Printable View
Best results straight with the place you pick. Or go through another source? I was kinda leaning through another source. Being said, grant it they make money off your stay, but do they (the source) get a better deal than going straight to your place that you want to stay at? (other sources being negrilonestop, travel agents, expdia act....) Just a random thought.:cool:;)
Great question, I have seen the prices on the resorts websites way higher priced then going thru Travel agent/ or online agency.. Would love to see what others experiences
I am a fan of Hotels.com. get a free night after 10 and if you create an account they will send you special offers. It sometimes takes awhile to find one that works, but I got 15% off Negril Palms. Got a Deluxe room for $110 a night. Same room goes for $140-150 normally. It also helps if you break up the stay. I have 2 reservations: Sat-Friday and Friday-Sat. Saved $15 a night that way
I always stay in the same place now, but back in the day, I would always go directly through the hotel ...they might have last minute cancelations, or a rate drop that no one
else would know about, or if your a repeat customer, will give you a better rate, I always call hotel direct.... just my opinion !
--Quote:
Originally Posted by jojo p
Good point, back when I was truly a Solo Traveller, I'd almost never make a reservation. There are ALWAYS vacancies at the last min and you are in a great negotiating spot if you are there with cash.
Why not try both? See where the best deal is. Look for specials etc.... Find your best price then make a last minute call to the hotel.
I always book directly with the hotel. If you go through a 3rd party, it's really hard to get any refund if you have to leave mid stay for some reason. It also makes it easier to do things like have them hold the room for a day or so to allow time to book flights.
I email and the call hotel directly.
Unfortunately you can't rely on the hotel website's booking process online. This year I thought I had booked a suite at IA, but they emailed me and told me it wasn't available for all of our dates. They were eventually able to accommodate us in a different room category. Had the same issue with Country Country a few trips ago. Make sure you verify with the hotel before booking air!
I try to use my trusted travel agent … first is in case there is some issue when you are out of the country; you can get help. They have very valuable connections and can give informed options. Second reason is that they can find deals when you book a package (hotel, air, car rental, transfers). They do get alerts of deals for last minute travellers. They network with agents around the world. I could not even come close when I looked at air and hotel last visit. Of course, they often do have arrangements with certain hotel chains. I find the fee nominal; get your health insurance all at the same time as well. My few cents.
I second this...!Quote:
Originally Posted by Carrie
This past trip I looked at a third party booking site (Expedia) where I got cash back and cheaper prices than on the hotel web site (I did use it to book the flights and got cash back via ebates).
I emailed the hotel owner and he matched the price AND upgraded us to a nicer room for me booking directly with him instead.
Win/win.
For Jamaica, I work with hotel directly because I keep a relationship with them - I'll reserve for next year when I check in this year.
For other travel, I'll get quotes both direct and from on-line sites.
in the 90s and early 2000s i would call hotels directly, but since the mid 2000s i email hotels directly.
specific to negril, i always go back and forth, back and forth, back and forth via email with the rude receptionists at xtabi (the only hotel i really stay in in negril, since 1995) and they always screw up my reservation.
i tried in december to book xtabi for february and they were so unpleasant i just gave up and emailed alfred's ocean palace and bernard saulter, who owns cottages near seagrape (https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/15806208). both were so pleasant that i'm tempted to stop bothering with xtabi.
i also reached out to catcha gardens via email and they were SO nice and helpful.
I have used Onestop and boy they came I handy. Got to our hotel to find it was overbooked, and there were 12 of us requiring 6 paid for beach front rooms. Called bob and Susan, they were onsite in5 minutes and got us put up in a great place, safe and with full AI for the night, and then back at our original hotel the next day with room credits for all and our beachfront rooms as ordered. They are more than willing to go the extra mile, and they are just really great people all round. Have also done the returning guest at the same hotel discount. Whatever works and makes you happy, well, then it works, right! Life can be short so live for today with an eye for tomorrow and no time to look back��