by Peter Scott

Created on: June 09, 2008

While a visit to the travel agent might be a thing of the past, finding a quality hotel at the right price is not necessarily easy or straightforward using the internet. This article provides some practical and useful suggestions, including the use of price comparison, cashback websites and loyalty schemes.

PRICE COMPARISON SITES: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Price comparison sites provide a convenient starting point such as Expedia, Opodo and Kelkoo and can provide comprehensive packages for care hire and flights as well as accommodation. Remember that they are agents and will include a hidden commission - therefore you should enter your required dates and destinations, check the results by price and then Google those hotels. It is quite common to discover that the hotel's own website will be cheaper than Expedia! If the hotel does not have a website (and some do not), then phone the hotel and see if you can negotiate a deal. If the price sounds too high, you can always say "There is another hotel/destination listed on Expedia which is cheaper, so I think I will try them but I would rather have stayed with you".

The larger hotels might be listed on several different sites but check that the details are the same. For example, some hotels include breakfast whereas others impose a hefty surcharge. The website should list this - if there is no mention of breakfast then it may not be included.

LAST MINUTE DEALS

If you are flexible and prepared to gamble, it is possible to get cheap deals close to your departure date. Most hotels would rather have full rooms with guests paying below the asking rate, rather than have an empty hotel. Specialist sites such as lastminute.com offer great value - you can get these deals a matter of weeks before your deadline, rather than days!

CASHBACK SITES

Another way to get a great hotel deal is to join a cashback site such as Quidco, fatwallet and MyPoints (Google "cashback sites" for your local sites). They work by providing you with a commission when you book through their website. There is usually a small annual fee and most cashback sites take this once you have earned over that amount. Cashback sites include a large amount of accommodation websites including Expedia, so you might as well get some recompense. The percentage can be useful, sometimes as much as 5-10%; do remember that payment can usually takes several months. Most cashback sites pay directly to your bank account, so it is advantageous to have an online account.

HOTEL LOYALTY CARDS

If you have the inclination, always join the hotel's loyalty scheme before you book. Most operate by allowing customers to acquire points - these can be spent on free rooms and upgrades. Some schemes send special offers through their loyalty schemes, so it can be very useful. Best Western often provides an extra for their loyalty card, typically a free bottle of wine on arrival. When departing the hotel, you offer your loyalty card so that points may be added; do remember that some schemes have a time limit by which the points can be used, so you might need to check your statements periodically to avoid loosing your points.

With the current world recession, it is a great time to get deals when booking a hotel. Be prepared to adopt several of the ideas suggested above, and you will have a very satisfying stay!

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