Are you anxious about your vacation? Do you have your destination picked out but not your hotel? If you are putting off making reservations because you aren’t sure how to choose your accommodations, you need to keep reading. This article has advice that will help you pick your vacation hotel.

To find the best deals on hotels consider a travel agent. Many times travel agents can find wonderful hotels at a great price. When booking with a travel agent, ensure that the agent knows both your wants and your needs. This will allow the travel agent to shop for both and offer you choices.

If you’ve left amenities at home, ask the front desk. Often you won’t need to go out to buy things like toothpaste and toothbrushes. The front desk typically has the staples available to customers at no cost whatsoever. Sure it’s only a few dollars saved, but every dollar counts.

When can you check in? People sometimes forget when they will be let into their rooms, showing up early only to learn that their room isn’t ready yet. If you might be arriving before the check-in time, ask the hotel whether it’s okay to come.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking all hotels will accept pets. Call them ahead of time to see if they are even if the website they’re on says yes. Also, speak to them about what they’re meaning by pet-friendly because they may not allow specific breeds or certain sizes of pets.

If you are always staying at the same chain, find out about the programs they offer to frequent guests. Just like with a frequent flyer mile program, you can get points for staying a hotel. These points can quickly add up to many perks such as a free night, discounts at the hotel restaurants, spa deals and much, much more.

If you are an environmentally conscious traveler, you should look into “green” hotels. Fortunately, there are many green hotels to choose from today. Green certification is something some of the newly built hotels are quite proud of promoting. Some of the older hotels do implement green practices to be sure they are eco-friendly. Talk to your travel agent about what you want to do and let them seek out a few appropriate hotels.

Do not assume all hotels allow pets. Some hotels allow pets of any size, some have certain restrictions, and some do not allow pets at all. If you have a pet and book a room at a hotel that has a no pet policy, you will not be allowed to stay there with your furry friend.

If you don’t have your heart set on a certain hotel, try using a website like Hotels.com. These types of sites let you put in bids and then return a list of hotels in your price range. The only drawback is that they may not reveal which hotel you have booked until after you have committed to staying there.

If you forget to bring toiletries with you, the housekeeping staff at the hotel may be able to help. Most hotels provide soap, shampoo and conditioner as a matter of course, but they may also have toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, razors and other necessary items on hand for those who request them. Many even supply hair dryers in the room, so you do not have to bring your own along.

Now that you know something about choosing a hotel, go make your reservations. That will be one more thing you can cross off your list. This vacation may just be the best one you ever take. Enjoy it, and remember what you’ve just learned the next time you plan a vacation.