Your choice of hotel often has a significant influence on how much you enjoy your vacation. It is best for you to research all of the hotels in the area where you would like to stay, and find out as much information about each hotel as possible. Many people often try to find the cheapest room rate possible when choosing a hotel, however there are often very good reasons why the rates at some hotels are considerably less expensive then the rates at other hotels. You should try to find out where the hotel is in relation to the area you are visiting, and where the hotel is situated in terms of the airport, sites or attractions. If you are flexible on when you want to travel that may help as well. Depending on what time of year you are traveling some hotels may even offer cheaper rates than they do at other times of the year.

Here are 5 tips for choosing the best hotel room:

Location In a destination city, consumers should choose a hotel close to places they wish to visit. Look at a map. Check to see if it is physically located on an interstate route. Being near an exit is convenient. Being almost on top of the interstate is another issue altogether. Loud trucks and buses can keep light sleepers up all night.

Breakfast Is a morning meal included? This may be a quick continental breakfast of coffee and doughnuts or a nice buffet spread including bacon and eggs, toast, juice, fruit, muffins and coffee. Paying more for a room with a full breakfast may cost less than going to a restaurant off the premises.

Size Request a room large enough for everyone to fit in comfortably. Consider the physical size of the guests. Don’t be shy about asking for a king size bed, if needed.

Check to see how the hotel is rated. You should look online for the ratings of different hotels to see what the professionals think of each hotel. If a hotel has a high rating then the odds are that you will have a pleasant experience in the hotel, and everything will meet your own personal standards. If the hotel has a lower rating then the hotel is probably not one you would want to stay in. Ratings are usually based on cleanliness, comfort, amenities, and several other factors which would be important to you while you are enjoying yourself on vacation.

See what other people are saying. You are probably not going to be the first person to ever stay at a hotel, so it makes sense to see what other people who have stayed there before thought about their experience. You should look and see what the consensus is when it comes to reviews, and not be swayed by one very good review or one very bad review.