Worn-out rooms, lack of infrastructure, inconvenient location – these and other problems can spoil the impression of a vacation or business trip. Ourguider.com has collected six recommendations on what to consider before booking a hotel.
Rate the mood
If you plan to see local attractions, find out how far it is to get to them when choosing a hotel. Where there are many points of attraction, as a rule, the accommodation prices are high. Also, such hotels may not have parking, or you must pay extra. A possible compromise is to stay in a place from which it is convenient and quick to get to by car or public transport.
Read the reviews
Travelers often share their impressions of their stay at a hotel. To find the best hotels in Lahore, you must read reviews. If the place is popular, you can find any details in the reviews, from the staff’s performance rating to the presence of an elevator and the sound level in the rooms.
Sometimes, a hotel only temporarily solves existing problems; you can also learn about this by reading reviews. If a hotel has no or exclusively negative reviews, it is better to choose another option.
Find out about additional services.
Economy hotels usually do not provide any services. However, sometimes, guests need to be told about this option. For example, if you need a transfer, you can ask about it before booking. Sometimes, such an option actually exists, and it costs less than in a neighboring hotel of a higher class.
In star hotels, especially in the premium class, additional services are usually included in the accommodation price. However, there may be nuances here, too. For example, It is better to read about all this carefully and, if necessary, check with the hotel staff.
Ask about check-in time.
Some hotels only allow check-in until a specific time, and late check-in is available for an additional fee or is not possible. You should contact reception if you plan to check in at night, but the hotel description needs to indicate this option.
Some hotels offer contactless check-in. In this case, the guest arrives at any time and receives the room key using a code the hotel employee gave him in advance. However, problems may arise on-site. For example, if the hotel is in a closed area, another code must be entered to enter the entrance. If this happens in the middle of the night, there is a risk of being unable to reach the employee and being left on the street.
Please clarify the price again.
In most cases, the accommodation cost indicated on the website is the final one. However, sometimes the final price is higher. At the same time, some guests are exempt from paying the resort fee: low-income people, veterans, and disabled people of the first and second groups.
In some countries, the room rate does not include taxes and fees. This information is usually available when booking, but it is better to check when traveling abroad. With the help of these tips, you can quickly get an idea of the best hotels in Islamabad.
Look at the photos carefully.
You can get a first impression of a hotel from the photographs on the Internet.
Here are some signs that may indicate potential problems:
- The photos are old and need to reflect the current state of affairs. You can check this by studying the reviews and pictures of people who have recently visited the hotel;
- low-quality photos (dim or overexposed, distorting or artificially enlarging the space);
- The photographs are heavily retouched, and renders (computer graphics) are used instead. Such images are easily recognized by their ideal proportions, lack of shadows, and volume;
- There are no photos of the rooms, or there are much fewer of them than in other hotel locations;
- The photo shows only some room options.
The above signs do not necessarily mean something needs to be fixed with the hotel. However, they may raise suspicions. The ideal option: many reviews, high ratings from travelers, and high-quality photos, but do not exaggerate reality and show the actual condition of the rooms.