HotelTips

I’ve always been a cheapest hotel possible kind of person. As long as there’s a bed and the door locks, I’m happy. For my honeymoon, though, I booked a very nice luxury hotel in Italy and I honestly don’t know how to make the most of it. When hotels cost $800+ a night, I can’t...

I’ve heard this rumor forever about sliding a $20 to the front desk at check in and magically getting an upgrade. I’ve never tried it because it feels kind of gross to me. Tipping before anything happens feels more like a bribe than a tip. If people do this, what’s the actual...

Trying to figure out how real Marriott’s promise is. They say if an Ambassador reservation can’t be honored, they’ll put you in a nearby hotel and give compensation in cash and points. Has anyone actually had this happen? Curious if they really follow through when a property is...

Just checked out of a mid-tier chain and noticed a $25 “amenity fee” for pool and gym access, which I never used. They took it off when I asked, but it made me wonder how many people don’t even notice these random add-ons. What’s the weirdest or most ridiculous charge you’ve...

Booked a Holiday Inn months ago for a concert next week, but I’ve seen a few recent reviews saying guests got bumped to another hotel 20 minutes away. I’m arriving around 5–7 PM, check-in starts at 3. Called the hotel and they said I can prepay, wondering if that actually helps...

Had 5 free night certs expiring soon, so I booked them as separate reservations for the same hotel just to see what would happen. At check-in, I explained the situation. They couldn’t link the upgrades, but the front desk kept me in the same room all 5 nights just had to rekey...

I wanted to share a lesson I learned the hard way about checking in early via the app. I got the notification in the morning, chose my room and checked in. Later that day my outbound flight got delayed, and my connecting flight was cancelled. I called the hotel directly (this...

If you’re hunting for in-room jacuzzis across the U.S., don’t overlook Holiday Inns. It might not be the luxury brand you’d expect for this amenity, but I’ve been upgraded to jacuzzi suites at IHG properties in random spots like Sherman, TX and even the MSP area. They’re often...