Reserving Your Room

Compare prices and book online. Many properties are listed on multiple Web sites. Depending on who is selling the room, prices can vary dramatically -- by as much as 200% or more for the same room for the same date. You'll often find good prices at large online reservations services like Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, and Trip.com, but if the hotel that interests you has its own site, check there, too. And if the property is part of a chain, check the chain's site. Web discounters like Onetravel.com are another option, and some guarantee their rates: If you find a lower price within 24 hours, they'll refund the difference or let you cancel your reservation without penalty.

Bid Online. Depending on the destination, you can save 40% or more on hotels' regular rates on bidding sites liked Priceline or Hotwire. You choose an area and quality level of a hotel and then bid on a price -- you'll hear back within minutes if your bid was accepted (and your credit card automatically charged).

Call the lodging, not a toll-free number. If you've got specific needs or preferences, try this old-fashioned strategy: Use the telephone. But call your chosen hotel directly. Reservations agents at the toll-free numbers of major chains usually don't know much about individual lodgings. If you call the property itself, you're more likely to end up speaking with someone familiar with the rooms and the general lay of the land. (Don't be cheap: If the property doesn't have a toll-free number, call it directly.)

Make your desires clear. If you have preferences about the room you'll be staying in, make them clear to the reservations agent. Some things to consider are room size, smoking or nonsmoking, king or two queens (or double or two twins), high floor or low floor, patio or balcony. Need quiet? Insist on a room away from the elevator, or other high-traffic areas like bars, pools, restaurants, and service areas with ice and vending machines.

It's hard for a reservations agent to predict construction too far in advance, but by all means ask if there are any plans for renovations at the hotel or nearby. (If you arrive at your hotel and find construction going on, request another room immediately. If the hotel cannot move you, request a rate reduction. Most hotel managers will do this with no argument.)

About the view: If it's important to you, ask what you'll see from your room. If you hear the words "city view" or "ocean view," ask whether the view is obstructed or unobstructed. Also, in beach locations, be sure that your room is "beachfront" and not simply "waterfront." In Florida and many Caribbean destinations, for example, many visitors arrive at their "waterfront" hotels only to find themselves on the intercoastal waterway or the bay, 10 or more minutes' drive from the actual beach.

Be detail-oriented. If driving, ask if the hotel has a parking lot or covered garage and whether or not there is an extra fee for parking. In large cities like New York, some hotels have regular parking and valet parking in the same garage. If you don't ask, the attendant will assume you want your car valet parked, which has a higher daily surcharge than regular parking.

If you don't like to leave the hotel to eat, ask if there is a restaurant or if room service is provided (many lodgings offer room service, but not necessarily 24 hours a day). Many moderately priced business-oriented hotels keep menus of local restaurants that will deliver to your room.

Most hotels have in-room telephones, but double-check this at inexpensive properties, especially if you are traveling outside the United States.

If you know you are going to use the fitness room, ask about the hours and what type of equipment it has -- it could be anything from a room with a treadmill to a fully stocked gym.

Most hotels and motels have in-room TVs, often with cable.

Don't assume that even a large chain hotel can provide a crib (there will most likely be an additional charge). Ask, and make sure it is a crib that meets current child-safety standards.

If you're unsure about a room or its location, ask if the room photos or the floor plan can be found on the property's Web site, but remember that photos sometimes make rooms look better (and bigger) than they are.

If you need to know the location of the convention center or the nearest bank or restaurant, don't accept an answer such as "Oh, it's only three blocks away." The length of a block can vary greatly from one city to another -- or even from crosstown to uptown -- and what might be a charming stroll on a summer's eve becomes an unbearable trek on a sub-zero winter's day. Ask for actual distances, and whether the route includes physical challenges like steep hills or bridges.

If you're dealing with a hotel in a foreign country, take the time to learn a few basic phrases in the native tongue. Sometimes the basics are all you need to determine whether the choice is appropriate for you -- or whether they even have rooms available for your travel dates.

Play the investigative reporter. You can ask the reservations agent straight out what's the best room in your price range or what rooms are most popular. But you can also play the reporter. Interview the agent about the various types of rooms available and ask what the advantages and disadvantages of each are. Ask to speak with the person's supervisor or someone at the front desk if the agent is unable to help you -- surprisingly, even some on-site agents have never seen many (or any) rooms at the places they work.

If you have a disability, make sure the hotel is fully accessible. Make sure there's accessibility not only in your bedroom but also in the bathroom and in the hotel's public facilities, such as lounges, pools, and restaurants. If you are traveling outside the United States, be aware that definitions of "accessible" can vary widely from one country to another, so ask about specific needs.

Ask for written confirmation. After you've made your reservation, ask for written confirmation (some properties send this by e-mail) and when you get it, read it. Make sure everything you've asked for is in the confirmation, and take the confirmation with you when you travel.

Hold your room with a credit card. Most chain properties will hold your reservation until 6 PM; call ahead if you plan to arrive late. To hold a late reservation you may need to give your credit-card number. Some smaller properties, usually independently owned hotels and B&Bs, will charge your credit card even if you don't show up (or if you cancel from one day to two weeks before your scheduled arrival), so be sure you ask about the hotel's guaranteed reservations policy when booking.

Call if you're going to be late. If your reservation is for a certain hour, alert the hotel if you will be arriving later -- even if it's only 15 minutes later. Hotel managers are under pressure to keep occupancy rates high, so unless they know for sure you're arriving they may give your room to someone else.