No Connections Necessary: Four Easy Ways To Score A Better Hotel Room (No, really!)

As I drove up to pick up a friend from out of town at his hotel in Denver, I knew instantly, this place was probably crawling with bed bugs and unsavory smells. It wasn’t the sort of place I would entertain staying at but as he said, “It was cheap and I don’t plan on being in the room long.” When I pointed out the bed bug issue, he said he didn’t even think of that. Clearly the price was all he was looking for in a room.

We all love a good hotel deal, especially when it works out in our favor. However I’m guessing the majority would give up their great room rate for the price they pay in terms of bed bug extermination or a sleepless night due to the lack of sound proofing in between rooms. Scoring a better hotel room is not limited to business travelers or high rollers. Average travelers can easily improve their hotel room by following these simple tips.

Don’t let the bedbugs bite by doing your research: Getting rid of bedbugs will surpass the cost of your hotel rate most likely. Do your homework before and after you book with a hotel. Before booking, check out hotel review sites like Trip Advisor for recent sightings of the little guys at your potential hotel. BedBugRegistry.com also has listings of reported incidents at hotels. While you can’t protect yourself completely before you check in, once you do check in, be sure to check under the sheets and along the bedside wall for signs of the critters. A hotel room without bed bugs is the best room in the house.

Look carefully for soundproofing listed on the hotel website: Normally, travelers do the quick scan of the hotel website, looking for the standard amenities. What often goes over-looked is scanning for the word “sound-proofing”. Unless you want to hear the family who likes to wake up at 7AM to argue next door, soundproofing can be a necessary amenity. If you can’t get some sleep, you have lost out thanks to your hotel. If you don’t see this feature posted, send an email to the hotel and ask about the sound situation. A hotel room that actually allows you to sleep is the best room in the house.

Book rooms under the hotel’s award programs: You have found the hotel you want. If it is some sort of chain, you will probably find an award program advertised on the hotel website. Joining these programs usually comes at no cost to the traveler, but the hotel values your extra time for joining the club. Some will put you on better floors. Others will offer free refreshments to their not so exclusive club. If you are a part of these programs, even just for when you book with the hotel once, your room can end up being much better than some non-club member’s room.

Cozy up to the check-in desk: You might have booked two queen beds because it was cheaper hotel rate than the king room you wanted. You can still get you want at the price you paid. Whoever checks you in should be your best friend. While you are being checked in, it never hurts to ask if there is a different room available than the one you booked. Flash a smile and ask. If a good Internet connection is important in your room, ask for a room with the best reception. If a nice view is more of your cup of tea, ask. The answer will always be no unless you ask. Getting the exact room you wanted at a price you wanted to pay is the best room in the house.