follow up.
Once you've booked your hotel, don't just rest on your laurels. Call back or check online in another month or so and see whether rates have gone down. If they have, cancel your booking and rebook your stay at the lower rate. (Read the hotel's cancellation policy carefully before doing so to make sure you won't have to pay any penalties.)

14. Use your points.
Can't find the rate you want? Try paying with points instead. If you belong to a hotel's loyalty program and have accumulated enough reward points, you can often use them to pay for your room (or for an upgrade to a better class of room).

15. Leave your bags in the car.
Planning to negotiate when you arrive? Don't haul a huge piece of luggage into the lobby and then tell the agent that you'd just as soon go elsewhere if they can't bring their rates down. You'll look tired, hassled, sick of lugging bags and, to a shrewd hotel clerk, ready to pay handsomely to unpack that suitcase.

Choosing a Hotel

Choosing the right hotel is always a trying task, and with the enormous number of promotions, deals and programs out there, it can be downright overwhelming. It doesn't help that these days most hotels have Web sites full of tantalizing photos and slick promotional copy that make you believe you'll be bathed in luxury as soon as you step foot into the lobby. How can you tell if a hotel will live up to its own hype -- and, more importantly, if it's the right hotel for you?

Since every traveler has different needs when searching for a hotel, you'll need to ask yourself what's most important to you. Whether you're looking for a great deal, a great location or a great B&B, we've broken down the hotel selection process to make it easier for you to find the best hotel for your trip.

What Matters Most?
Before beginning your search, ask yourself what type of accommodations you want and what your budget will permit. Does location trump price, or are you limited to hotels under $150 a night? Do you need a hotel with a pool for the kids, or would you rather stay at a small property with lots of local charm?

Once you've decided on your top priority, then you can make a more targeted search. Following are the most common determining factors in choosing a hotel, as well as tips for finding properties that suit each particular need.

Price: Nearly every major booking engine gives you the option to sort your results by price. Don't limit yourself to the big three (Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz) -- you should also pay a visit to aggregator sites like Kayak and Sidestep, and lodging sites like Hotels.com and PlacestoStay.com. And don't forget to check our very own discount hotel deals!

Tip: Use the booking engines to see what's available and test rates at the properties you're interested in, and then go straight to the hotel's Web site to book directly -- most hotels guarantee you the lowest rate when you book on their site, and will match a lower price you find elsewhere.

If price is your only concern, you may want to try bidding on Priceline.com, where you won't see the name of your hotel (only the star rating) until you've actually booked it. Learn more about landing a cheap deal in Get the Best Hotel Rate.

Location: All the major booking sites allow you to view search results on a map so you can see which ones are right on the beach or in the neighborhoods you prefer. Many, including Expedia and Hotels.com, also have the extra capability of searching for and mapping a hotel in relation to a particular point of interest, such as Times Square or the San Diego Zoo. Good old-fashioned guidebooks are another good source for finding hotels in a certain location, as hotels are often listed by neighborhood and plotted on a city map.

Amenities: Most of the major hotel booking engines allow you to specify certain amenities when you're searching, such as a fitness center, swimming pool or restaurant. Travelocity makes the process easier by allowing you to compare up to four hotels side by side so you can easily weigh such factors as star ratings, amenities, rates and room types.

swimming pool boy child kid family travel hotel Family-Friendliness: If you're taking the kids on your next trip, you'll want to check for both special deals and family-friendly policies. Your first stop for family hotel and resort reviews should be our brand-new family travel site, FamilyVacationCritic.com; we also love the hotel reviews at WeJustGotBack.com. For bargains, check out Family Vacation Critic's family travel deals and our own family deals.

Luxury: Looking to go luxe? You'll find the creme de la creme in groups like the Leading Hotels of the World, the Five Star Alliance and Boutique Hotels & Resorts International.

Ambience and Local Flavor: If you'd rather avoid the big chains, you're in luck -- there are many B&B's, inns and small independent hotels that don't appear on the major booking engines. However, finding them can take a little time and ingenuity, as Traveler's Ed explains in Finding Hidden Hotel Hideaways. For a roundup of non-hotel lodging, including vacation rentals and home exchange, see Ditch the Hotel: 10 Alternative Ways to Stay. And if you're looking for something truly different -- like a treehouse or an igloo -- take a browse through the Unusual Hotels of the World.

Loyalty Programs and Frequent Flier Miles: If you travel a lot or if you're a member of a frequent flier program, it may be worth your while to join a hotel loyalty program. Not only can you earn points toward a future hotel stay, but you may also be able to accumulate airline miles if your hotel is partnered with your frequent flier program. Check your hotel or airline Web site to see a list of qualifying partners. Many programs also allow you to redeem points for other purchases, such as cruises, car rentals and entertainment.

Eco-Friendliness: Travelers who are looking to minimize their environmental impact can search for green hotels through a number of organizations, including Green Globe and the Green Hotels Association.

Real Life Experiences
thumbs up down rate ratingIt's all well and good to read guidebook reviews and study hotel Web sites, but often the most valuable information about a hotel comes from other travelers just like you. That's where sites like TripAdvisor, Virtual Tourist and MyTravelGuide come in.

These sites (and many others, including the major booking engines) offer honest hotel ratings and reviews straight from the mouths of real travelers. This is where you can read about how the staff behaves, get an idea of how clean the rooms are and learn whether the wireless Internet connection actually works. Many sites also allow users to post photos of their hotel -- which are usually more realistic and less glamorous than the professional snapshots you'll see on the hotel's own Web site.

Of course, it's always a good idea to take traveler reviews with a certain degree of skepticism. Overly fawning reviews may actually have been written by hotel employees in disguise, while some negative reviews may come from super-fussy travelers who simply have an ax to grind. But despite the occasional misleading review, most traveler ratings are an honest, unbiased and invaluable resource when deciding between hotels.

Another way to get feedback from other travelers is by posting on our message boards. When asking for advice and recommendations, be specific about what you're looking for. Do you have any special requests, such as a view or kid-friendly accommodations? Do you need a queen-size or king-size bed? Do you want something close to town or in the country? The more explicit you can be about what you really want, the better chance you'll have of finding something you'll be happy with.

Pick Up the Phone
Though these days you can do a lot of research on the Internet, sometimes it still pays to pick up the phone. Calling a hotel directly, rather than dialing the chain's main 800 number, might get you a room at the last minute or during peak travel times.

phone call telephone hotel receptionist front desk womanNational reservations desks often have a cap on the number of rooms they can fill at any given hotel, with the rest left to the specific hotel staff. Those working at the front desk have a better sense of the hotel's capacity and will be more likely to check for cancellations or no-shows. Whomever you call, having a list of prepared questions will help you. Avoid calling in the morning or mid-afternoon, when front desks are busiest. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

# Does one side of the hotel have a better view or less noise?
# Is there parking nearby?
# Is the hotel near public transportation?
# Is there a restaurant, and is breakfast included in your rate?
# Is there a fitness center on the premises?
# How far is the hotel from the beach/theater/meeting/convention center/highway?
# What are the neighborhood attractions?
# How safe is the neighborhood?
# What is the hotel's cancellation policy?
# Does the hotel offer smoking/nonsmoking rooms?
# What are the hotel's environmental policies?
# What facilities are there for the disabled?

If you are overseas or in a bed and breakfast, ask if there are shared bathrooms or showers, and how many there are per room. Also, ask about air-conditioning and where to make meal arrangements. Keep in mind that if you're not dealing with a known chain, user ratings and guidebook reviews are suddenly even more important and you should always ask about special packages and rates.

Before You Sign
When you do finally decide on your accommodations, ask to see the room before you actually check in. There may be something you overlooked or the hotel neglected to mention. Your room might be right above the disco, undergoing renovations or just a lemon. Be choosy. If you're not happy, don't be afraid to say so. You should never be apprehensive about asking too many questions. You'll be glad you did.

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How to Choose a Great Hotel

There are many people who leave their hotel bookings to the last step when planning for a trip but ultimately regret their unfavourable options. However, with a little forethought and careful planning, you can avoid these problems and enjoy a comfortable and luxurious stay in a hotel that truly suits you and your fellow guests.

There's more to consider when choosing a hotel beyond just the price, even though many people tend to view this as the major deciding factor. While it's true that you often get what you pay for when booking hotels, many guests who've stayed at reputedly luxurious accommodation in the past will be able to pass on their personal disappointments and horror stories of poor service and hygiene standards, so it pays to be careful.

To avoid nasty surprises, it's therefore important to check your accommodation before you decide to stay. If you're able to visit the location in person, taking a guided tour could be ideal, but for most of us the decision can be better informed by reading consumer reviews and testimonials from previous visitors online. Remember that higher room costs won't always reflect excellent standards, as some hoteliers may feel they are justified in increasing prices due to their enviable locations or spectacular views.

While the location of a hotel may not be the only factor influencing your decision, it's certainly one that's worth considering, especially if you aren't taking your own transport. You'll usually be able to find hotels within walking distance of airports and train stations if you spend a little time looking around - either online or in person - rather than having to settle for accommodation situated miles away from the attractions you're interested in visiting. If you are taking your own car however, on-site parking facilities could be another appealing factor in the hotel's favour.

The hotel facilities can also determine the price, with 4 star hotels typically offering a higher level of service than more budget alternatives. If you desire room service and other facilities, you should check whether these are offered by the hotel, and could even find specialised hotels incorporating fitness centres and health spas to help you get even more out of your stay. If you're travelling on business, you should also check whether the hotel offers Wi-Fi internet access, and whether this is included in the cost or charged separately.

About the Author

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