The Internet provides the best ways to locate great hotel discounts. Sites like Travelocity.com, Expedia.com, and Hotels.com provide low prices and reviews of the best hotels around. You can find great rates on one site or you can comparison shop with several sites. As good as this may sound, there are some disadvantages to online reservations. Here are some important features to be on the lookout for:
Anonymous Hotel Listings
Travel sites list some of the best hotel discounts available. The customer can pick which hotels they would like to stay in and their best deals are listed. Some sites, however, show the best prices without the names of the hotels. The customer can choose by the best rates, the star-ratings, or location of the hotel from a certain destination or attraction. Some companies use this tactic so all hotels have the opportunity to get equal business. No names means no customer preferences or biases. If you are not particular about which hotel you stay in, you will not have any concerns. Otherwise, you may have some problems with this feature.
No Names, No Refunds
Anonymity is favorable for competing chains but not for picky customers. Once you have selected a nameless hotel, the name and address are revealed as your order is completed. If you do not like the hotel you selected, unfortunately, you are stuck. Sites with anonymous listings do not allow refunds after the hotel is revealed. The customer will already have paid for the hotel by credit card. If you are not comfortable with this feature, choose a hotel site that lists the hotel names. There are plenty of them out there.
Giving up the right to choose a hotel by name for good hotel discounts does not sit well with everyone. Make sure you check the policies of the travel or hotel site as well as the FAQs section before you make your choice.
Last-Minute Traveling
On the upside, some sites offer their best deals at the last minute. If you are planning a spontaneous trip, are a procrastinator, or have to make an unexpected visit somewhere, you can easily find great deals at a moment’s notice. You must be careful with these deals as well. The option to get a refund is not always available. Because these reservations are made at the last minute, the hotels may not have time to accept your cancelled reservation. In addition, if your make you reservations less than 24 hours in advance, some sites will charge you a cancellation fee if you decide to cancel. This is not an unusual rule in the hotel business; many places charge a fee for cancellations made at the last minute. Just make sure you are able to travel when you plan to so you will not incur any unnecessary fees or charges.
Online reservations can be a great help and save you time when you need to pick a hotel in a hurry. The luxury of many of these sites is that you can plan all aspects of your trip (car rental, flights, vacation packages, etc.) on one friendly site. Therefore, the next time you need to make a hotel reservation, make sure you check out the travel sites online for the best hotel discounts around.
By Tamara C. Jude