golfbuddy

I'm working on plans for a May/June trip to Croatia and Slovenia. Using this forum and TripAdvisor for hotel suggestions, I now have three options for making reservations (four, if I contact the hotel directly). These three sites have similar rates and policies regarding cancellations, so I want to know which site you use. Thanks for your feedback.

rosetravels

I always use booking. I think they've got more hotels listed and it's really easy to change or cancel. I like having all my reservations in one place.

janisj

I use Booking and Venere . . . but mostly book directly w/ the hotels themselves. If you get a lower rate on one of the booking sites -- most hotels will match or better it.

Never book on the regular Priceline site - no bargains there. PL bidding side is good for some cities -- but terrible for others

golfbuddy

My error - I meant to write EXPEDIA - not Priceline.

Andrew

You'll probably find similar prices on Booking.com and Priceline.com (not with the "name your own price" option), as Priceline owns Booking.com .

But I have used Booking.com many times for Europe reservations and have been very satisfied with them. They usually have good cancellation policies - but it's important to read the fine print carefully about what the cancellation/change terms are. Occasionally the property books a non-refundable 1st night deposit or something even if the whole reservation is "refundable."

For Slovenia and Croatia, I found more "off the grid" places than in say Western Europe (though these days you find more of them on Booking.com). These are smaller places, not conventional hotels. It's common in this part of Europe for locals to rent out "Sobe" (private rooms) in areas without many conventional hotels, and I found it an excellent option in the areas I stayed. I found some of these places on hostel booking websites, even when they weren't technically "hostels" (they had private rooms with private bathrooms). "Private rooms" may not directly be in someone's house, either - they may be completely private. Depends on the situation.

AlessandraZoe

I do use booking.com a lot. But since many hotels have to pay them a premium, I often, if I am for sure going to be staying at a hotel, try to deal directly with the property.

Do read cancellation rates. Most of the time, booking.com offers free cancellations, but still, they are trapped by the policies of the property.

I know to be on my guard, but recently, I was in such a rush to land vacancies, that I made a mistake in my booking. In correcting it, I incurred a 200 Euro fee.

Luckily, when I called booking.com about the problem, they really worked hard to resolve the problem.

kja

I almost always use booking.com, but also check the lodging's own web-site and book that way when the rates are comparable for the same cancellation policy. But as Andrew noted, I found that a lot of places in Croatia and Slovenia aren't available through booking.com, so do consider doing a little more delving into your options.

IMDonehere

We have used Booking in about 10 countries, with only one minor problem. I do not trust the TA reviews as it been shown that some are plants both positive and negative and I think at least 50% of the people who respond don't know what they are talking about. A higher percentage when it comes to food.

Booking will send an e-mail for a review after you have stayed there, in an attempt to keep them honest. As far as I can tell the prices are all fairly similar except for those that are last minute cancellations. And I always check directly with the hotel to see if there are any bargains.

As noted above, our favorite hotel in Turkey came by a recommendation and is not available from any of the on-line services.

Sojourntraveller

I never use third party booking sites for anything other than to get a price to negotiate from.

I always book directly with the hotel. Here's why. Any third party site you use is going to get some of your money. The hotel pays them a percentage obviously. That means that between the hotel's bottom line on any give day and the price you find for that day on a third party site, there is a spread.

Let's say the hotel shows on a website as being regular $200 and on their site for $150. You see a bargain, I see a 20- 25% mark-up from the bottom line the hotel is willing to accept. The hotel wants $125 bottom line.

I call the hotel and ask for their lowest (NEVER ask for their 'best price' that has a specific meaning in the hotel trade) price. They quote me $150 and I respond that I can get that online. I was hoping for a bit lower price by calling them. In 90% plus of the time, you will then get offered $130 or so.

Anyone who believes that the lowest prices can be found online is playing right into the booking sites hands. Consider the logic of it. It makes absolutely no sense at all. How can every third party site say 'we find you the lowest price' and more than one at most be right? In fact, NONE get you the lowest price, you are paying a middle man on top of what the hotel is willing to accept. Where is the logic in that?

Don't want to believe me? I can see all those that book with third party sites getting all bent out of shape already and raring to tell me how wrong I am. Well maybe you will listen to the OTHER experts. Read here for Arthur Frommer's take and note he says, "say all the travel pundits".
http://www.thestar.com/life/travel/2...ou_booked.html

Still not convinced? Here is what US News says, "Then check discount sites such as BookIt.com, Hotels.com or Booking.com, plus the named hotels at Hotwire and Priceline. If you find a hotel you like, check the hotel website before calling to see if you can find an even better deal directly from the hotel."

They go on to list it as their first of 13 tips.

WikiHow gives you step by step instructions which basically say, do this, this and this and then CALL the hotel.
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-the-Best-...ooking-a-Hotel

Industry insiders (that's people who WORK in the hotel industry, not people who book through third party sites) will all tell you that in fact the later you book, no matter how you book, the better. Prices contrary to what many believe, always fall. For those who book online and think they get a better deal booking early, read here:
http://www.travelandleisure.com/arti...otel-room-rate

Note they tested ONLY online sites including the hotel's own online sites. They did not try phoning the hotel directly.

Still not convinced? Here's one more from USA Today. Their take? Check online and then book directly with the hotel. They throw in, try for an upgrade when you finally get to the hotel. http://traveltips.usatoday.com/bette...tels-2969.html

Third party sites are simply parasites trying to make money of a transaction that is really between you and the hotel. Cut them out and learn to negotiate directly with the hotel.

Sojourntraveller

I should have added that I also find that not booking at all but simply showing up at the reception desk gets the LOWEST prices of all. That statement will really upset some people.

Andrew

Sojourntraveller: <i>I should have added that I also find that not booking at all but simply showing up at the reception desk gets the LOWEST prices of all. That statement will really upset some people.</i>

Not in my experience - especially when the hotel I booked ahead of time winds up sold out by the time I check in.

pattyroth

I tried to always book with the hotel or bed and breakfast directly by email or their website as I think it is a better deal for them financially and they may in turn offer you a better deal.

Man_in_seat_61

Thing is, you have to SEARCH for a hotel before you can go to that hotel's website.

And I'd rather search on ONE website than repeatedly search on 200 separate individual hotel sites. I usually Booking.com, which I find very clear and I like the free cancellation as standard.

Then you can check with the hotel's own site if you like. But I cannot be fussed with emails to hotels asking them to 'match' third party rates. Why bother? Click and it's booked online at that rate at the third party site, then you can get on with something else...

But I also use an overall hotel price comparison site - www.hotelscombined.com (there's now also www.trivago.com) - this shows the rates for a given hotel from expedia, otel.com, hotels.com, booking.com, asiarooms, etc etc and the variation in prices can be significant.

Booked the most expensive hotel room ever last month, Le Meurice in Paris. Booking.com and most other sites including Le Meurice's own wanted £800, I got it for £600 by running a hotelscombined check.

golfbuddy

In the past, I've always dealt directly with the hotels, agriturismos, etc. but just started noticing all the booking sites coming up when I checked on TA.

I just booked an apt in the Modena, Italy area - contacted the owner directly, as I had a few questions. And I'll do the same with a "sobe" near the Plitvice Lakes, as I have read reviews on this site.

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. Man-in-seat-61, I'll check out hotelscombined.com. And Sojourntraveler, thanks for sending links to those article, which I will read.

Sojourntraveller

Andrew, while it is not unknown for a hotel to be sold out on a given date, particularly if there is some major event going on, one possibility does not mean it should be applied in all cases does it?

I can honestly only recall one occassion when I had a problem finding a room just by turning up. But if you have had it happen to you multiple times, I would find that unusual. I take it you don't buy lottery tickets on the assumption that your luck must really suck.

Pattyroth and Maninseat61, I specifically said CALL as in make a telephone call directly to the hotel. Not e-mail, not go to the hotel's own website and not call a hotel chains 1-800 central booking number.

Nor do I expect them to 'match' third party rates, I expect them to do better than match them as I think I clearly explained above.

Trivago by the way is a very misleading site. They check all the usual suspect third party sites and then re-direct you to their sites. Now you've added another middle man to the equation who wants a piece of your money.

Because the third party sites know Trivago lists by price, if you check some you will find that often extra costs are left out in order to get their listing at the top of Trivago's list. So one includes a hotel tax and the other doesn't which makes the other look lower when in fact it is not. It is only IF you go through and check each that you will find that out. For that reason, Trivago's supposed advantage in searching multiple sites for you is in fact null and void.

Using Skype to call a hotel directly cost pennies. Knowing I found Le Meurice for 600 online would tell me to look for a price around 5-550 when I phone. I KNOW they are paying the third party commission. I KNOW they can give me a lower price than any third party site will offer as a result of that.

I am about to make a short visit to Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. Arriving on November 15 and departing on the 19th. I plan to stay at the Hampton Inn. I've checked online with a third party, the hotel's own site and the Hilton Honors site. Lowest price I found is $117 for the first 2 nights and $127 for the third night, plus tax. Total $395.

I just looked now at Hotelscombined (never looked at it before) they show their best offer is through hotelclub.com at $551. When I click through to the hotelclub site, they end up with $590.76 total. That is $195 more than I found already in 5 minutes. So much for their finding a better price.

I will not book a room, I will simply show up. The chances of a Hampton Inn in Red Deer, Alberta being full in mid-November are slim and none. My guess based on experience is that I will get the room for somewhere between $316 and $360 for the 4 nights. That's based on the hotel having to pay a 25% commission to the third party sites.

The most I will have to pay is the same $395 that I can get online today. If I do pay that much, I can almost guarantee I will get an upgrade to a suite or some additional perks like free movies, free minibar, double Hilton Honors points, late check-out.

Every hotel receptionist has the authority to negotiate. But you have to know how to tap that. For example, mention a 'special occassion' (make one up if you want, it's just an excuse to allow the hotel to save face. 'Oh we don't negotiate but we do like to give our guests a little something extra when it is a 'special occassion'.) Upgraded room, bottle of champagne, whatever.

Here is another well known reality. Bookings through third party sites are far more likely to get the room next to the ice machine or directly across the hall from the elevator. 'I'm sorry sir but that is our last available room, we have no other room we can switch you to.' Hotels don't actually like third party booking sites. I wonder why.

People who have booked online a lot have experience and can attest to booking online. But unless they have also done a lot of booking by phone directly with the hotel they cannot attest to that. Nor can they talk about just walking in the door if the do not make a habit of doing that.

The difference is that people who phone the hotel or walk-in the door can easily check online prices at any time beforehand to compare.

So my advice is simple. Find your best online price and then PHONE the hotel (I realize not everyone is confident enough to just show up at the reception desk on the day). You have nothing to lose by trying it other than 5 minutes and a few pennies to Skype. Tell them the price you have found online and ask if they can offer you something better.

Mathieu

In the Czech Rep. and Croatia, I got great rates and rooms using Booking.

Elsewhere in Europe I've either stayed in apartments, B&Bs, or in a hotel room that comes as part of a transportation package and where I knowingly don't care much for the hotel (but do for its location) and use it only as a place to hang my hat at night.

Here in Canada I've got great rates and excellent rooms (suite upgrades even) using Hotwire and Priceline.

I've heard of positive results from Trivago but haven't needed to use it yet myself.

kja

I suspect it depends on the kind of lodging one wants. For example, I have a strong preference for small, local, atmospheric lodgings that are inexpensive, superbly located, and well-reviewed. These places are sometimes fully booked 4 or even 6 months in advance.

Sassafrass

SojournTraveler, lots of good tips. Thanks.

I have had the bad luck a couple of times recently of traveling in rural areas where nothing seemed to be happening and been wrong. I drove fifty miles more than I wanted late one night because every hotel in the area I wanted to stop was completely booked. The other time, the first hotel where I stopped was booked, and they directed me to another that still had two rooms. Both times, I wish I had booked ahead, would have willingly paid a bit more for the assurance of a place to rest.

Odin

<<SojournTraveler, lots of good tips. Thanks.>> Good tips? It is a load of BS. The negotiating power of an individual is overstated, the understanding of 3rd party systems and ecommerce is flawed as is the understanding of the hotel industry, plus there is some downright bad advice.

isabel

I almost always use booking.com now (sometimes Venere).

The site is easy to use, and cancellations are easy. Since they email you a few days after you stay in a hotel with a link to do a review, reviews are also easy so I think more people do them, making the reviews very reliable (If you have to work to do a review - find the property, etc - I think it more likely only very happy or very unhappy people post reviews).

The last time I had to cancel a reservation I made directly with a hotel it was a huge hassle to get the refund back, even had to involve Visa. With booking.com it's a breeze to cancel or change reservations.

This summer we stayed at several small properties with only a few rooms. My husband loves to chat up the hosts and more than one told us that now that they list with booking.com they are filled a much higher percentage of the time and therefore they have actually been able to lower their prices. They said the small amount they pay to list with booking.com is just part of doing business, like paying the electric bill.