Going on long trips may require you to stay at a hotel. Unlike hostels, hotels have personalised services that will make your stay much more comfortable. The differences can be found in the suite of features and ancillary solutions that make sure you will feel right at home in the hotel. Staying at a hotel may seem like a no-brainer activity; after all, it is just a place where you sleep for a few days after sightseeing and city explorations. However, if you just subscribe to this thought, you may be missing out on a lot of things.
Hotels have a lot of good things to offer, and you may be overlooking them. You should make the most of them, or else, you may feel that you have been overcharged. Getting the most out of your booking does not have to be difficult. There are actually some simple things to follow, whether you are staying at a city centre hotel or at one of the hotels near the Singapore airport:
Always check in early
The first rule of maximising your hotel stay is by coming to the hotel early. If you come in late, you will not be able to extend the hours of your booking, thus shortening the time and duration of your stay. And while you are at it, you may explore if the hotel actually grants requests for late check-outs. This almost always works when you have a hotel membership, but do not always count on it.
Read up on the features
If it is your first time to book a certain hotel, it would be wise to look at the facilities and features. That way, you will know how you will be able to maximise your stay. For example, if you are a fitness enthusiast, you may check out if the property has a gym, a pool, or a yoga studio. If you are thinking of going to the city centre and will be staying there for an extended duration, you may want to see if the hotel has a shuttle service that will drop you off and pick you up.
Use it as a celebration venue
Say your trip has coincided with your or someone else’s birthday. You may want to have your dinner at the hotel’s restaurant or bistro. See if they have some little surprises for the birthday celebrant. More often than not, hotels give freebies during these occasions.
Be friendly to staff
This should go without saying, but the staff of the hotel can actually give you access to some services and amenities that will make your stay one to remember. So be nice to them and give them generous tips. Better yet, be nice to them in general—not because you need something from them.
Holidays and business trips open up the world for you. You get to find comfort and solace in a foreign place. The company of the new people you meet may make you feel special. Regardless, feeling “at home” in this place may require you to find a nice hotel. And when you have found one, you ought to know how to make the most of your stay.