booking a hotel in italy
 

has anyone ever used hotelbookings.com? can you offer me any advice? I booked a hotel directly and saw the same hotel listed for less on this website.

It happens, Sue. I had also found a hotel in Barcelona which rate was lower through hotelbookings.org than the rate I got from the hotel itself. It happened that later on, I found an even lower rate at travelweb.com and hotelnet.uk, hence I canceled hotelbooking.org reservation.<BR><BR>Rates differ a lot. They depend on special agreements, on the volume of booking of a given operator or web site, on so many factors that is hard to say where to find the lowest rate.<BR><BR>Regards,<BR><BR>S

so-I should do the obvious and I should cancel my reservation and re-book with the lower rate?<BR>What have your experiences been with on-line booking companies like hotel bookings.com if any?

Well, Sue, why not? I've done it many times.<BR><BR>Rome, for example: the last time I booked a hotel there, I did it through Venere, and dealt with the hotel itself afterwards. About a week after having booked, I found out a Dollars&Sense rate through SRS. I told the hotel reservationist that I was canceling the booking I had made, for I had found a more convenient rate, hence I was substituting the booking for a new one, (and I was booking three rooms). She didn't get upset, since travelers and consumers are entitled to buy/book what they want for the best available price/rate. It's purely and merely business, but it shall be done with courtesy and politeness, the canceling process, I mean.<BR><BR>Answering to your other question, I've been booking hotels for quite a while using these booking services. I've never had a problem. However, when I book, I look for guaranteed by credit card reservations, rather than a pre paid reservation. Also, after the booking is confirmed, I always forward a copy of the booking confirmation to the hotel, be it by e-mail or a printed copy sent by fax, and ask the hotel to reconfirm.<BR><BR>I hope it helps.<BR><BR>Regards,<BR><BR>S

Thank you Surlok for your help