Traveling With Family? Finding Great Places to Stay

Traveling with my kids, parents and spouse is my favorite thing to do. But when it comes to finding lodging once we arrive to our destination, I quickly regret not making better traveling plans ahead of time. It's not fun driving around a new town, city or state looking for a hotel or bed and breakfast when we should be enjoying ourselves instead. After going through this for the last four years, I decided to plan ahead and obtain accommodations early. I have a large family so finding accommodations that fit everyone comfortably is essential. I found a great site online that offers information on almost destination in the United States. That makes it easier to locate hotels in the cities my family visits the most. If you need help finding great places to rest on your travels, read my blog. It'll help you make traveling plans in a snap.

Tips To Help You Upgrade Your Hotel Room

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It's a good feeling to arrive at your hotel after an exhausting day of business meetings or driving, but it's a better feeling to reach the establishment and know you've got a realistic shot at upgrading your room for free. Whether you're moving on up from a queen-sized bed to a king room or switching from a king room to a corner suite on the executive level, the key in accomplishing this task lies in how you approach it. Although booking a room online gives you the freedom to browse all the available options and then make your choice, it's still possible to show up, be ultra-polite with the desk clerk and get upgraded. Here's how.

Timing Is Everything

Arguably the most important factor in your ability to receive a free upgrade is the time at which you arrive at the hotel. If you arrive promptly at your designated check-in time -- 3 p.m., for example -- many other guests will have yet to arrived and the hotel will also be hopeful of last-minute reservations for the night. To increase your chances of a free upgrade, it's better to arrive later. Although there's no magic time that will guarantee an upgrade, arriving in the evening means the clerk will have a pretty accurate idea of the hotel's occupancy for the night.

Manners Matter

Sure, it's a little bold to approach the clerk and ask for a free upgrade, but a key element of doing so is to use your manners. Don't complain about your current room and don't fabricate a story as many travelers do -- every clerk has heard "it's my birthday" and "it's our anniversary" countless times. Instead, be straightforward about what you're looking for and do so in a polite, friendly way. It's also ideal to keep your voice quiet. If you present your request in a booming voice, it will attract the attention of other hotel guests who might try the same thing, thereby overwhelming the desk clerk.

Frequent Visitor

You can often increase your odds of receiving a free upgrade by visiting the same hotel every time you're in town. The clerk has access to your guest profile, and if he or she sees that you've stayed in the establishment half a dozen times over the last year, you'll been recognized as a loyal customer. Speaking of loyalty, becoming a card-carrying member of the hotel's loyalty program also puts you in good standing and can lead to different perks, including room upgrades, when you stay at hotels in the future.

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24 June 2015