Meet the Holy Grail of amenities.

With that in mind, there are four amenities you should check out before arriving at a hotel (the Holy Grail), as these are the most commonly cited complaints on review sites like our parent company TripAdvisor. These include air conditioning, parking, Wi-Fi and breakfast, and you should always check to see if there is a charge for these services. You don’t want to arrive at a hotel thinking Wi-Fi is free, only to discover it’s charged (yes, there are still many hotels that charge for this basic service). Be sure to read our reviews on this topic, and if in doubt, call or email the hotel.

Here are some additional tips on the Holy Grail of amenities:

Hotel websites often list amenities such as breakfast or parking without a price. This doesn’t always mean it’s free – check!

Although air conditioning is usually a given in the U.S. (but there are exceptions), in other countries it usually isn’t. If it’s not mentioned in the room description, it’s usually not available or only available in certain rooms.

Sometimes hotels advertise that they have a garage, but in reality it is a third-party garage that is not on site.
When booking a room, breakfast may be included in one rate and not in another. Look carefully before booking to make sure you are choosing the right option for you.