When traveling, you have a few different options when it comes to lodging. You can go with a hotel room, bed and breakfast, or perhaps you may choose the lower costing motel room. Many times, rooms that are in a motel are cheaper than those in the other two options, and that means you may not get a really great room if you are not careful. You should not expect what you would get with a five star hotel, but you should make sure your room is clean and safe to ensure you have a fun vacation that is memorable for all the right reasons.
A motel room that is only twenty dollars a night is that price for a reason. For the most part, you are not going to find a clean, functioning, and safe room at this price. The motel offering this price may have huge problems with plumbing or may have terribly old and broken furniture. It may also be in a very dangerous neighborhood with in the city, and that is not what you want for your overnight stay. The rooms are probably not cleaned properly, and you may be stepping into an area known for drugs or other crime. It really isn't worth saving money if you find any of these things are a problem when you show up for your reservation.
Most of the time, a good motel room is not going to cost as much as a hotel, but you do get less. That is to be expected. You probably knew this when booking a motel room and you wanted to save money more than you wanted to have the option to order room service. Most motels do not have an eatery, and you may not get help with extra pillows or towels as quickly as you would somewhere else. However, you can expect to find a clean and safe room, which is all you may need when away from home if your day is packed with ventures that take you from the motel room.
You are going to know if you have made a mistake or not when you arrive. You may notice the area is not so nice, which can be a warning sign. Check out the parking lot. Is it well lit? Can you get to your room in plain sight of others? After you check in, make sure your door locks. Believe it or not, this can be a problem with a motel room. If not, get another room or insist it is fixed. If not, leave. Do you find that desk clerk to be there when you need them or is no one around? Overall, do you get a bad feeling?
You may not want to wait until you show up to claim your motel room to see if there are problems. Do some research before you go, or even better, before you book the room. Look up the motel by using a search engine. See what past guests have to say about that motel room you are considering. You can also do a search on the address or the part of the city in which your potential motel is located. Still not sure? Try the Better Business Bureau to see how that motel ranks in customer satisfaction. A lousy motel can destroy your entire vacation.