how do you make your hotel reservation

[AF-1]

when you book a hotel, either pre or post cruise; do you use online travel agent, online booking website, or hotel website? thanks

[klfrodo]

Depends.

If I'm with a group, I let the TA make the decision.

 

If I'm traveling on business or on a family vacation,,,,I go directly to the hotels website.

I never ever use a discount website.

I've had bad experiences where first you pay up front for all costs, hotel doesn't provide a cost breakout at checkout ( told to get that from my discounter), issues with room availability (told to talk to discounter), hotel loyalty points not given due going through discounter. Etc.

[vjblk]

I always book direct with the hotel whether it be for pre/post cruise or for a land vacation.

[LHT28]

Book direct with hotel via website or use Priceline NYOP option

[pris993]

The old fashion way, via telephone, hotel 800 #s or directly with hotel site.

[Keith1010]

Usually hotel web site or by phone and once in awhile I have my TA do this for certain hotels where they can provide additional amenities.

 

Keith

[KirkNC]

We usually book direct with the hotel.

[cruzeluver]

You want that lovely room at the back of the hotel that is smaller than the rest, has a view of a dumpster and has not been upgraded since the Eisenhower administration? Book on a third party site.

 

Always book direct with the hotel, either via their site or by phone.

[sparky-elpaso]

You want that lovely room at the back of the hotel that is smaller than the rest, has a view of a dumpster and has not been upgraded since the Eisenhower administration? Book on a third party site.

 

Always book direct with the hotel, either via their site or by phone.

 

I always thing of that when I read a review that's complaining about how bad the hotel is. :)

 

I always go to the hotel web site too.

[OzKiwiJJ]

It varies.

 

Sometimes I book directly through the hotel online or by phone, sometimes through an online booking agent. If the room I stay in is important to me I book through the hotel, sometimes requesting a particular room. I've learnt never to book the cheapest grade of room, especially through an agent, as that's when you can end up with the worst room in the hotel, particularly in Europe.

 

A couple of online booking agents that I book through have mystery/secret hotels deals. Quite often I can identify which hotel it is and usually get a great deal. It's fun to try different hotels. Once the hotel was not up to the standard I expected, but once we ended up in a gorgeous suite on the top floor of the hotel with awesome views.

 

Many years ago I booked a Rome hotel through an online agent and got an amazing suite there, with a rooftop terrace, and the price was relatively cheap. I think that one was beginners luck LOL.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I book directly on line with the hotel.

[navybankerteacher]

I use an on-line booking site to get information about hotels, their rates and their locations - then I book directly with the hotel on line. Twice, when booking through a booking site, when I got to the hotel I was advised that they had no room but that I had a room at a co-operating hotel. The annoyance of having to move to another hotel was bad enough - but one time I got relocated for just one night and then had to move again - that is a terrible way to waste time in Paris.

[Warm Breezes]

when you book a hotel, either pre or post cruise; do you use online travel agent, online booking website, or hotel website? thanks

I look through Hilton Honors first because Embassy Suites are my prefered hotels. If I can't find what I want there I do an on-line search through larger on-line travel sites. When I find one I want I check the hotel site to see if I can get a better deal. I book at the best price.

[ducklite]

I use one expedia or Travelocity to see what's in the area, then book online direct through the hotel's web site. If I am looking to use points, I go directly to the hotel's web site. Obviously if it's a place I know well enough, I will just check the sites of the two or three hotels I might be interested in within that area.

[Nebr.cruiser]

I usually use Hotwire; sometimes Priceline. So far we haven't had any subpar rooms and sometimes are even upgraded when we get there. Another good option is Last Minute Travel.

 

I do check other sites, including the hotel's websites to get a feel for the going rate.

 

Since it's usually only for one night, and often, traveling from Nebraska, we get in (if it's Florida) very late, like ten or later, we are fine with a nice but more basic hotel. We've gotten some great deals.

[iancal]

We travel frequently. We book direct, use a booking site, Priceline bids, Hotwire, whatever. In the US we do mostly Priceline bids.

 

We had an experience recently that may change our minds. We booked a hotel in Panama City via a booking. site. Hotel charged our card. We cancelled well within the cancellation period. Hotel promised, promised, promised again to refund. Nothing after six months except some story about their bank. Called the booking site. Sent them the details. They committed to have it resolved in 5 days-and it was. Finally got our refund. Very impressed with the booking site customer service-they followed up just about daily.

 

I believe that had we booked direct and not had the intervention of the booking

firm we would either not have a refund or would have had to go the credit card company route to have the charge reversed. We have had the same great customer experience from the autoeurope folks.

Edited June 3, 2014 by iancal

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Who ever is cheaper ..

[deedeetoo]

I will use booking sites to see what's available in the area and what approximate prices are. Combine this with trip advisor reviews to narrow down the selection. Then I go straight to the hotel website to book. I do occasionally call if there is a problem booking through the website. I have two hotels booked for this summer - one was done on-line through the hotel website and the other over the phone.

[navybankerteacher]

The cheapest on-line sites do not always result in your getting the hotel you book - just that hotel or a comparable one. If the hotel you book through one of those sites happens to get direct bookings at their "rack" rates, they will shunt you off to a nearby, co-operating hotel - they will pay for your taxi, but it is your time that gets eaten up - sometimes by having to move back to your original hotel --- you may save a bit of money by not booking the hotel directly yourself, but it may not be worth the hassle.

[olemissreb]

DH is a member of 4 different loyalty programs, so I book online to make sure he gets his points. Hilton & Marriott are his preferred choices so those are the ones I hit first.

 

When traveling with my son on college tours, I still booked online at the hotel website, but also combined it with reviews from Trip Advisor and I check "mileage" between hotel and campus through google maps. I don't want to book something that says it's close to the university only to find out it's out in boofoo Egypt in an iffy part of town.

[xxoocruiser]

Research on internet and than book direct.

[slidergirl]

I work in the hotel business. After seeing what happens when booking through third-party channels, I will always book directly with the hotel via the website or phone.

The third party sites sometimes have incorrect information on their websites about what a room has in it. A guest gets to their room, comes back down and complains that the room isn't what they were "told" it was. I've had families of 4 show up to find that the site booked them a room with 1 King bed and we have no rooms with 2 Queens (and we'd have to charge extra) and the King room can't' fit a rollaway. I've had people show up for their room, only find out that the third party site messed up the dates. I've had third party bookings not even show up on our system. Just like Cruise Air, you have to go back to your third party site to get them to fix the situation. We get a "virtual credit card" from that site to use for the charges - it is tied to specific dates and pricing, so we can't change it. At one of my hotels that I worked with, we could call the company and try to resolve it - it would take up to an hour on the phone to get them to change things, and then another hour or so to get the changed and new credit card issued VIA FAX.

We can't give you a price breakdown because the pricing is "suppressed" - what the site paid us isn't visible and isn't on your folio. It's just what you paid for directly at the hotel is what you see.

[iancal]

If it is a chain-Marriott, Accor, Hilton then we book direct unless of course we are doing a Priceline bid or a Hotwire selection.

 

And often, we have got weekend specials on these websites that we better than the booking sites.

[cb at sea]

I usually call the hotel directly, after researching online. The reservation clerks have some leeway on pricing...so ask for any "specials"!

[sapete]

I always book direct with the hotel, either via their site or by phone.