shorebrau

It has been in the travel news for at least a couple years now that booking direct with the hotel often results in a lower rate. In addition, there is more flexibility with regard to change of plans. Last, more hotels are not offering rooms through such services as Expedia so you will either not see their name among your search list or they will have no rooms available. I find that I can get AAA or AARP rates by booking directly with the hotel. Often, there is a special "web only" rate as well, and that is usually the best deal.

goddesstogo

I've never had trouble getting a room through expedia but then I don't use them every time I travel. But sometimes the room rate is not the only thing to be considered.

In my example above, for our trip to Austin, the airline/room package was literally only a few dollars (maybe $4) than the combination I could 'build' myself, with the hotel's direct rate, but the expedia deal tossed in airline shuttles both ways. Since we're not renting a car, that saves me about $80 worth of shuttle service.

artandorchids

One problem with Expedia or other such sites is that if you have a problem with a hotel, as I did in Chicago a few years ago. I asked for a partial refund and was told that if I had booked directly with them they would accommodate me but since I had booked with Expedia they could not do it. That probably had to do with the fact that Expedia takes 30% off the top.

I used to use Expedia to help book my bed and breakfast. One day when we were totally booked a couple drove up with confirmed reservations from Expedia. When I finally reached them on the phone they said the couple had "slipped through the cracks" and they forgot to notify me. I found the couple another place to stay. It probably took them months to get a refund from Expedia.

That was the last straw for me; now we get enough bookings that we don't need it.

goddesstogo

hi artandorchids,
I had the same thing happen to me from the customer side but with much better results. I'd booked a hotel in Ft Lauderdale through expedia. When we got there, the hotel hadn't received the booking. We had to wait while they called expedia and got it straightened out and then, to compensate us for the wait, they upgraded us to a better room. And get this -- the 'wait' was literally about 2 minutes.

We were lucky, I guess, that this was a large hotel and they had room for us.

Keith

I have never used Expedia, but use Travelocity occasionally. Whenever I book a car, hotel or air with Travelocity, I immediately confirm directly with the company that was booked.

Keith

Doehead

I get the best internet rate and then I call the hotel direct and tell them I want their best price and I always beat the internet rates.This includes the hotels own website, Travelocity,Orbitz and numerous others.

Pa traveler

kaschuchard

I've recently taken several trips to visit colleges with my high school aged son. I found that speaking directly with the hotels ALWAYS got us a special "college rate" - cheaper than any online rate. None of the hotels offered this rate online. And only one of the six colleges cued us to ask for it.

ragout

I have been thinking about the same question...but in regards to Europe. I concur with the person who commented that "they prefer the more intimate experience of booking direct instead of going through an Internet middle Person"!!
Most of the responses to the original question discuss only Nth America.
What about booking directly with European hotels?
I like booking directly because I find the staff are unfailingly polite and charmning. It reminds me to be gracious back! Some of the reservation emails are worth the price of the trip, though I am never sure if I am getting the best price!
Comments please!

ragout

My apologies...... I just saw that this is the "United States" Forum! No wonder the discussion was about US hotels! Duh! I will post on the European Forum for sure.