It is possible to get upgraded without having to pay for the Jacuzzi and Roman-style balcony - if you know how to play your cards right
Here are some ways to get upgraded from room 101 to suite 1011.
Frequent Flyer Points
With the right credit card, it is possible to redeem your accumulated frequent flyer points for a better hotel room. Check the deal as it may be better to use them to enjoy cheaper flight tickets.
Join Loyalty Programs
If you stay regularly at a particular hotel, ask about signing up for loyalty programs. Many are free and with enough visits, you can earn your way to an upgrade.
Bring More Business for the Hotel
For business travellers, book your meetings at the same hotel. Thus, you'll establish a cordial working relationship with the hotel by bringing it business, and your efforts will not be wasted.
Ask for Freebies
Sometimes all it takes is just one's boldness in asking for special deals or discounted rates before booking your room.
Charm the Service Staff
Being your friendly self is free and the correct dose of schmoozing and socializing will ensure you're remembered at the hotel. Always be friendly and if the staff remembers you the moment you check in, you may find yourself staying in an available king suite.
Complain Incessantly
Rock stars do it all the time. Ask Oasis. If you can charm the socks off the service staff, speak up vocally and make it known that you can be compensated with a better room. If the view from your window is a brick wall rather than the skyline, complain and demand to be reimbursed.
Now that you and your travel companion got the room with the view, complete bar, and fireplace, you may never want to leave it. But if you do venture out into the streets, you may need to rent a car.
Here's how to get your rental car upgraded.
Become Known
Be a regular customer and show loyalty to the car rental company, and you will have an easier time getting upgraded and receiving special treatment.
Enrol in Loyalty Programs
Ask about available loyalty programs to get special rates as a regular customer.
Stretch Your Frequent Flyer Points
If you have frequent-flyer points to spare after the flight, you can use some of them to get better deals on rented cars.
Be an Early Bird
Arrive at the rental car office early in the morning, since that's the time they are usually short on economy cars.
Be Specific in Your Demands
Tell the car rental agent exactly which car you want and be firm about it. If they don't have that car, you'll be driving off with a much better set of wheels. Also, if you aren't pleased with the available selection, stand your ground and say that you will not drive what they are offering. For example, if you say that you want a mid-sized car, but all they have left are compact cars, refuse to give in. You'll be driving out in an SUV for the price of a coupe.
Think of all the money you'll be saving by living in style at a fraction of the price. Remember that in the world of business, you are the customer and you have the upper hand. Beautiful travel companion not included.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Booking a Hotel Online - Simple Strategies for DIY Room Booking
If you are planning a free and easy trip overseas, booking a hotel online for accommodation can be exciting yet most frustrating. There are numerous websites that promise you guaranteed accommodation bookings with great discounts. However, not all online hotel sites are the same and one should adopt some strategies to ensure successful booking of accommodation.
It is advisable to make a booking in advance rather than try to get a room after arriving because it gives the traveller peace of mind that they will have somewhere to sleep once they arrive at their destination. It is also a good idea when travelling to a popular tourist destination, especially during holiday seasons.
To book a hotel room online, you can do it at home from the hotel's own web site or at the web site of an agency. Nowadays, most hotels have their own web site. However, the information may not be updated often and busy periods are not shown clearly. In that case, look for the "Contact us" page or send an email to enquire about room availability. There is a checklist to follow:
1. Check whether your preferred rooms are available.
2. Request for price quotes for the specific period that you wish to stay.
3. Provide all personal details of other people who will be staying with you.
4. Directions to the hotel
5. Any other special requests.
You should get a response in a few days. In countries in which English is not widely spoken, it may be a good idea to send your email questions in batches, rather than fire off all questions at once, as this may lead to lengthy delays or non-replies.
Payment for booking a hotel online is usually made by credit cards without exceptions. In cases of cancellations, hotels usually charge you for one night if you cancel less than 24 hours before arrival. In popular tourist locations such Las Vegas, this minimum notice may be as long as 72 hours. Sometimes, a simple phone call may be enough to cancel a booking, provided enough notice is given to the hotel.
It is believed that the best hotels are those just newly opened or renovated. Beyond being new and modern, they need to attract clientele, and may strive to offer more comfort or services for less money. Go to internet forums or YouTube to solicit testimonials from visitors who have stayed in new hotels. For people looking for bargains, many hotels try to sell off their unsold rooms at discounts to specialist 'last minute' travel portals such as Priceline or Zuji. The reduced rates available from these portals are not usually advertised in the hotels because the hotels do not want to advertise these lower rates to guests who are paying full rates.
It is advisable to make a booking in advance rather than try to get a room after arriving because it gives the traveller peace of mind that they will have somewhere to sleep once they arrive at their destination. It is also a good idea when travelling to a popular tourist destination, especially during holiday seasons.
To book a hotel room online, you can do it at home from the hotel's own web site or at the web site of an agency. Nowadays, most hotels have their own web site. However, the information may not be updated often and busy periods are not shown clearly. In that case, look for the "Contact us" page or send an email to enquire about room availability. There is a checklist to follow:
1. Check whether your preferred rooms are available.
2. Request for price quotes for the specific period that you wish to stay.
3. Provide all personal details of other people who will be staying with you.
4. Directions to the hotel
5. Any other special requests.
You should get a response in a few days. In countries in which English is not widely spoken, it may be a good idea to send your email questions in batches, rather than fire off all questions at once, as this may lead to lengthy delays or non-replies.
Payment for booking a hotel online is usually made by credit cards without exceptions. In cases of cancellations, hotels usually charge you for one night if you cancel less than 24 hours before arrival. In popular tourist locations such Las Vegas, this minimum notice may be as long as 72 hours. Sometimes, a simple phone call may be enough to cancel a booking, provided enough notice is given to the hotel.
It is believed that the best hotels are those just newly opened or renovated. Beyond being new and modern, they need to attract clientele, and may strive to offer more comfort or services for less money. Go to internet forums or YouTube to solicit testimonials from visitors who have stayed in new hotels. For people looking for bargains, many hotels try to sell off their unsold rooms at discounts to specialist 'last minute' travel portals such as Priceline or Zuji. The reduced rates available from these portals are not usually advertised in the hotels because the hotels do not want to advertise these lower rates to guests who are paying full rates.
Friday, October 26, 2007
The Art of Booking Rooms Online
1. Research Source of Review
Don’t believe everything when you come across a highly rated review on a travel website. Some unscrupulous web-savvy hotel owners actually use Tripadvisor to self-promote their properties and rate them highly. If it sounds too good to be true, insepct the post carefully and see if the author has been an active forum contributor or is just a one-off contributor. If he is an infrequent comment contributor, chances are that he may have his own selfish agenda to pursue. It may take a little bit of effort but it is worth it to do some research on the user to ensure the authenticity of his identity and make sure he is what he is.
2. Read Testimonials from Other Travellers
Sometimes, the best endorsement of a hotel comes from the guests who have stayed in it before. Read their testimonials to gain a better picture of the hotel you are planning to book. Look for pictures taken by people who have stayed there Every hotel looks nice on its website. Sites like Tripadvisor allow travellers to upload photos. If you prefer videos, head over to YouTube and search for the hotel’s name using Youtube’s search engine, you may come across videos uploaded by previous guests.
3. Cancellation
Read the fine print for cancellation policies. Nothing in the world is free and there is a catch for capturing a super cheap deal. Similar to cheap flights, there is a high probability that cancellations will not be attended. Even a change in the booking may result in a forfeit of the deposit. In case in which you have strong reasons to make booking changes or cancellations, keep persisting when asking for refunds. Hound them using email or phone. Be prepared for longer response times as online travel booking websites may not have the bandwidth to response to customers’ requests due to heavy traffic.
4. Understand Niches of Websites
Not every online travel website is the same. Find different websites with different strengths Some sites have stronger links with hotels in certain regions. For example, Wotif is reputable for Australia while Orbitz is stronger in the US.
5. Get Discounts
People say ‘ask and you shall be given’. Email to the hotels and request for a discount directly. In off-peak or low occupancy periods, they may give you a better rate. Look for coupons online and quote them to enjoy discounts. Use flattery by sending an e-mail telling the hotel owner how much you’ve heard about it but can’t find a good rate on the Internet. This is more applicable for smaller, family-run bed and breakfast types who are more personal than the bigger chains.
6. Visit Disney
Visit this website to see how you can plan your entire holiday in Disney and save lots of money.
7. Visit Las Vegas
Viva Las Vegas! If you can save money before hitting Las Vegas, you can spend more in Las Vegas. Click here to find out how you can save money in Las Vegas.
Do some research when on holiday and visit many hotels to get a first hand understanding of what the hotel is like so that you can decide whether to stay there next time
Don’t believe everything when you come across a highly rated review on a travel website. Some unscrupulous web-savvy hotel owners actually use Tripadvisor to self-promote their properties and rate them highly. If it sounds too good to be true, insepct the post carefully and see if the author has been an active forum contributor or is just a one-off contributor. If he is an infrequent comment contributor, chances are that he may have his own selfish agenda to pursue. It may take a little bit of effort but it is worth it to do some research on the user to ensure the authenticity of his identity and make sure he is what he is.
2. Read Testimonials from Other Travellers
Sometimes, the best endorsement of a hotel comes from the guests who have stayed in it before. Read their testimonials to gain a better picture of the hotel you are planning to book. Look for pictures taken by people who have stayed there Every hotel looks nice on its website. Sites like Tripadvisor allow travellers to upload photos. If you prefer videos, head over to YouTube and search for the hotel’s name using Youtube’s search engine, you may come across videos uploaded by previous guests.
3. Cancellation
Read the fine print for cancellation policies. Nothing in the world is free and there is a catch for capturing a super cheap deal. Similar to cheap flights, there is a high probability that cancellations will not be attended. Even a change in the booking may result in a forfeit of the deposit. In case in which you have strong reasons to make booking changes or cancellations, keep persisting when asking for refunds. Hound them using email or phone. Be prepared for longer response times as online travel booking websites may not have the bandwidth to response to customers’ requests due to heavy traffic.
4. Understand Niches of Websites
Not every online travel website is the same. Find different websites with different strengths Some sites have stronger links with hotels in certain regions. For example, Wotif is reputable for Australia while Orbitz is stronger in the US.
5. Get Discounts
People say ‘ask and you shall be given’. Email to the hotels and request for a discount directly. In off-peak or low occupancy periods, they may give you a better rate. Look for coupons online and quote them to enjoy discounts. Use flattery by sending an e-mail telling the hotel owner how much you’ve heard about it but can’t find a good rate on the Internet. This is more applicable for smaller, family-run bed and breakfast types who are more personal than the bigger chains.
6. Visit Disney
Visit this website to see how you can plan your entire holiday in Disney and save lots of money.
7. Visit Las Vegas
Viva Las Vegas! If you can save money before hitting Las Vegas, you can spend more in Las Vegas. Click here to find out how you can save money in Las Vegas.
Do some research when on holiday and visit many hotels to get a first hand understanding of what the hotel is like so that you can decide whether to stay there next time
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