Making hotel reservations is a simple process. Choosing the right hotel room, however, involves doing some research and comparing the results to your hotel room "wish list." Before you make hotel reservations, take a look at our tips for finding the room that's best for you.

• Find hotels near your destination. Use guidebooks, websites and recommendations from friends to develop a list of hotel possibilities.

• Jot down your preferred hotel amenities. These could include wheelchair acces, an exercise room, smoking area or king size bed.
• Use a map or GPS to locate each hotel. Cross off any hotel that is too far from the attractions you plan to visit on your trip.
• Look at the descriptions of each hotel room and compare them to your preferred amenities list. Some hotels may have most, but not all, of the features you want. You may wish to keep these rooms on your list for now.
• Read reviews of each hotel. You can visit hotel review websites, thumb through guidebooks or check travel magazines for hotel reviews. Look for consistency across the reviews; one horrible review shouldn't materially affect your hotel reservation choice, but five bad ratings probably will.
• Compare prices. Use the hotel's own website as well as aggregator sites such as Expedia and Travelocity; you may get a better hotel rate from the property's website.
• Look for discounts. If you're a member of AARP or AAA, you may qualify for a small discount on your room. Some hotel chains offer senior discounts, too.

• Read the terms and conditions before you make your hotel reservation. Do not skip this step. Lower rates usually mean that your reservation is non-refundable. Be sure you can live with this condition before you book your room. If you must cancel your trip, you may not be able to get your money back.
• Make your final selection and use a credit card to reserve your room. If you are in the U.S., paying for your hotel room with a credit card will give you an extra layer of protection under the Fair Credit Billing Act. You'll also avoid the inconvenience of having a huge hold placed on your bank account. You don't have to make your actual payment with the credit card if you'd rather pay with cash or a debit card.