On-line Reservations
 

Has anyone found that the rooms they get through online reservations are in worse areas of the hotel or not as comfortable as patrons who book directly through the hotel?

Makes no difference.

Is it just a matter of who shows up when? Forgive my lack of knowledge. Thanks is advance for all the help!!

Hotels have different types of rooms. The ones that are basic, no view, non-suite are called Run of the House. Then you may have oceanfront, oceanview, garden view, city view, suite, Jr. suite, one bedroom, two bedroom, penthouse, presidential suite, etc. It has more to do with the type of room you book.

It is actually in the hotel's best interest to have you book online. The more people that book online, the less reservations agents they have to pay to man phones. For the hotel, it would no make sense to give you a "bad" room if you book online. They want you to keep booking online.

Hotel front desk clerks will "favor" the people paying a higher rate, members and repeat guest. The lower paying guest will be given a less than desirable room.

I am not sure about desk clerks "favoring" higher paying guests. We booked 2 hotel rooms on Priceline and paid a ridiculously low amount. Ended up with corner room overlooking harbor with gigantic windows. (Paid for regular double). <BR><BR>Have received both good and bad rooms booking both ways. But I have always wondered how you get what room - I always thought it had to do with when you got there and what rooms had been vacated and cleaned.

ttt

I agree with "xxx." We tend to give the better rooms to guest who are paying a higher rate.

I find that when I book Priceline, I get a mix of rooms. In Chicago, I got a room with a view; in New York, I got a larger room just for asking; in San Francisco I got a room by the parking lot; and in Tucson, I got a room by the elevator and parking lot.