Tips on Booking Foreign Hotels
- Booking a hotel in advance can save you time and worry when you arrive in a foreign country.Buena Vista Images/Photodisc/Getty Images
When you plan a trip overseas, it can be quite stressful to ensure that all documents, flights, connections and arrangements have been made before you set out. Securing the appropriate and affordable hotel helps ease the sometimes daunting task of traveling. The Internet has made booking foreign hotels easier but it is important to be alert when giving personal and sensitive information over the web. - You may be required to pay for part of your hotel cost or the full amount of the hotel cost before you arrive to confirm your reservation. To safeguard and protect your money and credit card, make sure the website you are booking on is legitimate and that the payment pages are secure. If you have doubts as to the legitimacy of a hotel, you can call the hotel or you can book a tried-and-trusted hotel that is recommended by travel guides like Lonely Planet or Frommer's. It is best to receive some form of payment confirmation so that you will have proof of payment if it becomes a contested issue.
- Before you book a hotel, it is helpful to do thorough research about the hotels in the area to secure the kind of accommodation you are after. Many government and tourist city websites will list suggested hotels in the area. You can review hotel features, prices, locations and amenities online and compare a few options before booking a hotel. By having a working knowledge of the area you are visiting, you will be able to decide which area of that country would best suit your travel plans and you can look for a hotel in that area.
- If you can think like a criminal, you can often beat the criminals at their own game. By familiarizing yourself with common hotel scams local to the destination country of choice, you can protect yourself from falling into the common hotel tourist traps. It is also important to safeguard personal information in this digital era. Foreign hotels should not ask for very detailed information regarding bank accounts, tax numbers or personal passwords. In some countries like Thailand and Vietnam, hotel policy may be to keep a passport on file once you have arrived to secure your room. It is a good idea to keep copies of your passport or other identification with you in case of loss or theft.
- There are hotel websites and travel deal websites that will enable you to find a foreign hotel at a good price. Certain websites offer global destinations with discounted hotel rates, seasonal sales and last-minute deals. Some will match the price of a hotel if you find it cheaper, allowing you to reserve the best rate possible. You can sign up with them to receive e-mail newsletters packed with exclusive deals. Other websites will send travel deals to you and bring the top 20 deals to your inbox weekly. And others will even offer worldwide online hotel and package reservations with a 100-percent satisfaction guarantee and the ability to search hotels based on the theme of your trip.
