Avoid These Nasty Surprises When Booking Hotels

Photo credit: DrJimiGlide/Creative Commons

When was the last time you stayed in a dive motel? For me, it was just three weeks ago, and I'm still grossed out.

I had gone down to Washington, D.C. on a solo house-hunting trip, and in order to avoid paying $250 a night for a city room, I found space in an Alexandria Days Inn for just $70.

Barefooted teenagers grasping Big Gulps stared at me as I walked past trashed rooms with my little rolling suitcase and mom sweater set. Inside the room, the carpet was gummy with grime, as was everything else, and the phone and bedside lamp were broken.

But since it was midnight, the sheets were clean, and the deadbolt worked, I decided to stay. I used my laptop and the miraculously-functional WiFi to book a different hotel for the next night, then tried to sleep while partiers pounded down the hallways outside my skimpily curtained windows.

Where did I go wrong? Well, I'm still sticking with hotels.com, because the selection is vast, the interface easy to use, and I consistently find the best rates. But to avoid yucky surprises, here are my warnings:

1. Check consumer reviews

While I don't recall reading anything about my motel being a dump, a word I later added to the record, it's important to check overall consumer ratings.

After the rotten firetrap experience, I stuck with places that got consistently glowing reviews. I ended up going with a hotel that was a full hour outside the city (new respect for D.C. commuters), but to my relief, it was shiny-new and luxe.

2. Watch out for the word "non-refundable"

It's true that most hotels.com reservations can be cancelled up until the date of arrival with no penalty. However, sometimes special sales come with a catch -- you pay up front and you can't get your money back. I did only spend $70 a night on my skeevy motel, but since it was a special deal, I had to pay for the second night even though I checked out early.

3. Changing dates is not so easy

Because hotels.com works in a way I don't understand (when I called they kept saying something about pieces of a pie), you can't just tack on or take off a day from your reservation. You have to cancel and then rebook.

I found this extremely frustrating on our recent trip to Niagara Falls. All I had to do was remove one day from our reservation, but since we were forced to cancel and rebook, the same room and rate was no longer available. So do your best to firm up plans before you book.

4. Check for sneaky surcharges in the fine print

We got a fantastic rate on a Georgetown hotel this winter, but parking cost an extra $35. Read the entire hotel description to make sure features that are important to you -- such as wireless access or a view -- don't come with a big tacked-on fee.

5. Does the hotel have free breakfast?

If you can bring your own food, then this perk is not that big of a deal. But if you can't, and you're traveling with the whole family, another meal out in a restaurant can add significant time, trouble, and expense.

As with most things in life, it pays to do your homework. If you plan ahead and take time to do a little research, I know you'll find a great place to stay. (But if you don't, come back and vent here about it!)

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