What's the best way to book lodging
 

Just curious if I should call them directly
(I know there's a time zone issue) email or fax.

Hi,

I have found email to be perfectly OK, except for those places that don't have eml, then I send a fax, except if they don't have a fax, then I get up early and call.

Sometimes I get people who don't speak English. Then I send them a letter.

I nearly always email. It's quick and it's free. The exception is when I find a cheaper rate on a discount website (ie hotel-booker.com). Then I reserve on the web.

I frequently reconfirm my reservation, with a friendly greeting, right before I leave for my trip.

Both. Sometimes I start off with e-mail, sometimes with a phone call. A phone call is helpful when I want immediate answers to my questions. I use a 10-10 number for the calls, and the expense is minimal.

I always get a confirmation with e-mail. Having something in writing helps to prevent misunderstandings.

I made all our reservations for Italy via e-mail, and got back an answer on all of them within 48 hours. It's easy and convenient and there's a record of the transaction.

Having planned and enjoyed a trip every year since 1998, I've reserved via the internet (using recommendations from friends and in here :) so I had some confidence in where we'd end up.) and reserved about 6-7 months in advance. About a month to 2-weeks before leaving, I reconfirmed with emails again. In a couple of instances this was a good thing as (1) one place had been closed due to bureaucratic problems and another year (2) the hotel didn't have a record of my original reservation (they seemed to have found it after I sent them the original confirmation). After you've gotten some experience, you can get a good idea of when it is absolutely imperative to have reservations and when you are perfectly free to travel on a whim. I think I would always have reservations for someplace like Venice, but I think I could happily "wing it" through Tuscany (unless it was the height of tourism time...which we usually avoid anyway). Anyway, email is used by many many places, some ask for a fax to confirm.

Yesterday I tried to make a reservation by email and they wanted my credit card info to confirm, so that I had to call to give my credit card info, since they did not have a web site. I am finding that some web sites are not secured, which means I will not give my credit card info. It is important that you make sure the web site is a secure site!

Hi traveler,

You could also send credit card info in two separate emls: one with the number, the other with the expiration date.

I search for lodging via the Internet, send inquiries via e-mail, then fax my credit card info via the computer, asking the hotel to send an e-mail confirmation.

If the hotel's website has a secure booking form, I book online, but I always ask for a confirmation via e-mail.

I print a copy of the offer and the confirmation, and keep with me to present if there are any problems.

I've yet to have a problem.