Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
How Was Your trip?
Were your travels fun, smooth, and meaningful? If you'd like
to share your tips, concerns, and discoveries, please fill out
the survey at www.ricksteves.com/feedback. I value your
feedback. Thanks in advance—it helps a lot.
you prefer the flexibility of traveling without any reservations at
all, you'll have greater success snaring rooms if you arrive at your
destination early in the day. If you anticipate crowds, call hotels
around 9:00 on the day you plan to arrive, when the hotel clerk
knows who'll be checking out and just which rooms will be avail-
able.
Whether you reserve from home or on the road, the hotelier
will sometimes request your credit-card number for a one-night
deposit. While you can email your credit-card information (I
do), some people prefer to share that personal info via phone
call, fax, or secure online reservation form (if the hotel has one
on its website).
If you must cancel your reservation, it's courteous to do so
with as much advance notice as possible (at least three days; simply
make a quick phone call or send an email). Family-run hotels and
B&Bs lose money if they turn away customers while holding a
room for someone who doesn't show up.
Understandably, most hoteliers bill no-shows for one night.
Hotels in larger cities sometimes have strict cancellation policies
(for example, you might lose a deposit if you cancel within two
weeks of your reserved stay, or you might be billed for the entire
visit if you leave early). Ask about cancellation policies before you
book.
Always reconfirm your room reservation a few days in advance
from the road. If you'll be arriving after 17:00, let them know.
On the small chance that a hotel loses track of your res-
ervation, bring along a hard copy of their emailed or faxed
confirmation.
trAVELinG AS A tEMPorArY LocAL
We travel all the way to Europe to enjoy differences—to become
temporary locals. You'll experience frustrations. Certain truths
that we find “God-given” or “self-evident,” such as cold beer, ice
in drinks, bottomless cups of coffee, hot showers, and bigger being
better, are suddenly not so true. One of the benefits of travel is
the eye-opening realization that there are logical, civil, and even
better alternatives.
 
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