How I get the most out of my hotel stay

A hotel stay can be a lot more fun if you do a little homework ahead of time. After all, who wants to spend all the money, go through all the planning, packing and traveling, only to be let down? Not me. Maybe you don't have a lot of free time. Good news...these suggestions are quick and easy. They may seem a little obvious, but I'm surprised at how many people don't look into these before they pack their bags.

1. Basic research---Anytime I'm looking to travel, I want to know the basics about the hotel. The first thing I do is look for reviews.  Does the hotel get mostly good reviews? Will there be construction in or around the hotel during my stay? Were certain guest rooms recently remodeled? These are some of the things I want to know.
    Sites like TripAdvisor, Expedia and Yelp are all great resources for that kind of information. Many times in the reviews, you'll find other little tidbits like where to find the closest metro station or best restaurants near the hotel. When traveling abroad, I like to know where to find the closest grocery store for snacks and drinks. People post that type of info all the time.
    I've also found several fantastic private tour guides through review websites. Travelers will often mention them during their hotel or resort review. And more often than not, you can find reviews on those tour guides as well.
    When planning our trip to Morocco, I found a private tour guide mentioned on TripAdvisor who was fantastic and cheaper than what the hotel's tour company offered. And to top it off, it was truly a private tour...just my husband and I!

2. Know the perks---When you travel, the extras can add up over several days.  I love when I find a hotel that fits the bill AND offers a free breakfast because the kids are usually starving when they wake up.  Even if it's a basic continental breakfast, it holds everyone over for a little bit.
    One place we stayed at in San Diego had a free "light" dinner AND beer and wine each weekday evening. That was a huge money saver and the kind of food our kids preferred anyway. Bingo!
    It's also worth finding out how a hotel caters to children. At a Kimpton Hotel in Washington, D.C., I remember reading how the hotel sends a "pet" goldfish to the room to keep kids company during their stay. I had never heard of such a thing! How cool! The housekeeping staff even takes care of it for you. Bonus! I read this in a review and of course requested it upon check in.

   Not only did they send up two real goldfish, but also goldfish crackers, cookies, juice pouches, water, colored pencils, crayons and activity books and stickers. We have stayed many places with our kids, but never once had a hotel go out of its way for them like this! The kids felt pretty special.

   This same hotel (The Donovan) offered a free "happy hour" to all overnight guests, complete with snacks. It was fabulous after a day of touring and much appreciated.
    However, be aware of the opening and closing times of amenities like the gym and pool. Don't just assume they'll be open when you want them to be. The Donovan has a nice rooftop pool, but it closes every day at 4pm and turns into a nightclub. Luckily, we knew about his ahead of time and planned around it.  

3. Sign up for emails/rewards program---If I think I might be staying at a certain hotel somewhere in the near future, I sign up for their emails. I've found that sometimes they'll offer a discount or coupon to use toward a booking and will notify you of last minute deals.
    Signing up for a hotel's rewards program is smart too. Some hotels let you reap rewards just for signing up! A few days before a recent trip, I became a member of a hotel's rewards program and received free Wi-Fi, had the resort fee waived and got a voucher for the bar. Pretty cool.

4.   Be nice---My mother-in-law, two daughters and I stay at the same hotel in Philadelphia each year for the Nutcracker. This will be our seventh year.  I joined the hotel's rewards program and always book direct. Sometimes I request a high floor or something simple like that. Then I let the hotel know how awesome it's been staying there through the years because it has been! We return year after year. Last year when we checked in, I was surprised to find out we had been upgraded to a suite!
    Another time, at the same hotel, I wasn't crazy about being so close to the elevators. So I went down to the front desk in person and politely asked if they had anything else available. They did. When I opened the door to the new room, it was twice the size of the other, and far away from the elevators.
    In Spain, I wasn't happy with our first room because it was on the ground floor and didn't have a balcony. It was supposed to. So I went to the front desk and told them how much we love the hotel but thought the room was supposed to have a balcony...after all, that's one of the reasons I liked this hotel. They were fully booked that day. However, the next morning, we were moved (and I believe upgraded) to a room with not only one balcony, but three! Trust me when I say it pays to be patient and nice.

A little research, planning and people skills can go a long way. Wherever your travels take you next, enjoy and make the most out of your stay.