During holidays and summer trips, most of us begin to worry about buying a tourist ticket or at least choosing a suitable hotel in advance. But how to choose a hotel there, where you go for the first time? This is when you better go to Internet! Anyways remember- it’s just not all sites are equally useful.
Rule #1. Money
In any case – whether you are going to travel abroad or thinking about a trip inside your country you should start counting your expanses – to determine in advance all of your requirements and compare them with the budget of your tour. It is understood that it’s too foolish to expect a stay in a five star hotel, if you have a modest sum.
In addition, calculate, whether you are planning to hold in the hotel all the time. It doesn’t make any sense to spend money on extra services and luxurious rooms, if you’re just sleeping in it? Anyways the choice of the hotel to needs to be discussed with a supreme seriousness, because it will save you from the rushing and will reduce the time spent at the search of a residence.
Rule #2. Hotel Brand
Remember that it’s better to consider the hotels in comparison. That is, the designation “five stars” still does not guarantee that your room will not encounter mosquitoes and ants, and cleaning will be done on a daily basis. Very often (this is especially typical for the bulk of such resorts as Egypt, Turkey, Bulgaria) we can see two five-star hotels in the neighborhood, but they differ as heaven and earth.
How not to be trapped? First of all, pay attention to the “brand” of the hotel. Of course names of Hilton, Sheraton, Marriott or the Ritz Carlton can offer something to oblige. And by the way these popular hotels are not always expensive (because they are designed for cheap resorts). On the contrary, they may have different levels in the management of hotels, but the quality of service certainly will not be non-satisfactory. Therefore, choosing the hotel through the Internet, navigating to the “global chain” still stands.
Rule #3. Friend Advice
When it’s possible guide yourself by the recommendations of friends. Especially, if they have travelled abroad not long ago. Friends can tell everything to the smallest details and give its assessment of those hotels where they had rested. In most cases, you can go to the recommended hotel without fear and calmly book rooms via the Internet virtually blind.
But believe all the reviews on the sites of tourist travel agency is not worth it! First, the bad reviews about the hotel can keep competitors. Very often, these messages do not contain any specs, but only bad grade (sometimes in the form of obscene …). And secondly, there are people who do not like the service, even at the hotel, the permit in which costs $ 10-20 thousand. And thirdly, very often the tourists go to a three-star hotel and the service is expected to reach five stars! Then they leave on the websites of the tour operators angry reviews like “The waiter insisted to have a tip!” or “in my room there was no sea view, this is simply a nightmare !!!”. In most cases the situation is dramatized to the most extreme.
Rule #4. Hotel View
On what kind of feedback it is worth paying attention to? Compare the main characteristics of the hotel with the specific “evidence» of the seasoned travelers. Typical tricks “holiday sales”: to point out that the hotel is located on the seashore, it has a beautiful sandy beach, a set of services in the room – at the highest level. While it may be that the sea is 500 meters to go, if not more, beach entrance to the sea is not (for example, in Sharm el-Sheikh virtually you can access sea everywhere, but not from the shore, which is strewn with coral and requires special shoes), and the rooms may not be safe or dry enough, or you might need to pay an additional charge for it. All this may not mean that you have selected a bad hotel. You just need to keep in mind these nuances and to estimate how much may actually cost this holiday. Knowing the details, you will be able to not overpay for travel agency and find a more suitable option.
Rule #5. Hotel Photos
Be vigilant, watching the hotel sites yourself. All of them are presented very, very beautiful. And it is typical for sites of western hotels, and of course Russian. Now, in the age of information technologies, smart marketers realize that the site is the image of the hotel. An image which is not visual for the upcoming guest yet. In fact, it may be that the hotel has been modernized with the latest technologies only in the reception compartment, and the rooms have not seen repairs for 5-10 years. So focus on the “official” photos of the hotel makes no sense.
Rule #6. Hotel Website
Book directly! Hotel website can be used for its intended purpose – for booking rooms. If you are traveling without a specific plan of your tours this is often an ideal option. A confirmation of your reservation will come to e-mail and when settling for your book you would have to pay, and if for some reason you do not make it to this hotel no one will ask you to pay any kind of charges.
You can book both hotel rooms and hostels through the Internet! It’s true, you will be asked to give your credit card in advance. This is to ensure that the hotel will send a confirmation (the so-called voucher for settlement), which, inter alia, requires the consulate for visa.
Many of this method seems to be too strenuous, because everything can be entrusted when travelling by an agency. This is so, but in some cases, for example, when you need a hotel in a particular town, remote from the beaten tourist trail in crowds, booking through the Internet – is the most convenient way. This method is suitable for those who are able to plan for many months in advance and are used to save money and time.
For example, you now, you can book a room in some European town in the beginning of the month in advance, to celebrate here a holiday taking place mid-month. And the prices will be the most attractive ones as usually they go higher during the holiday times!
Rule #7. Travel Agency
Do not avoid travel agencies. It is believed that the travel agency “wounds” the cost of the permits, simply reselling services of tour operators. This is not so! It’s not a fact that buying directly from the tour operator will cost you less than the agency. This can be confirmed by the personal experience. In the agency it will be easier to meet your budget and needs.
However, it will cause no harm to read reviews of tour operators and compare their services: very often the tour operators sell permits in the same hotels at different prices, the cost can vary considerably! With such a “comparison of experiences” it is already possible to go to the travel agency and ask to pick up a tour to a specific hotel for a particular tour operator.
Rule #8. Relax
Relax and enjoy! Even if you’ve been reading the negative reviews of your future hotel, which has already paid for, just never mind! Some people just love to spoil the rest of themselves and for the others, focusing on small things that you probably will not even notice. Let’s just wish you a successful online diving and cloudless holiday!
