In today’s world, it can be hard to trust anything you read online. But especially when it comes to making purchases or booking services, it’s only natural to be a little nervous when you haven’t actually seen the thing you’re paying for. Knowing this, it can be hard to know if you’re booking the type of hotel you think you’re booking when you choose to acquire accommodations online. So to help limit the chances of you paying for something that’s less than what you expected, here are three tips for finding the right hotel to book online.
Book Directly With The Hotel
With listings available all over the Internet and from hundreds of different websites, it can be a challenge to find out all the information you want from various directories. For this reason, you may find that you have more luck going directly to the source, which is booking with a hotel directly. Apart from being able to know that you have the most accurate information, Talia Avakian, a contributor to Business Insider, shares that booking with your hotel directly often gives you a better chance to snag an upgrade, since they’ll know better what’s available and what isn’t. This tactic also allows you to build up more of a rapport with the hotel staff, which could make your stay much more enjoyable.
Understand Where They’re Located
If you’re looking to get a hotel in a certain location or within a specific proximity, make sure you’ve doubled checked that the room you’ve booked fit into those parameters. According to Dara Continenza, a contributor to USA Today, some hotels have various facilities within a city, which can make it confusing as to which one you’ve actually booked. So remember that just because the hotel’s marketing materials might say it’s centrally located doesn’t necessarily mean what you might assume it means.
Forget Negotiating With Chain Hotels
Some people love negotiating and seeing what they can do to get the best possible price for their hotel room. However, Michelle Crouch, a contributor to Reader’s Digest, shares that you may find this difficult if you’re booking with a hotel chain. Some chains don’t give their managers the ability to negotiate on prices for their rooms. So if you’re set on debating back and forth for a lower price, you may want to stay at a hotel that’s independently owned. Hotels that don’t have a higher organization to report to often have more flexibility in giving you a cheaper price or throwing in some extras for your stay.
If you’ve found it hard to book a quality hotel room online, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you have an easier time the next go-around.
