I have a GPS and plan to take a trip to the DC area. I can use the GPS to find numbers of hotels nearby. Is it better to book ahead or just take my chances on the road. I want the cheapest solution.
2007-06-29 03:36:46 · 7 answers · asked by proyo y 1 in Travel ➔ United States ➔ Other - United States
Booking a hotel stay for the date you need is DEFINITELY recommended. This guarantees availability at the hotel you want to stay at & also locks in a guaranteed price including tax for your stay.
Taking your chances for availability with a hotel is very risky, particularly at different times of the yr., when the travel season is very high. Many hotels fill up very quickly starting around Feb. or Mar. thru Sept.
You can make reservations online, but it's always best to call & speak directly with the hotel you want to get a reservation with to verify that the hotel has availability for the date you want & to discuss the best rate for your stay. Sometimes hotels can take up to 2 hrs. to update their room availability online, this can cause overbooking of the hotel occasionally.
Hope this helps.
2007-06-29 03:56:29 · answer #1 · answered by sabrinacatlover 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Can't argue with any of the answers, but let me add one other reason for booking ahead: peace of mind.
Picture driving into a city late in the afternoon. You aren't familiar with the area. Do you really want to want to wonder where you might end up sleeping that night?
I didn't think so. With the various travel sites, it's easy to find a reasonably-priced hotel. Grab it, relax, and enjoy the vacation.
2007-06-29 18:19:30 · answer #2 · answered by wdx2bb 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Book ahead. During the summer, holiday, events, the better DC hotels can get sold out and/or rates double in price.
2007-06-29 10:44:37 · answer #3 · answered by Duane T 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have found that just walking into a hotel and asking for a room is the highest rates they quote.
This is how I get the best price on a hotel:
1.Look online to see what the best rate is: http://www.tripadvisor.com is a good site for doing this. http://www.kayak.com is another.
2.Select 3 or 4 hotels that sound good.
4.Look up the rates directly on each hotel's website.
5.Call the hotels directly. Tell them all of the discounts you qualify for. (AAA, Entertainment Card, Government, etc. If your paycheck comes from a county, state, or federal goverment you can usually bring your paycheck receipt & qualify for government discount).
Usually I get the best rate from either calling the hotel or from a special on their website.
Good luck!
2007-06-29 11:04:34 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
GPS or not, the cheapest thing to do would be to book ahead because if you don't, you will probably be wandering the city (wasting gas) trying to find not only a vacancy but a cheap vacancy.
2007-06-29 10:41:04 · answer #5 · answered by wonkawashbackwards 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd suggest booking ahead, particularly in such a busy area as DC.
2007-06-29 10:39:07 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you book ahead, you can do internet searches to find the best deals.
2007-06-29 10:42:43 · answer #7 · answered by dana_osmundson 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋