From the cozy, tucked-away bed and breakfast to the metropolitan luxury suites, our experts have all the advice and tips you need when it comes to hotels, reservations, travel, and safety. Find out everything you need to know about room service, front desk negotiations, hotel star ratings, tipping etiquette, and more!
How It Started Back in the 1950s, there was no set system for rating hotels, which means travelers often took a pretty big chance with their lodgings. Mobil, the oil company, changed that in 1958 when they introduced their star system to help road-trippers know what kind of lodgings they could expect on their trip....
If your hotel has a concierge, then you’ll walk by their desk every time you enter or leave. They’ll probably greet you warmly when they see you, and you might respond with a polite smile or nod. But have you wondered what exactly they’re doing there? Here’s the short answer: They’re there to make your...
Hotels are built to be a welcoming refuge for travelers where they can relax. But they’re not the only ones who can benefit from the great experience a hotel provides. More and more people are finding out how enjoyable it can be to spend a week, weekend, or even just a night at a local...
On the surface, it can be hard to tell the difference between a resort and a hotel, especially when marketing starts getting involved. But there are clear differences, and knowing them can help you make sure you get the right kind of lodging at the right price. The Rooms When you stay at a hotel,...
Your Home Base Even if you’re only staying for a single night, your hotel will be your home base for everything you do. For example, if you’re in London and will be staying around the Thames, then opt for a central location. If you’re going to get out of town on day trips, then find...
Enter “good hotel” in any search engine or booking site and you’ll easily get back hundreds of results, if not thousands. Even if you narrow it down to your price range and a mile radius of where you want to be, you’ll still usually have plenty of choices. These tips will help you narrow down...
Airbnb helps you rent out that extra space you’ve got to travelers looking for a unique lodging experience. It could be a spare room in your house, your couch, a vacation home you’re not using, or even a boat. If you’ve got the space, then you can find people who’d like to stay there. Step...
Searching The first step is finding a place at your destination that you’d like to rent. Sites like Airbnb want to encourage you to rent, so searches will be free. Some might require free registration before you search, but many of them don’t require you to register until it’s time to reserve your place. If...
Don’t Focus on a Single Location A London room overlooking the Thames with a view of Big Ben or a hotel with a lobby five steps from the beach can be almost magical. Most people agree, which means these hotels will come with a steep price tag. A hotel five minutes from the beach or...
Even the most seasoned traveler brimming with travel advice can get a bit sheepish when it comes to how to tip, and it only gets more complicated when you think about how many people you may have to tip while staying at a hotel. Self-Service Hotels Self-service hotels don’t often require or expect tipping. What...