NO matter why you’re traveling or where you’re traveling to, your hotel has the potential to make your trip one to remember for all the right or wrong reasons. Hotels are more than just a place to sleep. The best hotels offer information and services that help familiarize you with your location, address the special needs of families and business travelers and, they hope, give you something to write home about.

    Business or pleasure

    When it comes to choosing a hotel, the first thing to consider is why you’re traveling. If you’re traveling for business, you’ll have different needs than if you’re traveling on vacation or with children.

    Business travelers should choose a hotel that features a business center or offers complimentary in-room Internet access that’s secure and ideally wireless. Try to find hotels close to the airport or the center of the city’s business district.

    When you’re traveling with children, consider spending a few extra dollars to stay in a family-friendly hotel. Look for hotel amenities like in-room refrigerators and other kitchen appliances, restaurants and room services that feature a children’s menu, indoor pools, portable cribs and a professional baby-sitting service.

    Location, location, location

    Choosing a hotel with a good location is critical to making your trip a great one. But what does a good location really mean? That depends on what you’ll be doing while you’re staying at the hotel. You don’t need to plan your entire itinerary in order to choose a hotel, but you should have a general idea of what you need or want to do once you arrive at your destination.

    Start with a map of the area and highlight the airport, local attractions and shopping, theater or other districts you’d like to see; then locate hotels that are conveniently located in relation to these spots.

    Guest ratings

    Travel sites invite travelers to rate their trip online and these hotel reviews often provide you with key information you might not find elsewhere, like whether a hotel is undergoing remodeling or construction that may detract from your stay. Read through the majority of user reviews to get the most fair and accurate picture of the hotel and hotel rooms, and be wary of reviews that seem exceptionally positive or negative, which may be intended to sway you one way or another.

    (SD-Agencies)