Need help! What is the best way of getting a really good deal on a hotel room?

[CTyankee]

Hubby and I are going to a 50th anniversary of his high school reunion in Sheboygan, WI. We are trying to get a deal on a hotel room. Any ideas?

[MADem]

1. Priceline dot com. NT

[LakeSamish706]

2. Try something like http://www.tripadvisor.com/ or www.hotel.com... They usually...

can get some pretty good rates. Try a google search like BEST HOTEL RATES.

[pacalo]

15. I had a bad experience with hotel.com.

The room we booked online was booked a second time to another customer. We arrived early that evening & were told our room was not available. Even though we had a confirmation number, we were told we could stay that night but would have to leave the next morning.

They messed with the wrong people. We filed complaints through our state attorney general's office & through the BBB.

[blogslut]

3. Go directly to the hotel site in question

By all means, use the hotel finder sites as a means to gauge prices and quality. But after you've narrowed it down, visit and book your rooms at the actual site of the actual hotel.

[walldude]

16. Yup... I travel a lot and find that in spite of all those "best rate" ads

you still get the best service and price directly from the hotel. Also make sure to ask about discounts, AARP, AAA, etc...

Don't forget to check amenities as well. Most of the higher priced hotels nail you for everything from internet service to TV to food. I try to stay middle of the road stuff, Best Western, Holiday Inn Express, Comfort Inn. All have free internet and free breakfast.

[blogslut]

18. I always find that the supposed "special" prices

...advertised by those special deal sites are exactly the same special prices that the actual hotels display on their websites. Always.

[konnichi wa]

4. How are you getting there?

If you're driving, I'd suggest looking into renting an RV

[tammywammy]

5. I was listening to Clark Howard a week or so ago

He recommends priceline.com BUT there's another website he said that you go to and it's a message board and people post what price they're getting hotel deals for.

Check out Clark Howard's website.

[Fresh_Start]

8. the other site is probably bidfortravel

people using hotwire and priceline post their bidding successes

[tammywammy]

17. That was it! Thanks n/t

[LakeSamish706]

6. You can also try telling the hotel that you work in the industry and do they have...

a special rate for that! The downside is that they may ask for proof of where you work...

[handmade34]

7. sounds like fun...

I live in hotels and know all the tricks...

how long will you need a room for and what constitutes a good deal? There is a La Quinta there and I have found them to be nice places to stay.

ideas:
use senior citizen / AARP status (I use Gov't discount but most of the time they ask to see ID)
call the hotel directly and ask for discount
online reservations are most of the time the cheapest
see if there are any group discounts for all the returning alumni
check into vacation home rentals for a few couples (these are great - for my daughters wedding in Florida, we rented a 3 bedroom house and had 8 people share expenses!) VRBO or Vacationrentals.com

http://www.visitsheboygan.com/lodging.html

I would love to offer more hotel wisdom if you need it... Good Luck

[Sedona]

9. Be Careful with Priceline....

you pay in full, in advance, and they keep your money if you cancel.

Mr. Sedona lives in hotels too, for the last five years, 300+ nights a year.

Best VALUE are Holiday Inn (they have changed a LOT for the better in the last few years)
And Hampton Inns which are Hilton properties and have free breakfast and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
That means if they goof up even a little bit your night is free.


Sometimes its not worth the icky bathrooms and worn out beds by going with the cheapest price

Holiday Inn priorityclub.com

Hampton Hilton.com


edited for crappy typing

[LakeSamish706]

11. Good advise, that I will keep in mind for my own use.. Thanks... n/t

[tammywammy]

12. .

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. Just go over to the Wisconsin forum and tell them that you need a place to stay

and see which DUer in WI invites you to stay at their house. Then take lots of pictures and post them here for all of us to see! :)

[Jane Austin]

13. My favorite is Marriott's Towne Place Suites.

They are very reasonable, have a full, small kitchens, and have comfortable beds.

Marriotts are always clean.

[LakeSamish706]

14. One other idea just came to mind... We did this for three couples going to Rome...

Bed & Breakfast can be very good as well...... You can Google this and then do the reviews on the ones that interest you to find out what others have to say.

[robinlynne]

19. what about AAA? I am a member and they supply guidebooks with great hotel discounts

all over the country. I have used their books many times to book hotels for great rates. Membership runs around 40.00 a year.

[TheCowsCameHome]

20. Straight to the hotels you'd consider staying at, and check out tripadvisor.com.

Tripadvisor very likely saved me a potentially rotten experience at West Yellowstone.

[barbtries]

21. when my son and i went to DC in March

we got a room at the hilton for $59/night on hotwire. the deal was i had to pay for the room before i found out what hotel it was. they tell you the number of stars. bidding on priceline has worked well for me also.

eta if you need to rent a car priceline is the way to go, pick your own price.

[BanzaiBonnie]

22. I've had good results using Hotwire

What I've experienced so far is very nice rooms for many fewer dollars than they would usually cost.