What to Expect from a Cheap Hotel
With your tour guide,
Anne P. Mitchell
| Summary: Finding cheap hotels is all well and good, and everyone can benefit from cheap hotel rates. But what can you really expect from cheap hotel rooms? Are the cheap hotel rates worth the trade-off? |
You’ve made an excellent decision and booked a cheap hotel for your vacation. Now, you’ll want to know what to expect when you get there and check in. The booking and check-in processes are the same no matter what type of hotel you decide on, but your stay at a cheap hotel may have some differences from other hotels that you should be aware of.
Basically, a cheap hotel will provide you with a comfortable bed, a working bathroom, clean facilities, linens and towels, and a parking space. While there may be toiletries like small bottles of shampoo and conditioner as well as a tiny bar of soap, don’t count on these being available. Bring all of your own personal care products, as well as a hair dryer and iron for your clothing if you think you’ll need them.
Housekeeping will visit your room daily and make your bed, vacuum the floors, empty the trash cans, and clean the bathroom. Any other service, such as dry cleaning or a wake up call, are most likely unavailable. You’re giving up these luxuries to have an affordable place to stay. Check with the facility before you arrive to find out exactly what’s available, and plan ahead for what’s not.
Meals and room service will not be available at a cheap hotel, although there will likely be a vending machine on site for snacks and cold drinks. Ice is usually available as well, but again, if you think you will need it check before you arrive. Cheap hotels generally don’t have a dining room or restaurant, but they are usually located within walking distance to local diners and convenience stores, and a short drive away from other restaurants and grocery stores.
Spa and salon services will also be unavailable at a cheap hotel. If these things are important to you on your vacation, check with local area spas and salons to find out what their rates are. You will most likely find that booking a separate salon or spa visit along with your cheap hotel will still be less expensive than booking a luxury hotel will all of these services included, especially considering they can come at an extra fee even when offered within the hotel.
Most cheap hotel rooms will come equipped with a television, but movie services and a multitude of specialty channels will not likely be available to you. Keep in mind that you’re on holiday, and watching TV is something you can do at home - explore and enjoy your new location! Likewise, Internet hookup and fax services will probably not be offered.
While it may seem that the services and amenities are severely limited with a cheap hotel, you’ll find that once you get there, you won’t miss the little extras that come with more expensive accommodations. Who needs a fax machine and dry cleaning services when you have a whole new world to explore just outside your hotel room door?
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