I just made a hotel reservation for a few days in NY (Finger Lakes Region) in late July. I have never used hotels.com or any of the online sites. I like to select which hotel I'm staying at, and I don't want to pay in advance if I can avoid it. With life as it is, if possible, I like a reasonable cancellation policy.

I prefer to call the hotel directly vs dealing with the 800 number, but I didn't do that this morning.

When I got the confirmation, the taxes looked really steep, so I made a phone call directly to the hotel.

The direct called saved me $10.00 per night, and I was advised the taxes were 12%. Somehow the confirmation from the 800 number showed taxes at more than twice the amount they should be.

Weird. I did mention this to clerk at the hotel. Wonder if the 800 line is tacking on some kind of fee, or just estimating the taxes too high?

Note to self. Deal with the hotel directly.

How do you make your reservations?

 

If it is not a Starwood hotel (where I make them through their website), I deal directly with the hotel - online unless they don't have a website.

 

I tried one of those online "hotel.com" type reservations ONCE a few years back. Got a cheap room alright .....deep in the bowels of the hotel next to an ice machine, the elevator and the laundry. It was a non-smoking room [as specified] but smelled like something had died there shortly before. Hotel would not change the room without a substantial increase in price because I'd used an online "hotel.com" type reservation. I suspect that the only way they ever get anyone to stay in that room [and ones like it] is through those services.

Lesson learned ..... I now deal directly with a hotel [phone call or website] as I did before that experience even if it costs a few bucks more.

 

My SIL is good at ferreting out deals on hotels, airfares, etc, but she spends hours doing it. She can sometimes figure out what the hotel is, even if not mentioned on the site she's bidding on. It is probably worth it to her, but not to me. My time is worth a lot.

 

I usually have my wife make the hotel recommendations.

She's picky about the rooms we stay in, especially if it's a vacation trip. The room has to be non-smoking, on a higher floor, nice view, not too close to the elevator, etc. she's pretty good at getting what she wants. Even when she used hotels.com she was able to get us a great room at the Fairmont in Bermuda.

 

gotta be a non smoking room, prefer a non smoking hotel. When I got the confirmation back from the clerk at the hotel, I requested a quiet room away from elevators and road noise.

Hey, rooms aren't cheap, might as well be comfortable.

 

I have found that it pays to belong to one of the hotel affinity/loyalty plans (i.e, Hilton Honors, etc.) We get great rates, earn points, and pretty much have our special room requests honored. These plans cost nothing to join, and pay off in the long-run with free nights and other perks. I have used web-sites such as Hotels.com in the past, and find that it is much better to book directly with the hotel. My $.02 worth.

 

We belong to the Best Western Rewards and Hilton too. We don't travel often enough to accumulate rewards., however one vacation in Canada did result in a free night at a Best Western in CT.

 

I usually do marriottt online if it's personal.
On business, I just tell my administrator we're to book me and poof!! magic it happens

 

Got me thinking on the rewards program. Today I signed up for double points on the Hilton Awards program so our stay in MD will give us a few points. Right now it's not enough for a free night in NY, but I was told to check back in early July as the promotions may change.

I prefer a suite type hotel, but I may change our reservation in NY to a Hampton Inn, in the hopes of getting a free night somewhere along the way. Still