Hotel Travel Tips
Bring a passport or proof of
citizenship, depending on your destination. Pick up
an application for a passport at a local passport office or a
full-service post office. You will need a copy of a birth
certificate to obtain a passport. To get a first-time passport,
have a photo taken at a local photo-developing shop, then fill
out the application and mail it at least three months before
your trip. Visiting a local passport office can help expedite
the process.
Check whether you need a
visa. If you're in a large metropolitan area,
contact the local consulate of the country you are visiting to
find out whether a visa is required. If you're not in a large
metropolitan area, contact the embassy of the country you are
traveling to (located in Washington, D.C.). Do this two months
in advance of your trip, if possible.
Check with your doctor to
find out whether any special inoculations are required.
For information on specific health concerns and recommended
vaccinations, visit the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention's travelers' health section. Start seeking out
this information at least two months in advance of your trip,
since some inoculations are given in several parts.
Consider purchasing
traveler's insurance for each member of your family. This
is especially important if you're traveling to a
non-English-speaking country or especially to an underdeveloped
nation. To find out about traveler's insurance, contact your
current insurance carrier, your company's benefits
administrator, or your travel agent. Do this as soon as you know
you are traveling. These plans are costly—sometimes several
hundred dollars per person—but can provide you with
English-speaking doctors (who may come to your hotel room),
medication, and even emergency paramedic airlift service in case
of illness or accidents.
If applicable, exchange some
currency in advance.
Consider taking an evening
flight so that your teen can sleep through the trip.
Consider bringing a few
bottles of water if tap water is a concern. That
way you'll have some on hand when you get to the hotel.
Bring adapters to plug in
items such as blow-dryers.
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Hotels