Booking the Best

1. Picking a Hotel

Picking a hotel is one of the most important parts of your stay- it's where your pet while be living for awhile! The nicer the hotel is, the more expensive it will be. I find that picking the hotel depends the most on how many pets your booking, how much neopoints you have, and what your pet likes! If you have four Royal pets and millions of neopoints, try checking out the Presidential Palace, Faerie Castle, or the top-of-the-line AstroVilla! Low on neopoints? The Mountain Lodge is a comfortable 3 star hotel perfect for longer vacations.

If you and your pet could care less about the state of the room it's staying in, as long as it has a bed and room service, you're more than welcome to book your stay at the Fleapit Motel and Cockroach Towers! Although these both save you a lot of money, I would highly recommend just spending the extra 10 neopoints and upgrading to the Cheap Hotel, where you can at least be sure there are no bugs crawling around.

The best advice I can give when picking a hotel is to put yourself in your PETS shoes. Would you feel a little spoiled at some grand hotel, or perhaps neglected at the local Cockroach Towers? Find some place that fits to your needs and wants, and you'll be guaranteed to have a better stay.

2. Number of Nights

Are you going for a quick three day trip and just wanna make sure your pets are in good hands? Or are you leaving until the end of the month, and needs your pets to be cared for, played with, and fed? The number of nights your pet stays in the Neolodge is very important.

For longer trips, book all your pets in the Neolodge a day before you leave, to be safe, and book enough nights so that they don't have to check out before you return. If you are worried that your trip might run a little longer, or your return home could be delayed, book a few extra nights in case- it doesn't hurt, and you could always check your pets out early when you get home.

For shorter vacations, I'd just go with booking five nights, even if your trip may not be that long. It's usually not too expensive no matter what hotel you stay at, and it's a guarantee that your pet will be covered for around a week.

3. The Extras!

At the same time, the extras are my most AND least favorite part of booking a hotel. It's great to have all these cool add-ons for my pets, but the cost can add up quickly if you don't pay attention to what your pet really needs!!

For your spoiled Faerie Usul, who is used to getting her fur groomed at LEAST twice a day, a must have extra is the Jacuzzi/Spa, and Grooming! More active pets would enjoy the Swimming Pool, Tennis Courts, and Fitness Center. If your pet has been feeling stressed out lately, you might want to add the Maid Service and Sauna to their stay. Having all these extras could also help your pets meet friends with similar interests!

While there are special extras that work for certain pets, there are some that seem like common sense. The En-suite Bathroom, for example, is a must have for all of my pets. It's nice to have your own space when your on vacation, instead of having to share with everyone on your floor! The Restaurant is a pretty good choice to add as well, and if your pet is staying for a long time, you simply must make sure you get the Laundry Facilities, especially if you have a sloppier pet.

For the final extra, I would suggest getting the Neopian Times Delivery, so your pet can read cool stories and articles (like this one, hehe), and to keep them up to date with new things happening around Neopia.

4. The Cost (dumdumdummm)

The cost. For some people, it's easy-peasy to pay for 20 nights in the Faerie Castle. For others, its a struggle to fork over neopoints for the Cheap Hotel. As much fun as it is to get the biggest and best, when you book your stay over this holiday season, don't spend more than you have saved! While it's great to have your pet in the best mood and to be fed all the time, it's not worth it to spend all of your neopoints on hotels this holiday season (you still have gifts to give, a neohome to decorate, and not to mention that paint brush you've been saving up for)! Keep a good eye on how many extras you've picked, and don't let your charismatic pets guilt you into booking the fanciest hotel!

5. Checking Out

Checking it is usually the simplest thing to do- usually, the Neolodge does it for you! However, sometimes you need to end your vacation early. Make sure that if you get back early, you do this, because your pets have been missing you and are ready to come home!

Of course, there are those times when you’re checking out a pet who has simply fallen in love with staying at the neolodge. And believe me, I KNOW how embarrassing it is to watch your pet kick and scream, and the annoyed feeling you get when you have to drag your pet out of the lobby by its tail. Just do your best in these situations, and when things get bad, it always helps to mention the holiday gifts you’ve got waiting at home.

Anyway, there's my guide for picking the best booking at the Neolodge. Good luck, and Happy Holidays!