Don't Believe Internet Hotel Prices!

[CameraQuest]

OK, so I do my search on line, and all the major travel searches have the same price at a hotel I like.

Then I call the hotel.

Not only was the direct price much less expensive, I also got a larger room!

So double check directly with the hotel and compare when you are making reservations - you might be happily surprised!

Stephen

[Brian Puccio]

Plus the hotel isn't losing 20+% to some middleman website.

[mervynyan]

Well, you first establish the benchmark to compare with, otherwise you have no idea what price is "less expensive", but generally I stay in hostels, bunker-bed for a night is fairly cheap-

[rover]

I just did the same, but I think it has a lot to do with availability, timing and luck. The online services had a 30% off rate for some of the rooms but not the one I wanted. I called directly and in fact was able to get the rate for the room I wanted. I had to confirm with my brother the cost, and by time he called to book the next morning they would only offer the full rate (online deals were gone too). I called back the following day and got a third rate, between the two. After a little discussion I was able to book his room for the same price as mine.

The only fixed cost for a hotel room is whatever they pay the maid service, so there is a lot of negotiating room in the rates. You just have to get the right person at the right time and you can get a deal.

[Pablito]

Almost always true with flights too - check the airline website because it will almost always be the cheapest.

[maddoc]

Travel-tip for Japan: Always first check the web-site of the hotel for a special "plan". These are always cheaper than calling the hotel and making a reservation or showing up at the front-desk and asking for a room.

[DanP]

Most of the time I book through Kayak, Hotwire etc.
At 2 instances, I got cheaper rates by directly calling the hotel when I wanted to book at the last minute.

[rxmd]

Originally Posted by Pablito

Almost always true with flights too - check the airline website because it will almost always be the cheapest.

Depends. If you have special requirements, such as flying in through one airport and flying out through another, a good travel agent might be more flexible than any online direct booking system, including the airline's own.

I had that situation two times since January. I saved more than 50% each time by going through a brick-and-mortar travel agent that I know for their good tariffs.

[Ronald M]

Kim Komando described this on her radio show this weekend regarding airlines.

When you first visit a website, you get a cheap rate, book then, because the next time you return they see a cookie from the first time, and raise the price. Hotels do the same or similar.

I am quite surprised she did not say erase cookies or use a different computer. She is computer savvy as that is her business.

[rxmd]

Originally Posted by Ronald M

Kim Komando described this on her radio show this weekend regarding airlines.

When you first visit a website, you get a cheap rate, book then, because the next time you return they see a cookie from the first time, and raise the price. Hotels do the same or similar.

I am quite surprised she did not say erase cookies or use a different computer. She is computer savvy as that is her business.

Maybe she'll tell you when you listen to it the second time?

[shiro_kuro]

Hawaii it is usually cheaper to book online through the usual sites ... or move here first ... as the hotels give a discount to locals ....

[Paul Jenkin]

Maybe it's because there have been numerous tour operator failures down the years. maybe it's because the UK is an island and, therefore, expensive to get away from and to which to return. However, I have always been reluctant to book flights direct - unless the company provides ATOL protection in the event that the airline fails.

Accommodation is a trickier one. If it's an internationally recognised chain, I'll consider booking direct. However, one of my greatest fears is that my wife and I travel 12 hours+ on a plane only to find that our hotel either doesn't exist, is full or is a flea-infested building site.

"Caveat emptor" is the rule I always have in mind; "Let the buyer beware".

[kuzano]

There was talk, starting with Orbitz offering higher priced packages to users of MAC due to the "discerning nature" of MAC users...Oh Yeah!!!

Boil it down to, "Well since MAC users pay 40% more for the same computers in PC, we should be able to screw them to the wall on their travel arrangements and accomodations."

I'm surprised this news did not come up in this thread. It was a big deal on the internet news. Sounds like everybody is doing it.

I suspect the "glory days" of good deals on the internet are getting shaky.... and shady.

How many of you filing complaints on this thread are inquiring on Mac's. It's even been noted on some people with PC's who are using Safari. As if there aren't enough good browsers on the Windows platform. Part of the trigger into the higher rate data base is the actual browser inquiring.

If you want to get into the "cheap" data base, you would use the BEST and FASTEST browser.... OPERA. No, I'm not getting perks for this. I am serious. I discovered OPERA about 15 years ago, and have always found it to be faster, cleaner programming than any other browser. Designed to be effective on lower performance computers.