Mission Travel

Archive for the ‘Hotel Travel’ Category

Most of us have been issued and used a credit card type hotel room key when traveling. During checkout, the clerk will often ask if you have your key(s) to turn in or the hotel has a box or slot near the reception counter to drop them off. It saves the hotel a few cents being able to reuse the cards. No big deal, right? Maybe not for the hotel but the situation presents a real threat to your personal security.

Recently, Southern California law enforcement professionals assigned to detect new threats to personal security discovered what type of information is embedded in the credit card type of hotel room keys used throughout the industry. While the information recorded varies from hotel to hotel, the law enforcement officials found room entry cards containing the following information:

Customer’s (your) name Customer’s partial address Hotel room number Check-in and check out date Customer’s (your) credit card number and expiration date!

Generally, hotels do not erase your information on these room entry cards until an employee re-issues the card to the next guest and overwrites your information. This is what the hotels mean by recycling when you read “Please turn in your hotel key cards as we recycle them.” Depending on a specific hotel’s procedures, any number of individuals could have access to the room entry card before your information is overwritten. A simple scanning device can pull your information off these cards-allowing someone to go shopping at your expense or worse.

Bottom line: keep your hotel entry card, take it home and then destroy it. Cutting the card up is the best method, being sure to cut the electronic information strip. Dropping a room entry card the trash whole is not a safe method-credit card and identity thieves have no problems rummaging through trash. Never leave room entry keys in your hotel room and don’t turn them into the front desk when you check out. Legally, the hotel cannot charge for the room card and you won’t be leaving behind valuable personal information that can be easily lifted with a card scanning device.

With the holiday season fast approaching, many Americans are planning their travels… and bringing along Fido and Fluffy! Be sure to plan ahead and take all the necessary precautions to ensure that your pet’s holiday is a happy and safe one.

For many, holiday travel means staying at a pet friendly hotel. It’s important to make sure that you and your pet are prepared. Following some simple tips will help to ensure that your hotel stay with your pet is an enjoyable one.

- It’s recommended to book a room on the ground floor and by an exit. This will make it much easier for you to take your pet out for bathroom breaks. Make sure to always clean up after your pet as well.

- Be sure to exercise your pet…this means walks. Ask hotel personnel about the best places to walk your pet.

- Treat the hotel room with respect…this means covering any furniture and beds that your pet may be allowed on.

- If traveling with a cat, place their litter boxes in the bathroom. This will make clean-up much easier.

- It’s recommended to not leave your pet unattended in your hotel room. Even the best behaved pets can bark and become destructive when in new surroundings. If you must leave your pet alone, be sure that it’s for a very short time. Alert the front desk that your pet is alone in the room and try putting on the TV or a radio to make your pet more comfortable. If you pet travels with a crate or kennel, place them in it when leaving the room. In addition, place a note on the hotel door indicating that your pet is in the room.

- Don’t leave any pests behind. Before leaving home be sure to give your pet a good cleaning and de-flea & de-tick them. This means a good flea and tick bath along with utilizing preventative flea and tick control. Leaving behind a stinky smell, or worse, fleas or ticks is the kind of thing that makes accommodations change their pet friendly policy. In addition, if a deposit is required, these types of things could very well prevent you from getting it back.

- Accidents happen! Even pets that have never had an “accident” indoors may do so under stress. Bring along a disinfectant as well as a rag in the event that you have to clean up after your pet. Not doing so could also cause a loss of deposit.

- To ensure that you’re welcomed back, keep your pet on a leash and avoid taking them into dining areas.

Following some common sense rules will help ensure that your pet has a happy and safe trip.

Do you want to go to Disney World? What about Universal Studios? These are both located in Orlando, Florida and there are ways to get discount airline travel Orlando hotel packages for a great price. Here are a few options you can use to save money on your trip.

First, you can book your trip online with Expedia, Priceline, or Hotwire and create a package deal. You can save hundreds by packaging your Orlando hotel with your flight and your car rental. When I did this I was able to save about $150 per person.

Your second option is to use the timeshare vacation package. You can search the internet and find a resort that will give you a free 4 night stay in Orlando. Then, all you have to worry about is your airfare and getting from the resort to Disney World or Universal Studios. You will have to sit through a presentation, but that is a small price to pay for a free stay at a resort.

Another option is to travel in the off season. This is June, July, and August for Orlando. It is going to be quite warm, but not unbearable. The prices to travel in the off season are about half of what it costs during peak season. Plus there will be less tourists so you will not have to wait in line as long either.

Book your trip and save money by using discount airline travel Orlando hotel packages online. You can also use the timeshare scheme or travel in the off season. You can even combine a few of these options for more savings and a longer stay.