Avoid excess charges and hidden costs. When you book a room, ask whether the hotel charges for parking. Use your own cellphone, pay phones, or prepaid phone cards instead of dialing direct from hotel phones. And don t be tempted by the room s minibar offerings: Most hotels charge through the nose for water, soda, and snacks. Finally, ask about local taxes and service charges, which can increase the cost of a room by 15% or more. If a hotel insists upon tacking on a surprise energy surcharge that wasn t mentioned at check-in or a resort fee for amenities you didn t use, you can often make a case for getting it removed. Book an efficiency. A room with a kitchenette allows you to cook your own meals. This is a big money saver, especially for families on long stays. LANDING THE BEST ROOM
Shopping online for hotels is much easier in the U.S., Canada, and certain parts of Europe than it is in the rest of the world. Of the big three sites, Expedia may be the best choice, thanks to its long list of special filoli deals. Travelocity runs a close second. Hotel specialist sites hotels.com and hotel discounts.com are also reliable. An excellent free program, TravelAxe (www.travelaxe.net), can help you search multiple sites at once, even ones you may never have heard of.
If you encounter serious problems, contact the Traveler s Aid International (& 202/546-1127; www.travelersaid.org) to help direct you to a local branch. This nationwide, nonprofit, social-service organization geared to helping travelers in difficult straits offers services that might include reuniting families separated while traveling, providing food and/or shelter filoli to people stranded without cash, or even emotional counseling. If you re in trouble, seek them out.
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