?? about hotel booking sites for London
 

Just curious. There are so many hotel booking sites...hotel.com, expedia, hotel dorman, londontown.com,...are they all safe to use?...any I shouldn't?

.and if I book through one of these sites.how can I let the hotel know any requests I have like a quiet room, etc.??

I feel more comfortable with the hotel website but in the case of London, looks like the hotel I want has cheaper prices with these other agencies.

Thanks for all the help.

Last time I went to London I ended up with an unbeatable hotel deal through British Air, which we were flying. I think I found out about the deal on this forum! So if you're flying BA, keep your eyes open.

We have used www.londontown.com a few times and found them to be very good. Once you have booked, you get a confirmation email from them and I'm pretty sure it has the phone number for the hotel, so you can either call or email them direct with your request, quoting your booking reference.

Often you don't have to pay londontown.com upfront, only once you are at the hotel but this varies with each hotel/booking. If you haven't paid and can't get your specific request, you can always cancel and look elsewhere.
Kay

Unfortunately, we are going to London and then Paris so I don't know if I would qualify for a package from BA but I will look into it...

I am assuming then that these other agencies are ok..

I used londontown once and had great results with it, also. As I recall, the hotel itself emails you to confirm the reservation, and you can respond directly to the hotel with requests or comments on the kind of room you like. I am pretty sure I did as I am very picky about quiet hotel rooms, also, and think I said something about that to them. Now I suppose everyone wants a quiet room, but I think I probably am more sensitive to that than some other people, and that's about the only thing special I ask for. Other than that, I am a very nondemanding guest. I try to put it in almost a medical or abstract way, rather than making it sound like just an arbitrary request and I say specific things I don't want (as I have learned many reservation clerks just don't get it and don't understand what rooms not to give you). Usually I just say I am very sensitive to noise, so really would like a very quiet room. Then I say I do not want to be near an elevator or maid's service room (or ice machine if it's some cheaper motel in the US). A lot of hotels just give you any old room I've noticed even when you say you want a quiet one. I don't know what they are thinking or if they are just dumb or don't care. A few times I've come straight back to the desk without even going in when I see it is right near an elevator or next to the ice machine, etc., after I've just told them I want a quiet room.

Anyway, my gripes, but I got a great hotel at a good rate on londontown and they did give me a wonderful, very quiet room.

I just say we are "old"...!! LOL

You could try to see if the hotel you like is cheaper on ratestogo.com. Worked great for us in London.. If I remember properly, there is a cancellation fee if you book with hotels.com

I've booked through londontown.com, smoothhound.com and hotel-assist.com and never had problems with any of them.

I guess I am non-trusting..but thanks. You have reassured me.

I've also used the three that Mel listed without problems for London, as well as going directly to hotel websites. We often go with smaller places (that have more "character", but not always elevators ...).

For France and Italy, we've found venere.com pretty good.

Have you considered Priceline? There are some unbeatable deals if you use their "bidding" (as opposed to booking) site. You must read biddingfortravel first. London is so expensive that I always try using this first.

Husband won't use Priceline. He wants to know the hotel ahead of time..I am more of a gambler! lol

OK..so if I use Priceline and get a hotel, can I cancel?..charges?

loisco, I have booked a London hotel inthe past through the BA holidays website independently of air travel (we flew Air Canada). You don't have to be flying BA to book a hotel through their site.
Last spring I booked hotels all over Europe for other people using hotels.com and expedia and had no problems. Some of the hotels I had to book were in very small towns in Spain, France etc. No problems at all with either of these sites.

You can't cancel or change a Priceline hotel purchase that you have "won" by bidding. You can get travel insurance that will reimburse you (minus deductible) if you have to cancel or end your trip for a reason covered under the policy.