In the US and Canada, you should be at least 21 years old to book a hotel room independently. But there are many hotels that allow age 18 check-in as well. If you are 18 years old and are planning a trip with friends, then apart from the flights and rental cars, the most important thing you need to consider is your hotel room. An overly-small, poorly located, improperly furnished hotel room with no internet connection and a broken TV will quickly ruin your trip.
Here are a few tips that can help you book the best hotel room in the right location at the most favorable price for a group of 18-year-old friends.
Check the Hotel Location:
The best location for a hotel room would be the one that is neither too busy nor too desolate. Staying in a cast-off hotel room can be dangerous, but it should not even be located in the middle of a marketplace or by the side of a busy highway. That may make your stay uncomfortable, and you may feel disturbed all the time.
Also, make sure that the hotel is situated at a convenient distance from restaurants, walking trails, and convenience stores so that you don’t need to walk for miles to get a single item.
Read Online Reviews:
Reading as much as possible about the hotel is the best strategy to get your hotel room booked. If you really like a hotel, do some research about it, and probably you will find something that you didn’t know earlier, such as bad food, noisy surroundings, slow Wi-Fi, outdated room furnishing, etc. After reading such reviews from real people who actually stayed there, you may change your mind and look ahead.
Ask About Shuttle Service:
Whether you are reaching the destination city by bus, train, or air, try to determine if the hotel management offers shuttle service to its guests. You are a group of teenagers who have chosen hotels that allow age 18 check-in and would not want to be left with the onus of arranging public transport to the hotel after reaching a new location. It’s preferable if your hotel can make those arrangements for you.
See the Provision of Meals:
Instead of arranging meals for your group several times a day, prefer a hotel that offers food within the hotel premise. Some may add the cost of the meals within the hotel room cost, while others may charge a fixed amount for offering you a buffet. If they do not offer any, at least ensure that there is a restaurant within the hotel so that you can go down and have your food by paying for it.
Ask for Internet Connectivity:
The Internet is a big necessity these days and every person in your group must be carrying at least one or two devices with them. Before booking your hotel room, enquire about internet connectivity on their premises and whether they offer that for free. Ask them how many devices they allow per room or per person, as some hotels may have a cap over it.
See if They Have Parking:
If you are riding your car, bikes, or minivan, find out whether the hotel has a parking space or not. If they have, find out whether it is free or they charge for it. If they charge, find out their parking rates and how much will be the total cost for the duration you would keep your vehicle parked there.
Avail Hotel Point Awards:
If you or your family is a loyalty club member of a particular hotel, then you can consider availing hotel point awards to save a few bucks. However, book directly from the hotel and don’t book through an agent or a third party website. Hotels may not give you the awards if you do not book from them.
Negotiate the Price:
If you are on a budget and want to get a good hotel at a better rate, then the simplest method would be to call the hotel reception and ask if there is any possibility of price negotiation. They may not slash down the price drastically, but if you find the rate a little higher than your budget and you can adjust if they reduce it slightly, there is no harm in talking.
Sign Up for the Hotel’s Rewards Program:
Signing up for the hotel’s rewards program can fetch you some benefits immediately, such as free Wi-Fi, complimentary parking, a lake view side balcony, shuttle service, and others.
So, if you are looking for hotels that allow age 18 check-in, find the hotels that offer this facility and look for the above-mentioned points before booking one.
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