Not all of us are seasoned explorers, which means that we might not know all the ins and outs of smart traveling. Well, that doesn’t mean you have to just wing it! You can enjoy every hotel stay just as well as a pro would with these brilliant traveling tips.

There are a few stages to the travel process, as some of us will know; the airport is a million steps within itself. Then, of course, there’s checking into the hotel before you can even enjoy your vacation.

You want to limit your stress as much as you can during these steps, because you’re not there to stress! You’re there to enjoy. And if you’re traveling for work, let’s just say that you don’t need that extra anxiety, do you?

These tips cover everything from packing, to flying, to making your hotel room as comfortable as possible. Once you know these tricks, you’ll be a travel guru, no problem.

1. Better Safe Than Sorry

When you’re packing your carry on bag, always include a backup outfit and most (if not all) of your toiletries. The scary truth is, your bag could very well get lost or get held up during your travels, which means that you could show up to your destination with absolutely nothing to your name.

Pack these backups just to be safe. More than likely, if anything were to happen, your bag will follow along to your hotel in a day or two, but you’re covered until then.

2. Stay Organized

Bit of a neat freak? You will go crazy for portable packing shelves. These are folding shelves that can be compacted and expanded when taken in and out of your bag, with each shelf holding some of your clothes.

But the best part of all? When you pull out the shelves from your bag, you can hang them right in your closet! There’s a built-in hook on top for your convenience.

3. Only Pack the Necessities

For the sake of clutter (and making sure your bag is under that 50 lb. mark) try to only pack the necessities. Go through everything you have prepared to pack and ask yourself if you REALLY need that fourth pair of black heels. REALLY.

The good news is, for tidbits like curling irons, hangers, and hair brushes, many hotel will give you these for free! If they’re not out in your room already, ask someone down at the desk if they’re available to borrow. You’ll never know until you ask.

4. Book Through Your Hotel

Booking websites have a tendency to overcharge and they often have a super strict cancellation policy that could come back to bite you in the butt. If you book your room directly through your hotel, they’re more apt to accommodate to your needs and will most likely have a more flexible cancellation policy, as long as you cancel at least 24 hours ahead of time.

5. Look for Free WiFi

The fact that some hotels still make you pay for WiFi is ARCHAIC. You’re already paying for your room and for taxes, so why should you cough up $10 a day for internet access, too?

Look for hotels that specify free WiFi on their website; you can always call and ask if you’re unsure. If they don’t, ask if you can get WiFi included in your stay…it seems bold, but like we said, you’ll never know until you ask.

 

Don’t you feel so much more worldly now? Go forth and book your next vacation with your new traveling tips in mind! And if all else fails, fake it until you make it; if you look confident, people will mistake you for someone who knows what they’re doing.

Do you have any travel tips you’d like to share? Share them in the comments section below.