Vacation Planning Tips - 10 Hotel Travel Tips

Staying in a hotel is great. Who doesn't love the luxury of knowing you can make a mess and someone else will clean it up, make your bed, pick up your towels, etc. Great fun! Here are 10 vacation planning and hotel travel tips to make the most of your next hotel visit.

1. When choosing your hotel, be sure to check how far away it is from such places as the beach, shops, and the areas you plan to explore. Sometimes you will find misleading phrases such as "near the beach" or "within walking distance of shops and restaurants."

2. I like to pick a hotel that has a nice restaurant attached or as part of the hotel itself. They are usually open pretty early and stay open fairly late so that if you happen to get in late from your day, you can grab a coffee or a bite to eat. The ones that are open 24 hours are the best! If you are staying at one of the hotel resorts in Vegas, all the big ones have a 24-hour restaurant. I love that!

3. Go online and check for reviews of the hotel you plan to stay at. Make sure there are not a great number of negative reviews or unhappy customers. Also check travel guidebooks and see if there is a rating.

4. If you know someone who has visited the same place, ask them what hotel they stayed at and see what they recommend. Personal recommendations are always great.

5. Make your reservations early so that you can get all the amenities you desire such as a room with a view, a non-smoking room, and the size and number of beds you need.

6. If you are going to need a rollaway bed, check on this in advance, as there are usually a limited number available. If possible, try to get a room that has a sleeper sofa instead.

7. Saving money is nice but let's face it, the higher quality hotel, the higher the price normally. The better hotels have better construction, and thereby not so much noise or interruptions during the night, allowing for a good night's sleep. But even the high-priced hotels have deals and specials, and you can also get better rates during the off season.

8. Avoid rooms near the noisiest areas such as right by the elevators, the ice machine, or the swimming pool.

9. If you have a pillow that you can't sleep without, don't forget to bring it. If you are flying, you can use it as a travel pillow and just take it onto the plane with you as carry-on. I personally always travel with my Tempurpedic pillow.

10. The first thing I would do when arriving at the hotel is to fold up the comforter or bedspread that is on the bed and put it in a corner somewhere, then call down for extra blankets. The reason? The sheets are laundered daily but the bedspreads are not.

Use these vacation planning tips to make your next hotel stay much more enjoyable.

Family vacation ideas and cheap vacation tips.