Okay, so I’ve been planning this big trip to Southeast Asia, and let me tell you, finding the right hotel was a HUGE headache. I mean, there are so many options, and so many websites! But I finally figured out a system that worked, and I wanna share it, because it seriously saved me time and money.
Started with the Big Names
First, I started with the usual suspects. You know, the big hotel search engines everybody uses. I typed in my destination (Bangkok, to start) and my dates. I just wanted to get a general feel for the prices and what areas were popular.
Filtered Like Crazy
This is where the magic happens. I started messing around with the filters. This is super important! Don’t just look at the first page of results.
- Price: Obviously, I set a budget. No use drooling over luxury hotels I can’t afford!
- Star Rating: I usually stick to 3 stars and up. I like a bit of comfort, you know?
- Guest Rating: This is KEY. I read the reviews! I always filter for hotels with at least a “very good” or “excellent” rating. People are usually pretty honest.
- Amenities: Free breakfast? Yes, please! Free Wi-Fi? Essential! I always check those boxes. A pool is a nice bonus, too.
- Location, location, location! Using the map feature I zoomed and moved the pointer and clicked on the zone that looked near to the intresting place.
Compared, Compared, Compared
Once I narrowed it down to a few hotels that looked promising, I opened them in separate tabs. Then I compared everything side-by-side: price, location, amenities, reviews. Sometimes the same hotel would be cheaper on one search engine than another, it’s wild!
Read the Fine Print
Before I booked anything, I always read the cancellation policy carefully. Things happen, you know? I want to make sure I can get my money back if I need to change my plans.
Booked It!
Finally, I found the perfect hotel, clicked that “book” button, and did a little happy dance. Seriously, using these search engines strategically saved me so much stress. And I ended up finding some amazing deals that I wouldn’t have found otherwise.
So yeah, that is my simple tips. Hope it will work for you guys.
