1) Be sure to confirm rates before giving hotel your credit card number to reserve room

• I wrote hotel and asked for rates; they replied and said there was 10% discount with cash
• I wrote back to confirm a few things before sending cc #; they replied and said there was only a 5% discount with cash
• I wrote back and reminded them they had said 10%; they replied and said, “to be honest, usually discount for cash is 8%, but 10% is okay.” Glad I have it in writing!

2) Sometimes, when you're trying to find a hotel's own direct website and it doesn't come up, try entering the location in the native language: Example, instead of entering "Hotel Diplomatic Rome", enter "Hotel Diplomatic Roma." This has worked for me several times.

The first hint I gave above was kind of tongue-in-cheek. Pretty basic common sense, but I found their different responses so amusing.

I'd like to hear little hints for trip planning anyone else has learned along the way.

P.S. talking about finding it on google

Maire, that would be a bit unnerving for me! Do you know if it was different staff members responding to each of those three emails?

One tip that works for me sometimes to get the hotel site itself is to google the address, enclosed in quotation marks.

WillTravel - they signed all the emails "Hotel Staff." Thanks for the tip.