There are various ways to make sure you’re getting the very best deal when booking a vacation.
Most hotels offer refundable rates and non-refundable rates. The refundable rates will typically be more expensive, but if you choose that route you can keep calling around to other hotels to try and find an even better one – and then you cancel your first one if you do. And, if you don’t, you always have your first choice to fall back on.
Multipurpose Conditioner
Most hotels have some pretty decent conditioner, which is at the very least up to par with the store brand stuff that you could get at any supermarket or drugstore. But, if you’ve got your own conditioner to use for your hair, you can still get some use out of the little bottles that you get in a hotel.
If you need to handwash any delicate items, like underwear, use it in the sink to scrub out the clothes. You can also use conditioner to remove everything from makeup to Band-Aids and rings that have gotten stuck on a finger. Plus, if you’ve forgotten the shaving cream, it makes a great stand-in.
Use Your Signs
In almost every hotel room, you will have a sign hanging on the doorknob that has one side that says, "do not disturb" and another that says, "please clean room." If you hang the "do not disturb" sign, it will prevent any staff members from knocking on your door to attempt to clean your room, etc.
This is a really handy tool to have if you value your privacy and have no need for service in the mornings. Plus, it will also help to deter anyone else from bothering you, like thieves or any other shady characters roaming around the halls.
Be Wary of the Remote
Even if you’re in a 5-star hotel and everything around you looks like it’s clean enough to eat off of – you should still try out this hack. Hotel room remotes can be full of germs because the staff most likely doesn't sanitize them after every guest checks out. And if someone uses the bathroom, or picks their nose, or worse, and then uses the remote, you’re going to end up grabbing them.
To avoid any illnesses, you can use your plastic shower cap to cover the remote before using it. Sure, it may look funny, but if it saves you from a week of the flu, do you care?
Hotel Room Slam
There will be times when you’re in a hotel and, for some reason, you can’t, or don’t want to, eat out. Maybe you’re lacking the funds to drop a crazy amount on room service, or maybe there aren’t even any good places that deliver in the area. Or, maybe you just are the frugal type that prefers to save your money for things other than eating out.
Whatever the case may be, you can still eat in your room without dropping loads of money – think less than $1/meal. All you need is a cup of noodles and the room's coffee maker to put together a meal. You can always go the extra mile and add things like Doritos and nacho cheese to them for something more filling (and yummy).