Finding a great hotel deal and all the rest of it: what to include in your holiday checklist

More and more of us are looking beyond package deals when it comes to arranging the annual holiday.  Internet commerce has made the process of finding separate flights and accommodation easier than ever.  Comparison sites now make short work of a job that would have been impractical just twenty years ago.

Finding a great hotel deal is one major part of the jigsaw, with the search for cheap flights completing the bulk of the job of putting together a bespoke holiday.

Here we’ll look at some of the issues to consider when finding a hotel, and also consider some of the important ‘side issues’ like travel insurance that can often prove to be crucial to the success of a holiday.

There are now many different providers of travel insurance, from banks like Santander to supermarkets, which can offer deals to rival the traditional insurance industry.  Make sure that you check all of the options out, and crucially, compare key features as well as the headline price of the policy.

Holiday Checklist 

Finding a great hotel deal is about more than the headline price of the rooms on offer.  The range of accommodation out there means that there is almost always a deal that will suit your needs, but the key to finding the best fit is to have a firm idea of just exactly what these needs are.

One of the simplest ways to provide clarity during the selection process is to draw up a quick wish-list.

How do you plan to spend your holiday?  A definitive answer to this question can really help narrow down  the options when it comes to finding the best hotel deals.  Are you looking to base yourself largely within the hotel for the duration of your vacation, or simply looking for a place to rest your head at the end of a day exploring the local area?

Five star facilities are always nice to have, but  perhaps more basic accommodation will be adequate if you plan to eat out at a different place every night, and spend the day finding new beaches or touring historical sites.

All inclusive hotel deals can be great for families with small children, especially when the hotel has facilities geared up for entertaining young ones.  Before booking an all inclusive deal, make sure that you check out the menu.

To get full value for you money you want to make sure that the fare on offer appeals, as you will simply be wasting money if you end up eating out elsewhere for more than a few nights of your stay.  Check out the popular online review sites, as well as checking the hotel website for available menus.

Another crucial factor for many will be the provision of alcoholic drinks – are these included in the deal?  Some all inclusive deals can be great value for money if your nightly tipple will be ‘on the house’ as it were, but those with specific tastes should check that a favoured brand is included in the open bar.

Many all inclusive deals require a surplus payment to be made for the premium brands of alcohol, especially spirits – this it definitely one to look out for.

Once you’ve identified such specifics on your wish list, the process of selecting the best hotel deal will be much easier.

Along with booking your hotel and accommodation, you must then ensure that you fully complete the task of arranging your holiday by properly addressing issues like airport transfers, and most importantly, adequate travel insurance.

Hopefully, everything goes smoothly, and you never need to claim on the travel insurance policy.  However, in the event of a claim, adequate cover can make the difference between a funny holiday anecdote and ruinous disaster.

You must use the same methods employed to secure a great hotel deal, and shop around a little when it comes to travel insurance.