Hotel bookings - direct or (eg) Expedia?

[Walter Plinge]

Hi All -

In a couple of months I'm looking at booking a hotel for a week mid-next year in NY (Queens, actually). I just wanted to check rates so I tried a couple of links off tripadvisor: expedia and hotels.com.au. Both showed my target hotel as booked out. I tried the hotel direct (it's part of a chain) -- plenty of rooms available. The direct rate seemed OK to me - a helluva lot better than mid-town.

The question is -- what usually gives the better rate? Direct booking or using an independent booking site? Perhaps the booking sites are like awards seats on a flight -- the hotel only makes a few available.

Also - recommendations for nice hotels in Queens, Long Island welcomed.

Thanks -- WP

 

[odysseus]

There's no definite answer. Sometimes booking sites offer better deals, and sometimes going direct will be the best. Some people try to match them off each other with price beat deals.

 

[Alanslegal]

There is no right or wrong, quick or easy way, for finding the best hotel deals as there are countless of sites to go to / cheak and varying prices!

I suggest www.hotelpricefinder.com to assist in finding/comparing alot of sites in the one go.

Also if you see a particular hotel that you fancy and it belongs to like a larger chain eg. Hilton's, Starwood's, Marriott's etc, then I suggest you consider doing a quick research on their Best Rate Guarantee policy as they will often beat the lower price that you have found!


Is there a particular reason why you want to stay at Queens, Long Island? Are you flexible with location? Maybe if you prefer to be on the Island , we may be able to direct you to some alternatives. And finally what is your budget?

 

[Therma]

For my trips to US I use Hotwire. They usually have amasing last minute specials on car rental, domestic airfares and hotels. I have booked a "mystery" car in SFO for a base rate of 7.95USD, which was actually a Hertz car with a discounted corporate rate of USD 40. They often have up to 60 % or more sale on hotels, including IHG cheaper than the IHG website. I would try 2-3 weeks prior to departure.

 

[Mal]

There is no right or wrong, quick or easy way, for finding the best hotel deals as there are countless of sites to go to / cheak and varying prices!

Indeed, so true. Sometimes online sites can give great package deals, at other times various discount codes can make stays almost free.

However, where possible, I prefer to book with the hotel's own website for a few reasons:
- no booking fees normally.
- often a more generous cancellation policy (time and refund wise)
- no third party to have to cancel through.
- most frequent stay programs only credit stays booked through the hotel chain directly (or in some cases, only stays booked online through their portal).
- best rate guarantees will sometimes match any other price and/or beat them (watch for the various loopholes that they can wriggle through though).

 

[drron]

For a loyalty program junkie like me it is definitely direct.Unfortunately in some places there isnt a convenient property I'm a member of so have to go elsewhere.Then i will check the rates on third party sites then check the hotels website-usually you can pick up something at least as cheap.if not i contact the hotel and have never failed to get a rate at least as cheap.Particularly Accor and in the US the Choice chain often beat the third party rates.
I gave some advice on Queens here-
http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/your-questions/new-york-hotels-18394.html

 

[Walter Plinge]

There is no right or wrong, quick or easy way, for finding the best hotel deals as there are countless of sites to go to / cheak and varying prices!

I suggest www.hotelpricefinder.com to assist in finding/comparing alot of sites in the one go.

...

Is there a particular reason why you want to stay at Queens, Long Island? Are you flexible with location? Maybe if you prefer to be on the Island , we may be able to direct you to some alternatives. And finally what is your budget?

Thanks for your help everyone -- very useful advice as always. I'll be booking early so I'll book direct with the hotel.

I am flexible on price and location but a lot of searching of Manhattan didn't turn up anything decent under $300 a night - and I'm a solo traveller. And most definitely not a hostel or back-packer. The first (and only) time I was in NY before, 12 months ago, I stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria but that was an extraordinary stroke of luck and series of coincidences -- I ended up on a freebie from a friend's employer. Will never happen again -- firm went belly-up early in the GFC.

Why Queens/LI? It's half the price of Manhattan for a good quality room -- I'm looking at the Verve Hotel at present. It's near a couple of subway lines, particularly the E-line which runs between mid-town and Jamaica Station (and hence connects with the JFK Sky-Train).

I had a look at New Jersey -- it seemed to be cheaper but not as convenient transport-wise. I had a look north to Harlem as well.

Budget: Not over USD $200 all-up and preferably around $150. The Verve seems to be about $125 a night at the 'mature travellers rate'.

 

[JohnK]

There is no easy answer. I do a reasonably thorough search on the internet and go to the source with the cheapest rate. Sometimes I book direct with the hotel and other times I will book via online webistes.