1.Always Expecting the Best Room
I often ask front desk staff how they assign rooms and what kind of guests get the best ones. And the front desk staff sometimes reveal surprising little details: the best rooms are usually given to those who book directly on the hotel’s official website or to VIP guests, while others who book through travel websites are assigned rooms randomly. This front desk worker also told me that this is common practice among most hotel chains.
Solution: Join the hotel’s loyalty program or become a VIP member. And when booking, it’s best to go through the hotel’s official website—don’t just book on a travel site because it’s cheaper.
2. Expecting Your Requests to Be Guaranteed
King bed or double room? Non-smoking? Minibar? High floor or low floor? These are all concerns when booking a room. Most booking websites allow you to read reviews and leave your own feedback. But some sites also use very small print to remind you that your requests may not be fully guaranteed.
Solution: First, know that hotels generally try to accommodate your requests; second, if there’s a mismatch, politely question the front desk. Finally, call the hotel before arrival to confirm your requests again, especially medical-related ones.
3. Choosing the Wrong Check-in and Check-out Times
I once made a serious mistake when choosing my check-in date. I selected the 14th, but forgot my flight didn’t land until the early morning of the 15th. That meant I booked a room I couldn’t even use, resulting in significant financial loss.
Solution: Double-check your flight schedule before booking and accurately determine your check-in and check-out times. Also consider time zone differences.
4. Not Using a Credit Card
A credit card is key when booking a hotel. Booking with a credit card not only allows you to earn airline miles, free nights, cashback rewards, etc., but also provides certain fraud protection and instant refunds. Also, debit cards may not offer the same protections or perks.
Solution: First, choose the right type of credit card and manage your spending wisely. Then make sure the card is accepted in the location you’re visiting to avoid any issues.
5. Booking the Wrong Hotel
When traveling, avoid being misled by hotel names or locations and booking the wrong one. Many people focus only on the hotel name and overlook whether it’s in the right place. For example, a hotel may be called “XX Airport Hotel,” but it’s actually two hours’ drive from the airport.
Solution: Check the email address, then look up the exact location on Google to see how far it is from relevant attractions, restaurants, or stations. If there are multiple branches of the same chain in the city, pay extra attention to the address.
6. Not Reading Reviews
Most travelers focus too much on the photos hotels display, only to find a big difference between the photos and reality upon arrival.
Solution: To better determine what’s real, the most important thing is to read reviews written by other travelers on the website. Don’t blindly trust the promotional photos provided by the hotel. Also, be wary of overly glowing praise or celebrity visit claims, as these are often fake.
7. Overlooking Taxes and Holiday Fees
In March this year, there was a report about a hotel in Colorado: a room priced at $170 per night came with an additional $30 cleaning fee, $40 holiday fee, and $10 spa fee, among others.
Solution: You may have to pay some room fees or newspaper delivery charges. But if you’re being charged unreasonable fees, don’t hesitate to question the front desk, ask for a receipt, or even complain to the local tourism authority.
8. Booking at the Wrong Time
Many people think waiting only increases uncertainty. To avoid not having a room, they book early—often during peak price periods—resulting in financial loss.
Solution: Hotel prices fluctuate due to many factors, such as location, season, tourist traffic, weather, etc. When booking, never reserve more than 21 days in advance. The best approach is to start monitoring price trends at least 40 days ahead. When you see prices starting to rise, book immediately. If you want the cheapest possible rate, use Tingo.com to help you book.
9. Not comparing prices
When you see a hotel you like at a very low price, you book it right away. But before that, you didn’t compare options or do more in-depth research.
Solution: When it comes to price, always make sure to compare different options. Use the internet to search for hotel information, and be sure to compare the prices of the same hotel across different websites before booking on the cheapest one. Generally, you should compare at least three websites.
10. Booking a non-refundable room
Many people wonder why a non-refundable room is cheaper than a regular room even though it’s the same room. That’s because hotel owners can profit from the lower price. If you book a non-refundable room, the owner can ensure they won’t have vacant rooms, and similarly, if you want to cancel your reservation, you’ll have to pay a certain penalty.
Solution: If there’s a chance you might need to cancel, such as due to weather, illness, or other reasons, it’s best not to book this type of room. You can also choose to book through flash-sale websites or online travel retailers, which not only offer low prices but also allow full refunds.