Milwaukee Limo Comfort

When you’re at home, you have a certain element of familiarity. You know you have to hold the handle of the toilet down for an extra few seconds in the upstairs bathroom, you know which room has poor ventilation, and you know which light fixture has bad wiring that makes the light  go on and off sporadically. When you’re at a hotel, that familiar knowledge is gone. Here are some tips that will give you insider knowledge of the ways hotels operate so that you know them almost as well as you know your own home. That way, your hotel stay will be as comfortable as a your limo ride from the Milwaukee airport.

1.) Book in the mornings

Rates are cheapest immediately after 6 p.m., which when the hotels are offering discounted rates on rooms that were originally reserved for no-shows who did not pay with a credit card. In more densely populated cities like NYC and San Francisco, the best time to call is right after 4 p.m.

2.) Book directly with the hotel

Instead of using third-party websites, book directly through the hotel website, because it offers better deals and more flexibility with reservations. Instead of calling the hotel’s 800-number, use the hotel’s local number and ask to speak with the manager on duty, the general manager, or the director of sales, because these people have the power to offer you better rates if you want to negotiate.

3.) If you really need a room, take an “out of order” room.

Hotels are rarely filled to capacity. Usually when hotels state they have no rooms available, they mean that some of those rooms are considered “out of order,” sometimes because of minor problems, like a chair that is missing from a room because it’s broken. If you find yourself being told that the hotel is full and you really need to stay somewhere, tell the front desk that you’re willing to stay in an out-of-order room with minor issues.

4.) Browse the lost-and-found for an emergency cell phone charger.

Cell phone chargers are the most common items left behind in hotel rooms. So if you forget yours at home or lose it somewhere along the way during your trip, ask the front desk if you can take a look at the forgotten cell phone chargers they have on hand and borrow one if it’s the right type for your phone. Hotels are typically willing to lend them to guests, but oftentimes visitors don’t know that this resource is available.

5.) Wipe certain items down.

Hotel room items that carry the most germs are remotes, telephones, and alarm clocks. Have sanitizer wipes on hand to disinfect these objects. In some hotels bedspreads are also only cleaned periodically, so remove them from the bed and request clean blankets for your room to use instead.

6.) Check your wallet carefully.

Thieves that steal from hotel guests nowadays only take one credit card so that the visitor is unaware of what’s happened until they check their bank statement. If you ever leave your wallet behind in your room, be sure to review its contents thoroughly so that you know that everything is still there.

7.) Good rates come to those who negotiate.

Check the pricing of the hotel’s competitors—if it’s lower, you can use it to negotiate a better rate. It’s also worth it to see what can be negotiated when you’re at the hotel itself. For example, if you have a lot of phone calls to make and you cannot use your cell phone, ask the hotel if they offer a flat fee for telephone usage by the day. Some hotels do offer these fees for both local and national long-distance calls, but they do not openly advertise them.