| Americans are accustomed to making reservations | | | | Certainly beware of taxi drivers making "suggestions" |
| well in advance over the Internet, but this trend does | | | | about where to go. Kickbacks for taxi drivers and |
| not extend to other nations. Often travelers will | | | | large commissions are common the world over.No |
| make such arrangements and pay for them only to | | | | matter what city you are traveling to, try to arrive |
| find out on arrival that the hotel has never heard of | | | | early in the day and maximize the amount of time |
| them. | | | | you have to find a suitable place. Arriving at night is |
| Best solution to this problem is either to make | | | | always a bad idea, and you may even find yourself in |
| reservations directly by calling the hotel, or to not | | | | an undesirable hotel or sleeping in the park. |
| make them at all. Unless there is a special event | | | | Always remember to investigate your room before |
| occurring during that time or it is an extremely busy | | | | you pay. If the hotel says they have hot water, turn |
| season, reservations often leave you with an inferior | | | | on the shower and feel it for yourself. If they say |
| place at a high price.Instead of burying your nose in | | | | they have a swimming pool, have a look. Sit on the |
| Conde Nast to find the best place, keep your eyes | | | | bed. Examine the locks. Pay attention to who your |
| and ears open as you travel the city. You are your | | | | neighbors might be, because you're not getting a |
| own best judge of where to stay. | | | | refund. |