How to Find the Best Hotel

If you’re curious how to find the best hotel when planning a vacation then this article is for you.

As you know, the hotel you stay at on your vacation can really make or break your trip.  It’s your home base and the place you go to rest and recharge at the end of a long day exploring a new city.

There are several important factors to consider before selecting your hotel to make sure you set yourself up to have the best possible experience while traveling. 

Read on for how to score the best possible hotel for your next trip. 

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How to find the best hotel

Step 1. Start your search in Google Maps

Whenever I begin searching for a hotel I always begin in Google Maps.

I research the destination I’m traveling to so that I get a general idea of where the city’s main attractions and located. When possible, I like to stay withing walking distance of some of the activities I intend to do during my trip.

I also look to see where the best restaurants and bars are so that I am close to good food and nightlife.

Once I’ve narrowed down the area I’d like to stay in I head over to Booking.com which is one of my favorite hotel booking websites, to see where the hotels are and what prices are like for the dates I am traveling.

Step 2. Search travel dates and location in Booking.com

Using the Map view in Booking.com I can get an idea of where most of the hotels are in relation to the destination I am visiting. This search also gives me an idea of what hotel prices are like during my travel dates.

Also, I cannot stress enough the importance of location when selecting accommodations.

Booking cheap hotels 40 miles from where you want to be is an incredible inconvenience and can really ruin a vacation. I know, because I have done this. 

Be sure to consider travel time between your hotel and the places you want to see. Make sure to account for transportation costs as well.

If you need to take a taxi 40 miles each way to get to and from your hotel, you might as well just pay more to stay within walking distance of your destination.

You may also end up losing a significant amount of time going back and forth, cutting into the time you get to spend having fun and exploring. 

This is an especially important consideration in big cities like New York City where local attractions are spread out over large distances and hotel prices are high.

The map view will give you an idea as to which neighborhoods have the best hotel deals in the area and what hotel rates to expect.

Search engine sites like Booking.com are also great for finding deals on last minute hotel stays if you’re ever feeling spontaneous.

Take a few minutes to review the various hotel options and identify your top two or three choices.

Step 3. Check the Reviews

Another important reason I recommend using Booking.com in your hotel search is that there are plenty of reviews posted by other travelers.

Once you’ve narrowed down your search to just a handful of options, take a few moments to start reading the reviews.

Be sure to focus on the most recent ones first. This step will often help to eliminate a few options from consideration.

Reading these guest reviews will provide helpful information that the hotel would otherwise not share with you.

For example, reviewers will report if there is construction going on nearby, if the hotel has a pest problem, if there is a nightclub blasting music all night long, or if the hotel staff lack customer service skills.

Often times you’ll see a cheap hotel room is cheap for a reason and may not be worth the hassle to save money.

Step 4. Conduct a Google Search of your Selected Hotel

Once you’ve selected the hotel you want to stay at, move your search over to Google to find the best price.

Do a Google search of the name of the hotel you would like to stay at, then enter the dates of your stay in the area on the right of the screen of the search results page.

Google will search the web and let you know which website is offering the best price. 

You can see my search above for Amara Resort and Spa in Sedona for the first week of January 2023.

A quick word of caution here. Sometimes the results returned by Google will list good deals at websites you’ve never heard of. Please use your best judgment when making your booking through the lesser-known sites.

I typically prefer to book my reservation with the more reputable hotel booking sites like Booking.com. Travelocity, Kayak, TripAdvisor, Priceline, etc. These sites are basically online travel agencies and can often direct you to the best deals.

Step 5. Book direct if possible

After you’ve found the hotel you want to book, head over to the hotel’s own website to check the price if you book direct.

If the price is higher, consider giving the hotel a call and letting them know you’d like to book a room, but that you found a better price elsewhere.

Be prepared to show them where and how you found a better price.

You will be surprised how often they will be willing to match or beat the price you found elsewhere. It is in their best interest to do so and has worked for me many times in the past.

By booking direct on hotel sites you protect yourself from numerous things that may go wrong while traveling.

It is much easier to work out a refund or cancellation if you have booked directly with a hotel. That being said, do pay attention to the cancellation policy when making your reservation.

Step 6. Always join the loyalty programs

Whenever you are staying with one of the major hotel chains, always join the loyalty program so you can earn rewards points.

Hotel points can really add up fast, especially if you are a frequent traveler. You will be surprised how quickly you can qualify for an upgrade or free night.

You are also frequently given better rates as a member of the hotel chains loyalty program, especially if you have a higher status with them. Sometimes, they even offer special reduced rates for loyalty program members only.

Step 7. Consider a hotel credit card

If you have good credit and you are willing to be loyal to a particular hotel brand, you might seriously consider obtaining one of the many hotel credit cards available with great introductory bonus offers right now.

Personally I have multiple Marriott credit cards and have accumulated a significant number of points and free nights.

I try to stay at Marriott properties whenever I travel and need a hotel and have acquired a massive amount of points not just for the booking itself, but also for using their credit card to pay for the room.

At this point, I’ve qualified for over two weeks worth of free nights, room upgrades, free breakfast, and free wi-fi, along with tons of other benefits.

It’s worth looking into if you travel often enough and are responsible enough to manage the credit card properly.

These points are especially valuable if you frequently travel to higher-priced cities like New York City or London.

You can often find rooms to book with your points so you don’t have to pay the extra high room rates when visiting these cities.

Keep in mind you want to always pay off these credit card balances or the interest fees will negate any benefits you received from opening up the account in the first place.

Final Considerations for finding the best hotel

Before you hit that final confirmation button to book your room, make sure to address these  final considerations:

1.  Added fees. Check with the hotel directly to see if there is a resort fee or parking fee. Both of these can be quite steep depending on where you’re staying, so make sure to account for these in your budget.
2. Safety. Always make sure you consider your safety when making reservations of any kind. Some areas may be fine during the day but not so much at night. Be sure to consider whether you will be coming and going at night and if you will feel safe getting to and from your hotel.
3. Style. Make sure you book a hotel that suits your travel style. Don’t book a resort frequented by retirees if you like to party, and don’t book a hotel with an all-night dance club if you like to keep it mellow. Do your research and stay somewhere that you will enjoy. 
4. Mind your budget. It’s no fun to stay at a hotel you can’t really afford just because it looked cool in the pictures. It’s also not fun to stay in a dingy room when you normally prefer something more chic. My best advice is to always stay at the nicest place you can comfortably afford.  Again, do your research.  

Finally, always enter any travel situation with an open mind. You can do all the research in the world, but you can’t possibly account for everything. Relax and have fun.  

If you need to book a flight for your next trip, be sure to check out my post How to Find the Lowest Airfare.