The Right Hotel. Getting what you paid for.

By: Banahene
“No way I can’t afford to stay there” Think again. Let me tell you how you CAN.
The key is the right travel agency site. Travelocity has been good to me over the years. Next, don’t settle for the first hotel that seems sort of decent. Pictures are very deceiving and the reality once you get there is ten times worse.
Here’s a good way to decide. Whatever the vacation budget is, stick to it. Browse hotels within that range and be sure that’s what you want. Read the reviews, look at the amenities they provide view all the pictures and don’t forget to see what the cost might be to upgrade. You will be surprised at what a few more dollars a night will get you. Read the room descriptions very carefully. On some sites a simple, innocent statement like: “Partial view of ocean from the left window from small balcony” translates into reality to mean, “If you step out onto a two foot balcony and lean all the way out almost to where someone needs to hold on to a leg, you may see the ocean across a much closer view of roof tops or the ventilation units”; read between the lines.
On the other hand if you read something like “Ocean front view from your balcony deck chair or Jacuzzi balcony” You are probably going to be blown away by the view you get and the rest of the hotel amenities.
Read between the lines as you choose;
“Hotel on the beach” and “Hotel close to beach“is a language twister all in itself!
On the beach is exactly that, a private beach leading off the hotel grounds with umbrellas and comfy beach chairs and refreshment service to your beach chair.
Close to the beach could be anything. A public beach across the street, a beach that requires you to walk down a multitude of winding stairs to get to it, maybe even a beach the size of your back yard. Rocks everywhere and swimming is prohibited in the ocean, and a pool no bigger than a compact car parking space. I’ve seen it all and not enjoyed it all.
“Smoking rooms” This is a touchy one. One needs to be very careful because if you don’t smoke the lingering scent of a week ago’s smoke will still be there. My experiences of hotels both in the US and beyond that offer “ No Smoking Rooms” does not necessarily mean smoking has never occurred in the room. It just might mean not this week! They seem to go by the rule of if it has been cleaned, and then it can now be a non smoking room.
Look for Hotels that offer No Smoking floors or are a No Smoking facility period. That usually works out. Just be sure to reiterate your non smoking requirement as you check in so you don’t have to deal with the whole room change dilemma as this only takes away from some sun beach time!

My next topic is Airlines, a must read down to earth version.