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Not every hotel you are going to stay in will have a bellman and concierge. Heck, some just have Frank, who makes $5.85/hour, asleep behind the desk. In this case, you needn’t worry — tipping is probably not expected. But if you’re staying in a place slightly more upscale, tipping is both customary and appreciated.

Because tipping is a way of rewarding good service, there is no way to say what is appropriate across the board. Tip at your own discretion, but keep in mind the following guidelines:

Valet: $1 – $2 (more in bad weather)

Shuttle Driver: $2

Doorman: $1 – $2 (for hailing a cab and/or helping with luggage)

Bellman: $1 – $2 per bag (when bags are brought up and down from your room)

Concierge: $2 – $20 (depending on the level of attention; for simple questions like directions, no tip is necessary)

Room Service: 15 percent of the bill or at least $2 (not required if gratuity is included)

Housekeeping: $2 – $5 per night (the messier you are, the higher the tip)

Coat Check: $1 – $2

More Tipping Tips:

CREDIT: http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=307&category=7

Are Hotel Suites Worth the Cost?

Before deciding if hotel suites are worth the cost, one must first look at a few factors: amenities, purpose of trip, length of stay, number of occupants, cost and location. At first glance the answer to the question ‘are hotel suites worth the cost?’ could result in a knee-jerk response, but let’s examine the factors:

Amenities:

Just want is in the hotel suite? Hotel suites can be nicer than some homes. With a dining area, full kitchen (including microwave), full stove and dishwasher, two bedroom areas, a living room area, a work desk, and a couple of bathrooms, a hotel suite could seem more like an apartment than a room!

Purpose of Trip:

Are you traveling for business or pleasure? Is space a serious issue? Will the upgrade to a suite be covered by your corporate account? Are you looking for a space that is very family-friendly? How much time to do you intend to spend in your room, or will you be working and/or sightseeing for the majority of time? If you don’t intend to spend time in your room, and plan on eating most of your meals in restaurants – a suite may not be the most cost effective choice.

Length of Stay:

If planning a brief visit or traveling alone, the upgrade a to a suite could be a guilty pleasure, as a little self-indulgence can be a nice thing at times. However, a lengthy visit could be the time when you most want the extra space instead of feeling trapped in a small room. Do you intend to prepare some or all of your meals at your hotel? If so, a suite with a full or half-kitchen could save you tons of money on meals over the course of a week or more.

Number of Occupants:

How many people are traveling with you? If it’s just you and one other person, a standard hotel room could suffice. However, if traveling with more than two people, a second bathroom and room to sprawl out could be welcome additions. There’s nothing worse than sharing a room with several people and feeling like a sardine, or having to wait to use the facilities.

Cost:

Hotel suites can easily cost double the rate of a standard room, or much more depending on the amenities. They often have very specific policies attached to them, like requiring a 30-day cancellation notice or forfeiting a night’s stay, and pre-payment of at least the first night.

Location:

Is your hotel located in the city – near everything, or are you in the suburbs where it requires a car to get to civilization? A hotel suite with a full kitchen, cable television, and relaxation room in a hotel with a gym, pool, and game room could provide enough entertainment for the duration of your trip.

Hotel suites can be quite extraordinary and totally worth their cost. It will require a thorough examination of the number of occupants, setting, purpose of the trip, and location of hotel to make a final determination. If on a tight budget, decide in advance if the expense of the hotel suite will be balanced by the savings on meals – if you plan to cook, or if additional funds will be required for meals and entertainment. There are times when hotel suites will be the clear choice and others when a mere room will be quite sufficient.

CREDIT: http://www.superpages.com/supertips/hotel-suites.html

Are You Traveling Soon?

Here Are Tips for How to Get an Upgrade on Your Hotel Room

Have you always wanted to stay in one of those “fancy” hotel rooms but just can’t see paying the listed rate for them? Well, I’ve got a secret for you. You can get them quite often without paying those requested rates.

You aren’t always going to be able to get a free upgrade on your hotel room, but if you set that as your goal then even if you fail you still might get a bargain price. One of the biggest things to keep in mind when seeking out a hotel room upgrade is that it never hurts to ask. Of course if you are traveling for a special occassion make sure you mention that when inquiring about the free room upgrades. Finally, your arrival time can actually help your chances at getting either a free hotel room upgrade, or a discounted hotel room upgrade.

Too often people are afraid to ask about upgrades for their hotel rooms. They are afraid of being labeled as “cheap”. Well, who is going to know other than yourself and the hotel employee working at the desk. How often are you going to run into them after your stay at that hotel. Chances are extremely likely the answer is never. So, when you check into a hotel, just casually ask “how many rooms are available that are upgrades over the room I am in?” when checking in. Then you can sort of jokingly say “so, what would I need to do to get into one of those”. If they desk clerk likes you and it is a minor upgrade they might just go ahead and do it for you for free. Keep in mind sometimes an upgrade in your mind such as a room near an elevator or with a special view is not costing the hotel anything to provide so don’t be afraid to ask. If they have those rooms and they are not booked you are likely to be offered a “free upgrade” or a discount on the published rate. If the clerk quotes you a cost that is not a discount ask them “can I check back with you later if there is anything we can do if those rooms are still available?”. If they say yes, ask them what time and check back with them. Remember the worst they can say is “no”. I’ve done this before and received calls shortly after I checked in thinking I had failed in my attempt being offered an upgraded room at little or no additional cost.

Don’t be shy to let the hotel clerk know why you are asking for the hotel room upgrade if it is for a special occasion. If it is for a birthday, anniversary, wedding proposal, or some other celebration let them know.

That can always help influence them into considering giving your request more thought and possibly honoring it. Again, don’t be bashful about sharing this news with the clerk. Keep in mind though you should be honest. They will be sort of suspicious if you say it is for an anniversary but you are just booking the room for yourself. If you are saying it is for a birthday of one of your guests in the room, make sure that person knows you told the clerk so they aren’t confused if the clerk says “oh, happy birthday” sometime during your stay to them.

My final tip for getting a discounted or free hotel room upgrade is to consider your arrival time. If you arrive right at check-in time it is unlikely a hotel will honor a request for a discounted upgrade, let alone a free one. Yet, if you arrive later in the evening your chances increase. Keep in mind though if you arrive after the time that management leaves their offices, there might be nobody there that has the authority to give you a discounted or free upgrade, so don’t arrive too late.

Regardless of when you arrive though, make it clear you might be interested in an upgraded room. This way as the night progresses and if there are discounted upgrades to be had, the clerk or manager will be aware and might contact you.

CREDIT: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/607877/how_to_get_a_free_room_upgrade_at_a.html?cat=30

Hotel Room Safety Tips: Stay safe and protect your valuables in and around your hotel room.

Worried about protecting yourself from dangerous strangers while traveling? Concerned about protecting your valuables from theft while staying in a hotel room? Here are some safety tips to keep in mind.

To protect yourself:

• Keep the door to your room locked at all times. If you are inside the room, turn the deadbolt and fasten the security chain.
• When you leave your hotel room, pull the door completely closed behind you. Make sure the latch has engaged. Take a moment before you leave to try the door and make sure it is closed and locked.
• Do not open your door to strangers. Use the security viewport to see who is outside your door. Do not trust someone claiming to be a hotel employee if you are not expecting one. If you are unsure, call the front desk to check. Leave the security chain engaged while opening the door for further protection.
• Check all windows and doors in your room every time you enter it and leave it to make sure they are closed and locked.
• When entering or leaving the hotel after dark, use the main entrance.
• If you travel often, consider buying a portable alarm system to hang on the doorknob for added protection. These movement-sensitive devices can awaken you if a door lock should happen to fail.

To protect your valuables:

• Use the safe provided in the room to store keys, wallets, extra cash and credit cards, jewelry, and other small valuable items you are leaving in the room. If no safe is supplied, check with the front desk. They may have locked storage available for your use.
• Don’t leave cash, travelers checks and expensive electronics and jewelry lying around the room.
• Leave larger expensive or breakable objects at home, if at all possible. If you must bring them, store them in the closet and out of the way of the cleaning crew.
• By using your common sense and taking a few precautions while on the road, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from danger and hang on to your possessions.

CREDIT: http://hotels.about.com/cs/travelerstools/a/hotelsafety.htm