The size of your group is an important consideration. If you're travelling with small children, it's particularly useful to tailor your research towards self-catering options. A hotel with a self-catering facility will give you all the options you need. Also enquire about transfers and whether the hotel provides car seats for your children as this will save one having to feel like a travelling circus with all your accessories.
Your research should also focus on the location of the hotel. Try to identify a hotel closest to the places you want to visit. So if, for example, you aim to visit the Mediaeval parts of a city in Europe, it isn't very convenient to choose a hotel a long way away in the suburbs of the city. Similarly, if you hope to use public transport on your trip, check whether the hotel is near an underground station or on a bus route.
Peer reviews are helpful in deciding which hotel to select, in particular if there are a number of hotels in the location you want to be in. Use sites like
If your hotel has an app, download it in advance of your arrival. Exploit whatever it offers if that makes things easier for you - for instance, if you can do a mobile check-in via the app, do so because you'll save time at the hotel when you arrive.
You should check your room when you arrive at the hotel. If something is wrong, let the hotel reception know about it immediately before you unpack your bags.
Remember that anyone can fall victim to crime or get caught up in political unrest, so keep in touch with the hotel's reception desk with questions about areas of the city that may not be safe or about unrest that could occur.
The same advice is true for travellers visiting countries known to be conservative. Check with your hotel about the clothing you should wear when planning a visit to a religious site, for instance. If you arrive inappropriately dressed, you could find yourself being treated rudely or thrown out.
If you're taking along a small child, bring along all the necessary items that comfort them in their normal home setting, i.e. night light, grow clock, background music or white noise device so that the child can be comfortable at night while you're away. Make sure you take along any medication or first aid items you may need for children.
Make the hotel's mini-bar a no-go area for the children or ask the hotel to unstock the mini-bar as you could find yourself having to settle a whopping bill for snacks.
Ask hotel reception how long it'll take to get to the airport from the hotel, and what the best transport options are for the journey.
Ensure that you've set aside a few minutes to check the room before you leave. The things that are most often forgotten are cell phones and cell phone chargers, double adaptors, spectacles, medication, and small items of jewellery.
Requesting a copy of your hotel bill the night before check-out for review can save lots of valuable time and make the whole process far smoother.
