Author: Grasshopper Greg

There are several tips and strategies to help you make the most of your hotel travel adventure. In many cases, staying in a hotel can be an incredibly stressful, complicated, and overwhelming experience. From finding accommodations at an affordable price, researching hotel cleanliness, and in the right location, there are several steps that must be taken for a successful stay. Fortunately, it does not always have to be a difficult, frustrating, and taxing process. In fact, there are plenty of simple tips to help you enjoy a hotel stay without any worrying or anxiety. In this post, we will breakdown the ultimate hotel travel guide and discuss the essential tips for lodging in hotels.

Join A Hotel Points & Rewards Program

First and foremost, joining a hotel rewards program is a great way to reduce stress, save money, and make your next stay more enjoyable. These loyalty programs offer rewards, discounts, and other special incentives that reward you for frequent travel. Major hotel chains like Sheraton, Marriot, Hilton, and Hyatt all offer some form of point programs. Entering these programs, you can access discounted room rates, free cancellations, and points for free stays. In addition, some plans may even offer in-room perks, such as free WiFi, late check-out, or club lounge access. You may even receive room upgrades, complimentary parking, and welcome amenities. Certainly, joining a hotel points and rewards program is an essential tip for lodging in hotels.

Strategically Book Hotel Rooms

In addition, it will prove incredibly beneficial to strategically book your hotel rooms. If you are able to, try booking rooms as early as possible. This will allow you to take advantage of falling rates. In addition, booking early will often allow you to take advantage of free cancellations. This way, you can always cancel and change to a more affordable accommodation if you are unable to find one. However, if you are unable to book early, there are still plenty of ways to help you find an reasonably-priced room. For example, try using a last-minute booking app, which allows you to take advantage of deals on unsold rooms upon the day of arrival. Surely, strategically booking your hotel rooms is a great way to make your next stay more affordable and enjoyable.

Remain Flexible

If you are not bound to any specific schedule, try and remain flexible throughout your hotel travel vacation. Try booking a hotel during the off-season to access more affordable room rates, as well as flexible choices. For example, consider visiting the Las Vegas Strip during the winter season instead of the middle of summer. Traveling during off-season periods, you will not have to fight with crowds either. Of course, this makes sightseeing and many other attractions on your itinerary much more enjoyable. If you are not flexible on the specific time of year for travel, there are still options to help you avoid peak demand. For example, staying at a hotel midweek instead of over the weekend will generally help you access better rates. Indeed, staying flexible is a great way to save money on your hotel travel adventure.

Bundle Accommodations

Next, bundling your hotel accommodations is another great way to make your next stay more convenient, enjoyable, and affordable. If you are traveling to a hotel in a major metropolitan area, you may be additionally charged for parking. Fortunately, many partner with parking companies that allow you to access reduced rates for both lodging and parking. In fact, you may even be able to find hotels that are able to offer discounted flights with regional, or major international airlines. Leveraging these programs, you can save money, explore new destinations, and cut costs on your travel itinerary. Absolutely, bundling accommodations is a great way to make your next hotel stay simpler and more enjoyable.

Choose Your Location Wisely

Of course, it is incredibly important to wisely choose the location for your hotel travel. Keep in mind that accommodations in major cities or tourist hubs are typically much more expensive. To save money on your hotels, look for lodging options outside of these metropolitan areas. Instead, look for places on the outskirts of the city, or even a few miles out of town. Even if you choose a hotel that is an hour’s drive away from the city, you will likely save a great deal of money in lodging expenses. If you are visiting New York City, for example, consider accommodations in Long Island, Staten Island, or New Jersey instead of Downtown Manhattan, which is known for being extraordinarily expensive. Definitely, wisely choosing your location is essential to master the art of travel planning and hotel travel.

There are several tips and ways to learn before staying in a hotel. First off, join a hotel rewards and points program. In addition, strategically book your rooms based on time. Next, be sure to remain flexible when it comes to times of the year, as well as the week. Next, consider bundling accommodations, such as rooms, parking, and flights. Of course, be sure to choose your location wisely. Follow the points highlighted above to learn about the ultimate hotel travel guide and discuss the essential tips for lodging in hotels.

There are plenty of unknown and innovative ways to travel the world for free, and perhaps even make money along the way. Traveling the world for free may sound impossible, however, you can practically make it a reality if you know exactly what to do. In fact, there are plenty of opportunities for free travel all across the globe. Some of these experiences will pay for your accommodations, some for your travel, while others may even pay for all of your expenses. If you are a money-conscious value traveler, it is important to learn these tactics for your next getaway. This way, you can reduce your expenses and master the art of travel planning. To help you get started, read on to learn about the secret ways to travel the world for free (and even make money).

Get A Job Overseas

If you plan on staying in a destination for a substantial period of time, consider getting a job overseas. As long as you are not picky, there are plenty of exciting, high-paying career opportunities abroad. For example, consider becoming a live-in caregiver, hostel worker, or tour guide. If you have experience in hospitality, you can additionally look into become a bartender, cruise ship employee, waiter or waitress. Since you are staying for a temporary duration, you may want to explore seasonal jobs like a summer camp counselor, ski resort employee, or gift wrapper. Definitely, getting a job abroad is a great way to travel the world for free without sacrificing.

House-Sit Or Pet-Sit

In many cases, you can get free accommodations and travel the world for free just by house or pet-sitting. Simply, this involves watching after the house while the homeowner is away. During this time, you may be asked to take care of some light cleaning and maintenance throughout the property. If the owner has any pets, you may also be asked to feed, walk, and keep them company while they are away. In exchange for house-sitting, you can often stay in a comfortable location entirely for free. Sometimes, you may even get paid for doing so. This way, you will have some extra cash for your leisure travel expenses. Certainly, house or pet-sitting is a great way to travel the world for free.

Look at TrustedHouseSitters.com which charges $ 129/yr for unlimited sits. Nomador.com has large inventory in Europe. MindmyHouse.com has a minimal charge of $ 20/yr. Look at all three and review based on your specific wants and needs.

Teach Abroad

In addition, teaching abroad is one of the fastest growing ways to travel the world for free. Most commonly, travelers from the United States go abroad in order to teach English. However, if you are proficient in any other languages, or possess any additional skills, you can consider teaching them as well. In order to find positions, look for jobs abroad as a teacher for public, private, or international schools. In fact, you may even want to explore overseas jobs as a military school teacher, school administrator, or counselor. Surely, teaching a great, rewarding way to travel the world for free and make money doing so.

Volunteer

At the same time, volunteer travel and voluntourism abroad is another exciting, fun, and rewarding way to travel the world for free. There are all sorts of different volunteer travel programs and opportunities to experience across the globe. Consider working in schools, on environmental projects, or for public health awareness. Similarly, you may find opportunities in wildlife, marine conservation, or human rights. Traveling this way, you can build valuable work experience, develop a sense of accomplishment, and develop a knowledge of new cultures. Naturally, this fulfilling experiences provides you with new skills, professional networking, and individual fulfillment. Absolutely, you can travel the world for free using voluntourism vacation strategies.

GVI, or Global Vision International, is a great company for volunteering opportunities abroad. Currently, the program runs dozens of programs in over 20 locations, stretching across 13 countries around the world.

Travel With a Challenge is a web-based magazine that addresses the older traveler( ages 45-80) who wants alternative vacationing. It offers travel options that offer ecological, cultural and volunteer options.

Discover Corps is another great volunteer option to consider. This program collaborates with a number of community based organizations. Here, they create hands-on projects that have a direct impact on the people, wildlife, and community you are serving.

Using AirBnb Social Impact Experiences you can work with nonprofits to create transformational interactions for notable causes. With these opportunities, you can create a unique volunteering experience that supports your cause.

Children’s Global Alliance is open to any teenager in the world. It offers large-scale volunteer experiences for students ages 12-18. It also offers international service-learning trips and a leadership development program for students from the U.S. to work in other countries with the objective to create global minded future leaders.

GoEco is one of the best eco-tourism volunteer companies out there right now. GoEco supports over 150 volunteer opportunities helping environmental initiatives, wildlife, and local communities.

Do A House Swap

Next, consider doing a house swap to successfully travel the world for free and reduce your accommodations cost. Say you live in New York City and want to visit Europe. It is likely that someone in Europe is looking to travel to New York City. Therefore, it will be a win to simply just switch houses for your trip. Even better, this means your house will not be sitting vacant, when it is most vulnerable to crime or natural disasters. With house swapping travel, you can minimize expenses, live like a local, and meet new people on your journeys. Indeed, doing a house swap is a great way to travel the world for free.

There are plenty of innovative ways to travel the world for free and maybe even make money. Next, you may be able to lodge for free by pet or house-sitting. First off, consider getting a job overseas. In addition, you can consider teaching English or alternate subjects abroad. Simultaneously, consider participating in a volunteer travel opportunity. Of course, this is one of the fastest value travel trends this year. At the same time, look into doing a house swap with someone trying to visit your area. Follow the points highlighted above to learn about the secret ways to travel the world for free (and even make money).

There are several genius packing hacks and tips that will change the way you travel. Preparing your carry-on bag, checked luggage, or packing a car for road trip travel can often be a struggle. You need to play close attention to weight, size, and space. If you are flying, you will additionally need to pay close attention to packing in accordance with the regulations of the Transportation & Security Administration (TSA). Fortunately, there are several efficient ways to pack your luggage to save time before, during, as well as after your next vacation. To help you get started, read on to learn about the genius travel packing hacks and tips to live by.

Compress & Roll Your Clothing

First and foremost, compressing and rolling out your clothes can help you save a great deal of space in your suitcase. Before packing, try rolling your clothes into tight, neat packages. This way, they can seamlessly and conveniently fit right into your suitcase. Rolling works best with softer lightweight fabrics, as well as some heavier materials, such as denim. Therefore, you should try to fill your suitcase with lots of t-shirts, jeans, and other easy-to-roll garments. Similarly, try to carefully select rollable clothing that will not wrinkle too easily. Therefore, you may want to think twice about avoiding items made from silk, linen, or cotton. Instead, try and stick with washable materials like nylon and wool. Certainly, compressing and rolling out clothing is a great packing hack to help you master the art of travel planning.

Plan Out Your Outfits

In addition, it will be beneficial to plan out your outfits beforehand. It is a common practice for travelers to bring along some of all their favorite clothing items. For example, they may bring some of their favorite shirts, jeans, and shoes. However, this often leads to overpacking too many garments that will not be worn on your trip. To avoid this from happening, strategically plan out every outfit before you travel. Carefully think about what shoes, pants, and shirt you will wear. Think ahead about any accessories, such as jewelry, hats, or bags. To make it easier, you may want to try sticking to a specific color scheme. This way, you can guarantee that all your clothing options will nicely match with one another. Indeed, planning out your outfits is one of the best travel hacking tips and hacks to best prepare for your next vacation.

Wear Your Bulkiest Items On Board

At the same time, wearing your bulkiest items on board will certainly save you a lot of space in your luggage. If you are planning on bringing along boots, heavy winter coats, or suit jackets, you may want to consider wearing them instead of packing. Wearing your clothing on board will save you significant headaches throughout preparing your bag. Of course, this can help you save money by preventing extra baggage fees because of excessive weight. As a matter of fact, invest in a portable luggage scale so you know what your suitcase weights prior to getting to the airport. Pack it for your trip so you can see for the return flight as well. Your weight may be higher then because of the souvenirs you may have purchased. You don’t need the stress of moving things around on the floor at the airline check-in counter in front of everyone. You can get a good scale for under $ 15. This can prevent your valuable clothes from begin wrinkled or damaged due to improper packing. Absolutely, wearing your bulkiest items on your flight is a great value travel packing hack to live by this year.

Bring Along A Laundry Bag

Next, bring along a laundry bag whenever you prepare for vacation. Before you leave, throw a mesh laundry bag along in your suitcase. In fact, a large pillowcase or garbage bag works just as good. This way, you can easily separate all your dirty clothes from your clean ones. Once you return home from your trip, you can easily just dump this bag in your washing machine and avoid a stressful unpacking scenario. This technique will keep the rest of your clothes clean and fresh in your bag. Definitely, packing a laundry bag is a pivotal value travel trend to live by in 2021 and beyond.

Save Space For Souvenirs

Of course, it is always important to leave some extra room for bringing back souvenirs. It is understandable to want to maximize all your available suitcase space before the start of your trip. However, this will make it challenging to bring home clothing, craft items, artwork, or any other fun things for you to remember that trip forever. To prevent this from occurring, always allow yourself a slight extra bit of suitcase space. On the other hand, you can always choose to pack an extra bag, such as a lightweight duffel, specifically for this purpose. However, beware that this method can cost you significantly more in extra baggage fees, especially if you are flying. Surely, saving some space for souvenirs is an important travel packing hack and tip to optimize your luggage space.

There are several important travel packing hacks that will change your next vacation. Mastering these solutions, you can fly easier and keep in line with your value travel goals. First off, try and compress and roll out your clothing. In addition, try and plan out all the outfits you will wear beforehand. At the same time, consider wearing your bulkiest items, such as coats and jackets, onboard your flight. Next, bring along a bag specifically for your laundry. Of course, remember to save some space for souvenirs. Follow the points highlighted above to learn about the genius travel packing hacks and tips to live by.

There are several easy steps to find inexpensive flights to anywhere in the World. For most vacations, booking airfare is the most expensive part of the entire travel budget. While costs for air travel, especially internationally, have decreased significantly in recent years, they can still greatly impact your value travel goals. As a frequent flyer, there are plenty of effective techniques to help you save costs on flights domestic and abroad. This way, you can spend more money enjoying the destination once you arrive. To help you save time, money, and frustration while booking your next tickets, read on to learn how to find inexpensive flights to anywhere in the world.

Remain Flexible With Travel Dates

First off, it is important to remain flexible with your travel times and dates. Airfare tickets significantly vary depending on the day of the week, time of the day flying, and the time of year. Similarly, prices may fluctuate in response to holidays like Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve, or Christmas. To obtain the best fares, try to book your tickets during off-season or shoulder travel times. Search multiple alternative dates so that you can understand the true price range. This way, you can capitalize on the best times and fares. The less rigid your plans are, the more you will likely be able to save. Surely, staying flexible with your travel times is key to find inexpensive flights across the world and keep in line with your value travel ambitions.

Keep Your Searches Private

In addition, it is important to keep your searches secret when searching for cheap flights. Flight prices routinely change in your web browser based on your previous search history, online activity, and cookies. Therefore, you should always research flight prices in private or incognito search mode. This way, you can always be certain to see the lowest available fares. Once you have found a deal, you can close all of your private browsing windows and open a new one. In this new, public window, you should perform your search and purchase your tickets. Certainly, keeping your searches private is fundamental to find cinexpensive flights to anywhere in the world.

Act Fast

Of course, it is important to act fast when searching for discount flights. Once you have found a great fare, it is important to book it as soon as possible. There is no publicly disclosed end-date on any given airline rate. In general, the better a price is, the shorter it will last. Typically, you should not expect an extremely low fare to last more than a few days. However, they often change within a few hours. Indeed, acting fast is a great way to secure the best fares, avoid added ancillary travel fees, and find lower fares for your next getaway.

Check Alternate Airports

Next, checking alternative airports is another money-saving way to find lower fare flights across the globe. If you live in a close proximity to multiple airports, it may be beneficial to check each of them. Travelers flying from New York City, for example, will see significantly different rates at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and Newark International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey. Simultaneously, check the fares of other alternative airports at your intended destinations. In some cases, it may even be worth it to fly into an airport that is one or two hours away from your vacation spot. Afterall, you can always take an affordable airport bus or train for just a few dollars. Absolutely, looking at alternative airports is essential when finding cheap flights for your next vacation.

Sign Up For Fare Alerts

Moreover, you should sign up for automatic fare alerts to be constantly reminded about the latest air travel prices. Many flights search engines, such as Google Flights, Kayak, and TripAdvisor, allow you to easily set up instant notifications for flight fare changes. Simply just look for the “Track Prices,” or “Alert Me About Fare Changes” option after you insert your travel details. This way, you can pounce on deals as soon as prices dip to a cost you are comfortable with. Of course, this is a great way to continuously purchase tickets on discount. Definitely, signing up for fare alerts is a great technique to find cheap worldwide flights.

There are several easy steps to find cheap flights to destinations all over the world. Afterall, flights booking is key to master the art of travel planning. Firstly, be flexible with your vacation dates and times. In addition, keep your searches private. Of course, it is important to act fast and lock in secured rates. Next, check alternative airports for potentially better fares. Moreover, sign up for fare alerts to automatically track the best prices. Follow the points highlighted above to learn how to find cheap flights to anywhere in the world.

There are several important travel safety essentials that you need to bring along on your next vacation. Protecting yourself and your valuables while you travel is very important. After all, it is impossible to enjoy a vacation without peace of mind. Whether you are traveling with family, friends, or experiencing a solo travel trip, it is important to keep safety at the front of your mind. This way, you can adequately protect yourself from illnesses, road accidents, or street crime. Before you go experience your next destination, read on to learn about the top travel safety essentials to protect you and your valuables.

Personal Alarm

First and foremost, a personal alarm is an essential travel safety device to keep you safe while vacationing. A personal alarm works as a small, handheld electronic device that emits an incredibly loud siren sound when activated. Often, these can be found in keychains, mobile applications, or alternative contraptions. Of course, this is a useful tool to attract attention, which can deter an assailant, or inform nearby people that you need help. This way, you can find help fast and maintain safety. The eAlarm Plus by BASU is great because no cell service is required. It has 30 minutes of alarm use before you need to replace the batteries. KOSIN Safe Sound personal alarm is another good choice. You can get either one for under $ 30. Certainly, a personal alarm is an important piece of travel  gear you can’t afford not to pack on your next trip.

Anti-Pickpocket Gear

In addition, there are plenty of anti-pickpocket travel safety essentials you can bring along on every trip. Pickpocketing is one of the biggest risk tourists face when vacationing. Start with leaving at home extra items that you normally carry in your wallet that you have no need for on vacation. You only need to bring a couple of credit cards with you and leave the rest at home, like local store credit cards. Bring your drivers license and health insurance card. To keep you safe, consider purchasing pickpocket proof travel purses, backpacks, or money belts. In fact, you can even find anti-pickpocket clothing items, such as pants with theft-proof pockets and belt wallets. In addition to this travel safety gear, you may want to follow basic precautions, such as keeping your money in your socks, or using pocket clips to deter away thieves when traveling. Surely, pickpocket proof items are essential to keep you and your valuables safe while traveling.

Door Stop Alarm

Next, a door stop alarm is another important travel safety essential to protect you in your hotel room. These travel devices are jammed under the door wedge of your accommodation while you are sleeping at night. Then, anybody tries to open the door from the outside, the alarm will trigger. This way, you can be certain that nobody is sneaking into your room while you are trying to sleep. This items are inexpensive- under $ 20- and sold at all major outlets like Home Depot, Walmart and Amazon. Of course, this is incredibly beneficial to travelers who are constantly anxious by every little noise that occurs at night. Indeed, a door stop alarm is a great travel safety essential device to keep you safe in vacation destinations.

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Kit

In the age of COVID-19 travel advisories, it is important to bring PPE along to keep you safe while traveling. At a minimum, it is important to bring along a kit with multiple hand sanitizers, face masks, and wipes. At the same time, you may want to pack a door opener tool, as well as some sandwich bags to help you avoid touching high-contact surfaces, such as doorknobs and TV remotes. To help you keep all your PPE equipment handy, you may additionally want to order some face mask lanyards, as well as holders for hand sanitizer. PPE is essential to keep you and your valuables safe while traveling this year.

Locks

Of course, locks play a number of essential travel safety purposes while you are vacationing. These are most commonly used for airline, cruise or train travel. If you are checking any bags with your airline, locking them can be essential to protect your gear. However, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will not let you just throw any lock on your bag. Instead, you must purchase TSA approved locks, which are often recognized with a bright red diamond. Absolutely, it is important to invest in travel safety locks for your next flight. If you don’t use TSA Approved locks, you run the risk of having your luggage damaged if TSA isn’t able to access your bag for inspection. TSA agents will break non-approved locks, cut zippers and even snip their way through soft-shell cases to ensure that you don’t have any prohibited goods packed in your luggage.

Amazon sells a variety of good options like Lumintrail, Anvil and Tarriss brands.

There are several important travel safety essentials that protect you and your valuables. First off, be sure to bring along a personal safety alarm. In addition, invest in anti-pickpocket gear, such as belts, pants, and bags. Next, get a door stop alarm to give you peace of mind while sleeping. Of course, it is important to bring along a PPE kit. Moreover, be sure to get a series of travel, TSA approved locks. Of course, packing this gear is essential to avoid the common travel mishaps when vacationing. Follow the points highlighted above to learn about the top travel safety essentials to protect you and your valuables.

It is fantastic that you have gone through the process of collecting valuable hotel points so you and your family can enjoy the low cost of accommodations on your travels. The next step is to make sure you preserve those points the best way possible. You will want to take advantage of free bonus nights where you can, sometimes paying with some cash combined with points when your balances are too low to cover the hotel nights, trying to avoid transferring points to an airline program, making sure points don’t expire, and trying to travel off-peak whenever possible.

Accumulate Hotel Points

In many cases you can accumulate hotel points for a definite amount of time before they start to expire. The good news is that because of the limited travel during COVID, hotel programs have been nice enough to extend those expiration dates. At some point that will end. You should always be aware of the expiration dates and make sure you use them before that date. In most cases all it takes is any activity on the co-branded credit card to extend it out an extra 12-24 months.

If you don’t have the credit card, you may want to apply so you can benefit even more from the hotel rewards program. Make sure you do not apply for the card until you know you have expenses coming up within 90 days so you can receive the bonus points with your minimum spend. You will most likely have to charge a couple of thousand dollars or more in the first 90 days. Some of these cards offer one year annual fee waived. Don’t let the annual fee be a turnoff. Some of them throw in a bonus when you pay the fee like a free night or a statement credit so it may offset. When you receive the bill for the annual fee it does not hurt to make a call and ask what they can do for you.

Transfer Hotel Points & Rewards

Unless you are desperately trying to accumulate enough mileage rewards for a flight, it is a poor decision to transfer your hotel rewards into airline rewards. In most cases you will be giving half the value away by doing that. By not transferring your points, you can maximize your rewards and stick to your value travel ambitions.

Utilize Your Dining Travel Rewards

You eat out or take out food anyway so get something for it. Make sure you link up your hotel rewards program to their free dining program. When you go to a participating restaurant you grow your hotel points balances. That is a no-brainer.
For example, Marriott is connected to The Eat Around Town program. For information to join go to eataroundtown.marriott.com. Another one is the Hilton Honors Dining which gives you Hilton Honors points. hiltonhonorsdining.com

Use Your Shopping Portals Rewards

At the present time, these programs are more limited than the dining rewards but do have flexibility. Some of them give you bonus points when used for gas stations and supermarkets. These are expenses we all have anyway so try to use the credit card that gives you the biggest bonuses.

Maximize The Value Of Your Hotel Points

There are many strategies you can do to keep your hotel points from being depleted. Even though you may go away for multiple nights at a hotel, you may find you spend less in points by booking one night at a time. Definitely look at that option before you book a multiple night reservation. Sometimes there are individual nights that cost a lot less due to availability. For instance an urban business hotel may have specials for weekend nights. Once you make your multiple reservations let the hotel know so they can link them together so you don’t have to check-in and check-out.
Even better, once you book, keep checking to see if point values change prior to your travels. Cancel your original reservation and rebook if you have to. Just make sure you avoid non-refundable reservations if you can. Unless it is a screaming deal there is no reason to.

Mix Cash & Hotel Points

If you do not have enough points to pay for your hotel stay, some of the programs allow you to supplement the reward points with cash to complete the transaction. Calculate if it is worth it to pay extra money to combine with your points balance to make your reservation. If you are planning well in advance, use your co-branded hotel credit card for those purchases to increase your balances in the rewards account. It may get you to the threshold you are looking for to avoid the cash option.

Take Advantage Of Bonus Nights

When you book multiple nights at a hotel, double check to see if you get a free night if you add an extra night. IHG offers a 4th night free and Marriott and Hilton offer a 5th night free. Don’t leave a free night on the table. Extend your trip one extra night and enjoy that promo!

Donate Your Hotel Travel Points

In addition, you can always choose to donate your hotel travel points. Donating your hotel points and rewards is an excellent way to support communities that are in need. There are plenty of charities you can donate to in order to support U.S veterans, LGBTQ rights, or global health. If you are interested in learning more, be sure to visit important foundations like the American Red Cross, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, as well as the Polaris Project. Even if you have not accumulated a vast amount of hotel travel points yet, you can certainly make a difference with your donation. Certainly, consider donating your hotel points in order to make a difference and maximize your rewards.

Purchase Gift Cards With Your Points

Next, you can use your hotel points and rewards to purchase gift cards, as well as other consumer essentials. There are several hotel points programs that allow you to purchase gift cards for food delivery, grocery markets, and drug stores. In fact, you may even be able to transfer your airline miles to gift cards as well. This way, you can reduce your spending on everyday goods and services. Of course, this is increasingly beneficial to value travelers during the COVID-19 global pandemic, where finances are tight and travel is incredibly restrictive. Surely, purchasing gift cards with your accumulated hotel points is essential to maximize your value.

Remain Flexible

When looking to maximize your hotel points and rewards, remember to be flexible. Ideally, you will be able to be somewhat flexible on a mixture of your destinations, hotels, and travel dates. If this is the case, you will almost always be able to secure a better redemption rate. To get the best rates, avoid peak travel times, such as holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. At the same time, keep in mind that your dollar will go much further at more affordable, less luxurious hotels. Of course, this still provides you with a plethora of trustworthy options to choose from, especially when visiting bigger cities. As you prepare for post-COVID travel, it is important to remain flexible and prepare for your hotel rewards.

Look For Rewards That Meet Your Needs

Of course, it is important to look for hotel points and rewards that meet your lifestyle, preferences, and travel profile. For a start, ensure that your chosen hotel chain always has plenty of accommodations wherever you frequently travel. Some hotels are much more common in bigger cities, while others can more often be found in smaller, quaint towns. This way, you can ensure that you will always have ample opportunities to successfully accumulate and use your hotel points. Indeed, finding rewards that meet your needs is critical to maximize your overall value.

Upgrade To Elite Status

In many cases, it will be beneficial to upgrade your travel credit card program to elite status. Simply, elite status designates that you are preferred customer of your chosen hotel program. Traditionally, hotel rewards programs will often generic status levels like silver, gold, platinum, and elite. As you progress in each level, you will be able to claim an additional number of valuable rewards. If you travel frequently enough, this is one of the most dependable ways to maximize your rewards value.

Other Important Hotel Rewards Tips

Be aware that your hotel points have value. The longer you have a balance in your account, the longer you enjoy free accommodations. As with all value travel strategies try to avoid peak times. Because there is more demand at those times, hotels can ask for more points per night. Look to go off-season, weekends unless it is a business hotel which has more supply on the weekends, non-convention times, and avoiding major events near that hotel. A music festival or a major sporting event can fill a hotel and peak hotel points go with that. If you must go to a destination during an expensive hotel point stay, save those points for another time and grab an AirBnb or B&B on the outskirts of town with a lower cost.

Make sure you take advantage of what is coming to you complimentary! Some of the co-branded cards offer you wi-fi at your hotel which can get expensive, bottled water which can add up during your stay, a room upgrade but only if you ask, and if you are leaving the country, waiving all transaction fees on your credit card transactions. That one can really add up and may save you 3% on EVERY charge.

Ultimately, with all value travel strategies, basing your trip dates around the best possible use of your points will get you more travel for free in the long run. If you must go on a particular date with no flexibility at all, it may cost you a lot more than it needs to be. Value travelers hate peak times!

Here is your little cheat sheet……

• Radisson Rewards- min of 9000 points for a free hotel night. 85,000 bonus points with $ 2500 spent within 90 days. radissonhotels.com
• World of Hyatt- min of 5000 points for a free night. Resort fees are waived when using a free night. 30,000 bonus points with $3000 spent within 90 days. worldofhyatt.com
• Marriott Bonvoy- 75,000 bonus points with $3000 spent within 90 days. marriott.com
• Hilton Honors- 150,000 bonus points with $2000 spent within 90 days. $ 150 statement credit given. Hiltonhonors.com
• IHG Rewards- 140,000 bonus points with $ 3000 spent within 90 days.

All this information is subject to change. Special offers may be made that are even better at times. By following the tips above, you can optimize your hotel points, rewards, and credit score travel hacking strategy.

Most people don’t give a lot of thought when it comes to selecting vacations. Sometimes you base it on climate and go skiing or to a beach. Finances may come into play like low budget camping or living it up at a resort. Do you choose urban locations for museums or rural ones for national parks? There are many factors that should go into your final selection on the trips you do take. Don’t be afraid to do something completely out of your comfort zone. You can grow a lot when doing something you have never done before!

Decide On Your Travel Companions

The first major consideration is going solo or with a companion/group. When you go solo it may be more exploratory with less of an itinerary, can be fast paced or a slow travel experience, you have an excellent chance of meeting new people at all of your stops because you are open to it, and of course, at times, can be a bit lonely. The key to all of these is it is up to you and that is exciting! You need to figure out what YOU want out of this trip.

Yes, it’s fun to travel with people but there are factors to consider that you don’t have to when traveling solo. Be sure to check out our guide on solo travel destinations and experiences to find out more. You must be considerate! All plans on the trip need to be discussed and agreeable to all parties involved. Different personalities come into play. Type A? laid back personality? Interested in the same activities? Adventurous or want to know exactly what to expect?

None of this is bad but there will be lots of give and take to please all. How much of the trip do you stay together and when do you do your own thing at times? The one major advantage of a trip like this is the shared experiences that you can reminisce for years to come. It also may be a bonding time to strengthen a friendship or family ties. There will be a lot of thinking about what others want.

Choose A Leisure Or Adventure Travel Experience

So what happens next? You have made the decision on choosing one of these paths. Now the fun planning begins! What will it be? adventure or leisure traveling?

If you truly want adventure you will be exploring many places and sights, most likely getting up early to start your full day, planning an itinerary that stays on schedule, and most important, making sure you have the proper footwear/walking shoes/hiking boots. Think of fun, exciting destinations like Montana outdoor adventure travel. Should you be focused on indoor or outdoor activities? The climate you choose will have a lot to say about that. You may need a vacation from your vacation when all is said and done.

If that path makes you tired just thinking about it, then a slow travel/leisurely trip is your cup of tea. You may do some exploring, spend lots of time at a beach or a lake, see a couple of the sights in the area that sound interesting, catch up on your reading, sleeping and look for good dining. You will surely come back fairly rested and ready to take on the real world again when you get home.

Consider Your Values & Beliefs

Other things to consider. Does your destination align with your values? Is it known for equal rights? Is it a red state or a blue state? How are race relations in the location? Will you see lots of inequities like poverty?

Plan Your Accommodations

Whether you choose solo or group travel, you will have the same factors to consider. Decisions need to be made on the big stuff like flights and accommodations. Those choices can make or break your budget. Hopefully if you are traveling with others, you can take advantage of airline miles and hotel reward points to create a very inexpensive trip. If someone in the group does not align with that, someone is spending a lot more money than others in the group which can get a bit awkward.

Determine Your Vacation Budget

The variables that can affect your budget will be food, drinks, transportation locally, entrance tickets to attractions and entertainment and possibly excursions. Taxi’s and alcohol can really eat away at your trip budget if you are not careful.

The bottom line is that both choices are good after you consider all the factors and what you are looking for in a vacation. Just think about prior to any plan how you envision the days. Do you want to rest during the day with a nap so you can stay out all night? Do you look forward to really good dining or just grab a bite here and there? Are you flexible enough for plans to change and actually factor in dead time for changes in plans? How much sleep do you expect? Does the location have too much to do or not enough to do?

These are all great questions to ask yourself to determine what you end up doing. Make sure your companions answer along the same lines that you will. If they don’t, going solo can never disappoint you!

Check Your Travel Documents

Next, make sure to check your travel documents, and familiarize yourself with the specific requirements before embarking on your next journey. Start off by checking your passport. Most countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your arrival. Simultaneously, be sure to check if the country you are visiting has an visa entry requirements. If this is the case, you may need to apply for documents at least one year in advance. Furthermore, if you are visiting a high-risk destination in terms of health, you may want to look at any travel documents concerning immunizations. Absolutely, reviewing your travel documents is key to prepare for your next journey.

Pack Strategically

Of course, strategic packing is an essential component of the art of travel planning. Packing for any trip can be a complicated endeavor. At a minimum, you will always want to bring along your passport, wallet, as well as charges for all your electronic devices. If you are traveling internationally, be sure to bring along plug outlet adapters that support your chargers as well. In addition, you should also bring along a travel pillow, insulated water bottle, as well as any medications that you may require. Make sure to start a packing list, and familiarize yourself with your airline’s baggage policy. You do not want to spend any additional money on excess baggage weight fees. That is a big revenue producer for airlines. Don’t contribute towards it. Certainly, strategic packing is critical to prepare for a successful trip.

Write Your Travel Itinerary

At the same time, it will certainly be worthwhile to prepare your travel itinerary beforehand. There are several important strategies for successful itinerary planning. For example, try dividing up the city you are visiting into multiple sections. Then, you can try to start visiting attractions by one neighborhood at a time. In addition, try to create a calendar to leave room for free time to roam. That is where the magic of travel takes place. Most importantly, you need to be realistic. Do not overbook your itinerary in order to avoid feeling stressed or overwhelmed while traveling. Surely, writing your itinerary is a key step for value trip planning.

Contact Your Credit Card Companies

No matter how long you will be traveling for, it is important to contact your credit card companies before you leave home. If your credit card company is not notified beforehand, transactions you make at your destination may be flagged as fraudulent, which can ultimately lead to your card getting blocked. To let your provider know that you will be traveling, simply call your bank or credit card issuer prior to your departure.  Inform them of your travel plans, how long you will be gone, and where you will be visiting. In fact, many credit cards even have a mobile applications that allows you to set your upcoming travel plans entirely online. Indeed, contacting your credit companies is essential for effective travel planning.

Understand Protocols For Travel Safety

Additionally, you will want to understand the various protocols for travel safety. While an incredibly fun, exciting experience, there are several inherit risks and dangers when traveling, especially overseas. To protect yourself while vacationing, there are three main categories you must concern yourself with: food, road accidents, as well as crime.

If you are concerned about food safety, be sure to carry an allergic reaction and dietary restriction card. This way, you can still enjoy travel with a food allergy. For more information on ordering cards go to selectwisely.com

In terms of car accidents, it is pivotal to familiarize yourself with the road system of the destination you will be traveling to. In countries within the United Kingdom, for example, you will find that the left is the proper lane to drive on.

Furthermore, staying safe in terms of crime can be a complicated process. Simply, be sure to understand the country you are traveling to, and the potential for incidents related to pickpocketing and burglary. Leave anything valuable you don’t need for the day in the hotel safe deposit box.