Don’t get ripped off next time you’re booking an LBI hotel. Long Beach Island is full of hotels that will fit your budget, family needs, and location preferences. Here’s a guide on the finding and booking the perfect Long Beach Island hotel reservations for your next family vacation.
Long Beach Island Hotel Reservations by Phone
Calling the front desk of a hotel directly is still an effective way to make reservations for your stay in Long Beach Island.
Pros:
Talk to a real person who is on location, who knows the hotel and area. This way you also get real and immediate responses. Asking some extra questions over the phone might lead to getting the inside scoop on when deals will become available. There might also be more availability for rooms or specials that haven’t been posted or updated online yet. It never hurts to ask, and you could stumble on a great deal that isn’t mentioned online!
Cons:
As with anytime you make a phone call, there might not be an answer. Not all hotels in the area have 24-hour customer service. If you call on your lunch break or “after business hours” you might find yourself leaving a message and waiting for a call back. Another annoyance of phone calls is the possibility of being put on hold and having to listen to “on hold music.” If you’re phone shy or wary of sharing personal information over the phone, this may not be the best choice for making your Long Beach Island hotel reservations.
Long Beach Island Hotel Reservations through the Hotel’s Website
Perhaps the most no-brainer way to book a hotel these days is directly through the hotel’s website.
Pros:
If being phone shy is an issue for you or it’s simply not convenient to do, then booking online is the way to go. Your busy daytime schedule won’t be an issue when booking online- you might even get away with doing it at work when it’s slow. Book anytime that is convenient for you. Most hotel websites make booking online really fast and easy. Click on the dates you want from a calendar and type in your personal information. Want to book with a promotional code or offer? You can click directly from the advertisement. Something else to put your mind at ease is knowing that there are no third parties involved or other companies out trying to get your money.
Cons: A valid fear and frustration that comes with making Long Beach Island hotel reservations online is dealing with “technical difficulties.” Many small businesses in LBI are behind when it comes to the digital age. You might stumble on some LBI hotel websites that aren’t so user friendly. This could lead to you having no reservation, a wrong reservation, a double charge, or a delay in confirmation. The email confirmation might come instantly, or maybe never at all. This would then force you to make further contact. Although rare when booking directly from the hotel’s website, there might be an additional online booking fee. Something else to consider is that some smaller inns or bed and breakfasts might have a webpage, but not a place for online booking. You might have to find a more user-friendly LBI hotel website, or take the phone or email route.
Long Beach Island Hotel Reservations by Third Party Sites
Booking hotel reservations through third party sites like hotels.com, Expedia, and Travelocity have grown in popularity over the years due to a number of enticing offers and marketing.
Pros:
Perhaps the most enticing offer is the points and reward systems. For example, if you make 10 bookings on hotels.com, you get one night for free at the hotel of your choice. These sites also offer combination packages with flights, rental cars, and a hotel stay for those traveling from afar. Another alluring feature of these sites is the option to compare the rates of other third party sites. If you have already made an account on a site, then booking your stay is really fast and easy, as your information has been saved.
Cons: When something sounds too good to be true on a third party site, it usually is. They often use marketing jargon that make you think you’re getting a great deal ONLY offered through this site. However, when all’s said and done, the additional fees (booking fee + website fee) piled onto a quote usually lower the value of the “deal,” meaning you’re likely not saving any money. Another drawback is being overwhelmed with choices as new online booking agent websites pop up all the time. While this option could be fast and easy, if a problem or question comes up, you have to deal with a middle man, a virtual assistant (or robot) who most likely has no knowledge of Long Beach Island hotels at all.
Best Way to Make Your Long Beach Island Hotel Reservations
In Long Beach Island, there’s always a friendly person ready to help book your stay. Here at Best of LBI, we like to keep it local and involve our small businesses directly. Plus, you know more about what you’re getting when you book directly. We encourage you to reach out directly to the best hotels in Long Beach Island by phone or online to compare prices, discover discounts and specials, and make your Long Beach Island hotel reservations knowing that you got a fantastic deal at a clean and comfortable hotel!
(Remember: If you’re planning to have dinner at a popular hotel restaurant like Sand Dollar Restaurant at Spray Beach Hotel, reserve a table at least one day in advance. Their live music schedule brings even more customers around dinnertime, so try to claim your spot before it fills up!)
