While I’ve never had a problem after I booked a hotel room through a third-party vendor (Hotwire, PriceLine) for a really great rate, a night auditor who works for a hotel in a major American city warns against doing so.
This anonymous blogger suggests most hotels will match the lowest price on a third-party site because they would rather have some of your money than pay a commission. However, I know a few people who have tried this with very little success. What’s more, sites such as Hotwire and PriceLine will only let you know what hotel you’re staying in once your booking is complete, so there is no way to haggle a hotel down to their very low room rates beforehand.
This blogger also says that should you run into a problem and require some kind of refund, you will have to deal with the site you booked your stay with, but booking with a hotel directly might result in comped nights or room upgrades. Booking with a hotel also offers more flexibility should your plans suddenly change.
I still think that budget-minded travelers might want to opt for the better prices available on third-party sites, and if you keep all your booking information and check your reservation before you leave, there should not be any problems. I was able to snag a Burbank, California hotel room for just under half price through Hotwire this week, and found an amazing packaged trip (airfare/hotel) to Las Vegas the week before. I was also able to get a free upgrade for my Vegas accommodations (a deluxe room in a newer building) following a tip I saw online that suggested most front desk hotel clerks will happily move you into a better room or suite for a $20 gratuity.
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