Hotel and Accomodations

  • If you know you�re going to be doing a lot of traveling, sign up for all the reward programs that you know you might use. Most of these don�t expire, so it doesn�t hurt. I admit I haven�t quite mastered all the programs of different hotels, but most people will tell you that hotels do honor their loyal customers with nice perks here and there. I�ll update this when I know more about this.
  • When checking into a hotel, always ask for an upgrade to a better room. I learned this from traveling with seasoned sales reps. Often it doesn�t cost anything extra, and if it does, it�s very little. Upgrades include: non-traffic facing room (i.e., freeway, busy street, airport); higher floor room; room with a view; king size bed; and sometimes even a suite. You never know what you can get by just asking. As a side note, this also goes for purchases made on Hotwire, etc.Below are examples of things I�ve gotten:
    • For a mere $30 on top of a $35 Sheraton purchase, I was put in a upper floor, away from the airport traffic, and in a 600sq ft suite, fully equipped with a couch, working desk, and even a dining room sort of table. Well worth the $65 for a 3.5-star hotel.
    • When I stayed at the Shangri-la in Asia, I often try to get a garden view in HK or even a West Lake view in Hangzhou. For most of the time, there was no up-charge; if there was, it was very little and well worth it.
  • Sometimes extended stay type of rooms can be a great bargain. These are the ones that have limited service and only redo your sheets every few days. I stayed at a couple of these before and I got mixed results, but for the most part, it was nice. They�re equipped with a mini kitchen (stove, pots, pans, sink, fridge, dishes, etc). It can save a bit of money if you don�t mind getting food and going back to your home away from home for a quiet take-out dinner from your favorite local restaurant. Or, you can cook, too. Sure, these types of hotels aren�t glamorous, but it�s a studio away from home.
  • Frequent a particular 4-star+ hotel? Get to know the staff. You’ll get perks down the line and people will wonder who you are when the hotel staff address you wherever you go. ;)