Advice on booking accommodations in Europe

Over the past week I've been making travel plans for my third trip to Europe. This year I'm visiting London, Paris, and Amsterdam. While I'm not an expert by any means on European travel, I thought I'd pass along some advice on booking hotels. First, I always start with Rick Steves' series of guidebooks which are updated every year. I don't always stick to his recommendations, but I always use them as a starting poinst. After you've found a candidate for your destination, neighborhood, and price, check out the hotel's website. Most of Rick's recommendations include this in the listing. If it still looks good, the next step is to go to Rick Steves' website and click on the feedback page. There you'll find reader comments on good and bad places to stay. Search for your hotel name. Then, be sure to check the archives of prior year's comments as well. In addition, I also check reviews on tripadvisor.com. In addition to the great reviews on this site, some people will also post their own pictures of the accommodations which can give you great insight into the reality of the situation versus the glossy, "too perfect" pictures you'll often find on the hotel's website.

Once you're ready to book, either email the hotel directly or fill out the reservation form on their website. Don't use online reservation sites if you want the best rate since the website will be getting a percentage of the sale. This really hurts small mom-and-pop places, and they can often give you a lower rate directly. If you email, always give your check-in and check-out dates in addition to the number of nights stay. This "double check" is standard in the industry. If you want a non-smoking room or a quiet room, be sure to ask. If you're staying in a noisy city infested with loud vespas like Florence or Rome, be sure to ask if the hotel has double-pane windows. If the hotel emails you back saying they have a room available, the next step is to email them a confirmation response with your credit card information included. Yes, this is not my favorite part since email is inherently unsafe and you can never be sure who has your number on the other side. However, it is the easiest way and avoids language difficulties over the phone. Generally, if rooms are available, one reservation request email to the hotel, a response back, and one confirmation response back from you are all that it takes and you're booked!