Hi. Have been searching hotels. The prices are better with Expedia, but in the past I have preferred to deal directly with the hotels. Clearly that is not cost effective. Do you have a preferred travel search site? Thanks.
I have always found the best prices directly through the hotels - join their rewards program to search for the best prices. However, I do use Kayak to research prices (making sure I know if the price through the hotel is indeed the best).
I’ve found other sits to be cheaper sometimes, but then if something unexpected happens, the hotel is much less flexible. I’d call hotel directly and try to get same rate you found elsewhere.
Like you, I search kayak or hotels, or even the add a hotel to airline flights. I recently booked 8 days before a trip to Boston. I was getting no rooms available. I called Marriott, where I have rewards, and got the last room in 1:2 Marriotts that I wanted. The rate was less than posted, and when I got there, they had upgraded me. I had a few hours of panic not knowing if I could find a hotel, but ended up staying at my favorite place.
Also a Kayak user. I do the search to find the best prices. I always try to book directly through the hotel if they are offering the rate on their website. If not, I have no issue with booking through Expedia, priceline, hotwire, trip advisor, whatever. I’ve never had an issue.
I use the third party websites to search for the best price, then I contact the airline or hotel and book directly with them.
If there’s a travel SNAFU, the hotel & airline will not fix your problem directly. They will tell you that you have to do it via the third party.
The not fixing your problem because you booked through a third party concerns me. I have 20000 points at Mariott. I need 35000 for the location I want. Price of the room is $169 or 35000 points. The cost to buy 15000 points? $189. So I say to the guy- it costs more to buy a few points and use up all of my other points than to just book the room? And he said yes. That room is about $129 on Expedia.
I find that the low expedia, kayak, etc. prices are often non-refundable - I like to go to the hotel website and get AAA rates which are typically the same or better but cancellable. I also belong to the hotel rewards programs and sometimes when I check in get upgraded or get free wifi.
I think the Expedia rate was non refundable. I have bought a plane ticket so probably would not cancel at this point.
If you have Expedia gold status, the snafus will be taken care by Expedia quickly; I did it twice - both to reschedule international flights). In one case, I rebooked Turkish Air flight 2 hours before the planned departure via Expedia gold line. Expedia will let you pay in USD for your air, while many airlines will make you pay in the currency of the country where the flight originates…
With hotels, I prefer to deal with hotels directly. Booking via hotel will usually give you a better located room in the same category or an upgraded room, plus, there could be extra perks thrown in at no extra charge, like access to wifi. Marriott does this. With airlines… they will shove you in the same middle seat no matter how you bought the ticket.
I also prefer to book directly with hotels and airlines. When they won’t match the prices I find online, I have sometimes booked with 3rd parties, like Hotwire, hotel.com, Expedia, Travelocity, etc.
Fan of Hotels.com here. Never had an issue, I can call the hotel if I’m running late, etc. Never had a problem (knock wood) - and their prices are listed as “refundable” and “non-refundable” as well as “pay in advance” and “pay at the hotel”
I did realize that on expedia the price didn’t include taxes while the hotel site included them. I booked 4 nights at 2 places directly with the hotels. I tend to nickel and dime stuff like this. Now it’s done and I can forget about it.
Not all hotel sites include taxes when they initially give you the price. A price that ends in 9 is a give away that no taxes are included. Expedia etc. will also show taxes before you make a reservation.