A hotel room can be a great solution if you’re planning a vacation or need a place to stay on short notice. But booking a hotel room online can be tricky, especially if you must familiarize yourself with how to do it.
Luckily, some simple tips can help you book a hotel room online and get the best deal.
Online Booking
If you plan to stay in a hotel, websites like Booking.com are a great option to start your search on. You can find the best deals on the internet and get the room you want without waiting for a reservation or paying too much. However, you should be aware that finding a good hotel can be challenging, and it can take time to find the right room.
The first step in booking a hotel room online is to search for hotels near the destination you are going to travel to. Once you have a few hotel options that match your needs, it is time to compare prices on them. It is important to check all available rates and ensure that you are getting a reasonable rate for the dates you want to stay.
Another way to find the best prices is to use a site that offers discounts for last-minute bookings. These sites usually have a high volume of users and can help you save a significant amount of money on your room.
In addition, you should make sure that the website you use to book a hotel is user-friendly and allows you to find the best deals on the market. Some of these sites even offer tips and strategies that you can use to find the best hotels for your budget, preferences, and needs.
You should also consider a system that can easily display your ARI and provide personalized features like sending special requests or pre-stocking rooms with preferred amenities. These tools can help you attract more customers and increase your customer loyalty.
Credit Card Authorization Forms
Hotel guests can fill out a few different types of credit card authorization forms when booking a stay. Each form will be tailored to the guest’s needs and may include information about their details, travel dates, credit card details, and more.
Most hotels will have a form that they offer on their website or by request. It’s a good idea to call the hotel before you arrive at your destination to ensure that they have the appropriate form in place and to ask whether it’s available online or if you need to request one.
The hotel will likely ask that you provide your name, the hotel’s contact information, and your credit card details, which they will verify at check-in before you can get into your room. They may also ask that you limit the charges you’d like to put on your card for extras such as food and drinks.
Some hotel owners will also include a statement that they assume liability for any damages or injuries that might occur while using the card. This makes it less likely that the cardholder will file a chargeback, damaging your business and leading to more costly legal costs.
While hotel owners have traditionally relied on paper and PDF authorization forms to process payments, digital alternatives now work much more securely. These solutions reduce fraud and chargebacks by up to 90% and save time and money in administrative work.
Cancellation Policy
Your hotel’s cancellation policy can greatly impact how much you pay for your stay. This is why it is important to know the policy before you book. The best way to find out the hotel’s cancellation policy is to check the rate details of your booking or call the hotel directly.
Most hotels have different rates that allow you to cancel your booking with a full or partial refund based on the date of your stay. These can include the regular rate, 60-day in advance rate, member rates, or prepaid rates. The hotel may also have certain cancellation policies during special events, such as holidays and other travel periods.
Some hotels require a 24-hour cancellation notice before charging you the full room rate for your stay. This is to avoid last-minute cancellations.
It is also possible to get a refund at some hotels for an unexpected death, near death, or serious illness. You’ll likely be asked to provide documentation as proof, but if you have a close family member or friend who is deceased, the hotel will likely accept your request and refund you.
Check-In and Check-Out
When guests arrive at your hotel, they want to be greeted with a warm welcome and feel comfortable in their surroundings. Keeping the check-in process as quick and painless as possible is key.
By eliminating tedious procedures, you can give your staff the time they need to provide a higher level of service. This means they can focus on more meaningful interactions, improving customer relationships while ensuring guests are happy and leaving satisfied.
Online check-in systems are an excellent way to avoid long lines at the front desk and ensure that your guests get checked in on time. By scanning a QR code on the reservation page, your guests can be redirected to your check-in webpage and complete the process with only a tap or two.
The digital check-in system allows your guests to skip the long queues and hassle of traditional checks, and they can even pay the bill on their smartphones. This saves valuable employee hours and ensures that your guests get their rooms on time.
Another great benefit of online check-in is that you can automate the billing process. This is an area that often gets overlooked by hotels, so it’s important to make sure that you’re checking credit card charges at check-in.