Most of us these days shop for our hotel stays online, via an OTA (Online Travel Agent.) Sites like Booking.com and Expedia.com. Well those sites make money off a commission structure with the hotels. So do your research on these sites, then call the hotel and book directly. Most reservation agents are trained to offer you a lower rate than the site. For example if a room is $100 online, typically $10-$15 of that goes to the OTA and the rest to the hotel. So they can offer you $90 and still make more money!
You have to be careful when you call a hotel directly to make a reservation. Many times when you ask for reservations, they will transfer your call to a call center. If you want to see if a particular location can help you with a better rate, ask for "In-house" reservations.
Wow I never knew this! It makes a lot of sense though. How much success have you had with this method? Have you ever dealt with a hotel that gave you a problem with this? In my eyes, it looks like a win win for the hotel and the consumer.
In our last 2 trips abroad - Beijing, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - we got the accommodation via online booking. It is much cheaper and convenient because I pay using my credit card. But for the skeptics, there is the risk of being duped. My advice is for you to check on the reliability of the company, their track record and affiliate companies.
Dame6089, years ago I worked as a travel agent and this was how we got the best deals every time. Of course, that was before the Internet was as available as it is now, but I still get better rates asking for in-house reservations about 70% of the time, and if I can't get a better rate, often I'm able to get an upgraded room or some other kind of perk. I still check the travel websites like hotels.com and even the hotel chain website too for the best available rates before I call the hotel directly...this way I'm armed with the knowledge of what is actually a "good" deal or not! Good luck!
