• Does the Hotel have a golf, tennis or spa package that will save you over booking these items separately?
• Is the Hotel's location particularly good, or does the Hotel have a shuttle service that could save you lots of cab fare or even eliminate the need for a rental car? Remember a shuttle service will also save you parking fees and gas.





• Does the Hotel have laundry services or the ability to loan out irons, ironing boards, hair dryers or voltage converters if needed to help lessen your luggage needs?
• Does the Hotel have other amenities available such as in room coffee makers, refrigerators or even kitchenettes that could save you money in your food budget?
• How can I save money on my room rates?
• Make your reservation as soon as you have decided on travel plans. A limited amount of the cheapest rates are only usually available to the first few that reserve on a particular date; and they go quickly.
• Being flexible about your travel plans can save you money.
• The best rates are found during the off-season and at other times when the Hotel tends to have empty rooms. Business Hotels in the downtown area will often have specials on the weekend when their customers are home. Resorts often have specials during the week.
• Ask about weekly rates or weekend specials.
• Ask about suites. The Hotel might have a suite available to meet your needs that would be less expensive than two separate rooms. Remember to check on the bathroom arrangement, you may find having only one bathroom too limiting.
• Shopping the Internet can be the quickest and easiest way to compare many Hotels' rates to find the best deals.
• Check into booking your room through a consolidator, they buy large blocks of rooms and often will pass their large discounts on to the individual consumer.
• You can check the national chain's 800 number and also check with the Hotel directly, since one operator may be offering a special of which the other is unaware. ASK, if this is the best rate they have available.
• Check into booking your vacation as a package. You might be able to save by booking your room along with a certain airline, rental car or attraction ticket package.
• You can apply coupons, but read the coupons carefully for exceptions and their terms of use.
• Apply any special discount programs for which you are eligible

Always book your hotel reservations as far in advance as possible to ensure room availability. Many cities such as New York, Chicago and Las Vegas can experience severe room shortages. Be precise about the name and location of the hotel you are requesting. Some cities will have multiple properties within a particular hotel chain. Check your itinerary to verify the hotel location and confirmation number. Your confirmation number guarantees you a room or adequate compensation.

Provide your confirmation number to the hotel agent at the front desk. Even though you have a confirmed rate, be sure to ask if any lower rates may be available. Most hotels have "fire sales" when availability is high or may be able to offer a rate that was sold out at the time of your reservation.

Navigant International travel agents always recommend that all hotel reservations be guaranteed for late arrival. If you need to cancel a guaranteed reservation, you must do so by 4:00 p.m. (cancellation time may vary by city or hotel chain) local time, on the day of arrival to avoid a no-show fee. Some major hotel chains charge penalties for early check-out. For example, if you confirm three nights but decide to stay only for two, you may be penalized. Be sure to ask at check-in if there is a possibility that you may check out earlier than reserved. In addition to rates that your company may have negotiated, Navigant International offers corporate discounts for hotels in the United States and throughout the world. Hotel rates are inventory-controlled and are based on supply and demand, similar to airline airfares. Therefore, the fewer the rooms available on a particular date, the higher the rate you should expect to pay.

Rooms that have card key systems rather than metal door keys are safer because the key codes are changed after each guest departure. Never place your purse, laptop or other valuable items on hotel baggage carts. They can be stolen while you're standing at the check-in counter. Don't flash cash, especially when you visit the hotel's cashier. This is a favorite observation post for pick-pocketers. Do not display a "clean the room" sign on the outside of your door as this indicates to potential thieves that you are not in the room. When you leave your hotel room at night, turn on a light and keep the television on a low volume to give the impression that you are in your room.

Enroll in the frequent guest program of any hotel chains at which you frequently stay. These programs offer many amenities such as free room upgrades, block space when hotels are sold out and sometimes provide airline miles.

The information above is provided as a service and any details and/or industry rules and regulations are subject to change at any time. Please contact your Navigant International travel agent with any questions.