Booking a hotel online can be a daunting experience. What you see online doesn’t always mean that is what you are going to get when you arrive, which can lead to disappointment and even ruin your entire holiday. The safest option is to book into a five star luxury hotel, because these hotels are known for their elegance and luxury, so chances that you are disappointed is dramatically reduced. There are some other important mistakes that you must avoid at all times when booking online.
Expecting the best room
Expecting the best room is definitely a common mistake made by many travellers. When you book online you select whether you want a double or twin room, from here it is up to the reservation team to determine who gets placed in which room. Don’t expect to get the room shown in the pictures as this isn’t always possible. If you do have a preference, ensure you make note of it on your reservation. Once you get to the hotel, if you are unhappy and if they aren’t fully booked, they may be able to move you to accommodate your request.
Expect your requests to be guaranteed
Again, you may request a particular room, you may request to have certain conveniences in the room, not all hotels can accommodate this. Don’t expect your requests to be guaranteed until you arrive or you have confirmed with a reservations manager. Again you may find yourself disappointed if you assume that anything you request on booking is guaranteed.
Arrival and Departure dates
When booking any hotel online, ensure you put down the correct date you arrive at the hotel and the day you leave. The slightest mistake could leave you without a room for a night, either at the start or end of your holiday. Always double check your dates when booking and check them again when you receive your booking confirmation to ensure that they are the exact dates you specified.
Not using a credit card
The safest way to book any hotel online is to use your credit card to secure your booking. While most hotels are honest and will only take the deposit amount or hold onto your details so you can pay in full on arrival, a credit card will offer you added protection and is a safer option than using your debit card. Don’t make this mistake which could ruin your holiday before it even starts.
Book into the wrong hotel
So you have done all your research, gone through the facilities and services the hotel provides and chosen your room that you feel best suits your needs and budget. You probably have a number of hotels you have looked at and booking the wrong hotel is surprisingly a common mistake. When you arrive at the hotel you originally chose only to find out that you aren’t staying there can be devastating.
Not reading online reviews
Before you consider booking into any hotel, take a few minutes to read through reviews from past guests. Reviews help you identify if the hotel offers what they say they do or whether they have photo shopped photographs on their site to make their hotel look better than it actually is. Don’t ever make the mistake of booking a hotel room without reading the reviews.
Not checking the cancellation policy
Every hotel has their own cancellation policy, so you can’t assume that all hotels will give you a twenty four hour cancellation where they will return your deposit. Ensure you check the policy so you know what you are liable for in the event you cannot honour your booking.
