PJK

We are looking (last minute because of air travel issues last week) for a hotel in Rome. I contacted a hotel (Grifo) where we would like to say. They wrote back to say they have no availability on one of the nights we requested.

However, when I look at options for that hotel through TripAdvisor, Venere, Priceline, and several others show availability. I have used Venere many times with no problems, as well as Orbitz, Expedia, etc.

How do those systems work? Does the hotel sell a certain number of rooms to the booking companies?

Should I go ahead with a booking through one of those companies, or would you be concerned about doing that? Thanks, PJK

dutyfree

The hotels sell a certain amount to these companies so that is why they would tell you that their reservations are full. I have booked numerous times with places that were full but Venere and others said that there were rooms.Good Luck!

Christina

Is there some reason you wrote to them rather than using their automatic booking tool on their own website? I just wondered what it would say. That is a very small hotel, I believe, and can't believe they would sell rooms to booking websites, but I'm no expert. I've just never heard of a small hotel doing that. I would suspect they are right and the other websites are wrong, and don't have up-to-date info. Sometimes when you book on some websites like Expedia, they'll come back and tell you there are no rooms, though. So if you have a lot of time to wait, you can try booking on Venere and see if they will confirm it, then I'd check with the hotel a day later to make sure.

PJK

Thanks. I am obviously running out of time! I wrote to the hotel to clarify what their "run of the house" room was and to request a reservation if it had a private bath.

They wrote back to say they had no rooms available. I have re-written them to essentially ask what I have ask here.

Because we are so close to the date of leaving, I am a little concerned about using a booking company.

Thanks for the responses. PJK

PJK

The hotel promptly returned an email to advise me that the info on the booking site had not been updated but they would do that immediately. Thanks again. Now we know. PJK