I used to think booking a hotel was mostly about finding a decent room at a decent price.
Not anymore.
The older I get—and the more we travel—the more I realize that the price on the search-results page tells me very little about whether a hotel is actually a good choice.
A $149 room can turn into a $220 room once you add parking and fees. A hotel that looks perfectly located on a map can be a pain to get in and out of. And sometimes paying a little more for the right room or location makes the entire trip better.
So before I hit that final Book Now button, these are the things I check.
1. I Check the Location—Then I Check It Again
I don’t just look at how many miles the hotel is from wherever we’re going.
I want to know what those miles actually mean.
How long is the drive? What’s traffic like? Will we be making that trip every day? Can we walk anywhere? Are there restaurants nearby? Is getting back to the hotel at night going to be easy?
Sometimes I’d rather pay a little more to stay somewhere convenient than spend part of every vacation sitting in the car.
If I have to drive everywhere, I’m paying for gas. If the hotel is somewhere I can park and walk, that saves me money and hassle. And the less I have to drive on vacation—or navigate unfamiliar roads—the better.
2. I Look for the Fees That Aren’t in the Big Number
This one can completely change which hotel is actually cheaper.
Before booking, I check for things like:
- Parking
- Resort or destination fees
- Pet fees when we’re traveling with one
- Wi-Fi charges
- Breakfast
- Other mandatory charges
A hotel that’s $20 cheaper per night isn’t cheaper if it charges $35 a night to park and the other one doesn’t.
I compare what we’re actually going to pay, not just the room rate Google or the booking site showed me first.
3. I Check the Exact Room Type
“Standard room” doesn’t tell me enough.
I look at the bed configuration, room size, location if that information is available, and exactly what I’m getting for an upgraded room category.
And I’ve learned not to assume that an upgrade is automatically worth paying for.
Sometimes I’ll gladly pay more for a better location or something that makes the trip easier. Other times the “upgrade” gives me something I couldn’t care less about.
Room types do matter; they really do. My husband likes to be on the top floor because it’s usually quieter. So if there is a particular location you want, make sure the room type you book can accommodate that.
4. I Read the Cancellation Rules Before I Pay
This isn’t the exciting part of planning a trip, but it matters.
Plans change. Weather happens. People get sick. Road trips get rearranged.
I want to know how late I can cancel, whether I’m paying in advance, whether the rate is refundable and what happens if I need to change my dates.
A few dollars in savings isn’t always worth locking myself into a reservation months ahead of time.
I am a military wife and a veteran. I am brutally aware that plans can change at the last minute. I need to make sure I won’t be penalized for changes that sometimes just aren’t under my control.
5. I Read Reviews—but Not Just the Star Rating
I don’t need every reviewer to love a hotel.
Actually, sometimes the complaints tell me more than the five-star reviews do.
I look for patterns.
One person complaining about something doesn’t necessarily bother me. But if I see multiple recent reviews mentioning dirty rooms, broken elevators, terrible parking, uncomfortable beds or the same maintenance problem, I pay attention.
I also look at the date. A complaint from three years ago doesn’t carry the same weight as six people mentioning the same problem last month.
6. I Check What’s Actually Included
“Free breakfast” sounds great—until you realize breakfast doesn’t start until after you’ve already left the hotel.
A pool and hot tub aren’t much of a benefit if they’re closed during your stay.
And transportation that’s technically included isn’t necessarily useful if it runs twice a day.
I look at the details of the amenities we’re actually likely to use.
I also check things like a refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, laundry facilities and other little conveniences depending on the trip.
Those aren’t glamorous, but on a longer trip they can matter a lot more to me than a fancy lobby.
7. I Look at the Hotel’s Own Website Before I Book Somewhere Else
Even when I find a hotel through Google or another travel site, I check the hotel’s website before booking.
I want to see whether the price is different, whether there’s a better cancellation policy, and whether there are discounts I qualify for.
That includes military, annual-passholder, loyalty-program and other rates when they’re available.
And sometimes booking directly gives me more flexibility if something goes wrong.
Hubby travels for work, so we build up those loyalty points pretty quickly. We have a few free stays banked because we’ve stayed consistently with the same hotel chain.
But we also have AAA and Military discounts that I frequently ask for. And if Disney is your thing, an annual pass discount is something you always need to look into!
8. I Ask Whether the Cheapest Hotel Is Actually the Best Value
This may be the biggest change in how I travel now.
I’m still paying attention to price. I’m just not automatically choosing the cheapest option anymore.
If another $20 or $30 buys me a quieter hotel, a much better location, free parking, easier transportation or something else that will noticeably improve the trip, I’ll consider paying it.
But it has to improve our actual trip.
I’m not paying extra just because something has the word “premium” attached to it.
Paying for a deluxe resort that has you walking way too far is not the same as staying at a moderate resort where I can pay for a preferred room. For example, we LOVE Animal Kingdom Lodge, but those hallways are long! The restaurants are wonderful, but getting to them from some rooms can still feel like a hike—even if you’re just going for a drink refill.
I can pay for a preferred room at Port Orleans Riverside and be close to where I need to be. Then I can book breakfast at Boma and have the best of both worlds.
My Rule Before I Hit Book
I want to know three things:
What am I really paying?
What am I actually getting?
Does this hotel make this particular trip easier or better?
If I can answer those three questions, I’m much less likely to regret the reservation later.
And because there are quite a few things I check before booking a trip—not just hotels—I finally put them all in one place.
Before You Book It
Get the free Before You Book It checklist
Grab my free Before You Book It checklist and use it before your next trip so you can check the little details before you’ve handed over your credit card.
Because finding out about the $40 parking fee while you’re standing at the front desk is a lousy way to start a vacation.