Best site for hotel/motel reservations in the US?

[Klaus]

I vaguely remember getting very good deals on a website where you could make a booking without knowing exactly which hotel you book - you'd only know the area and how many stars the hotel has.

What's the best way to find good hotel/motel deals these days?

[George K]

I always book with the hotel directly. The price is the best, and you don't have to hassle with a third party.

More seasoned travelers than I might have opinions, but I just don't like the hassle of Priceline, etc. Besides, a reputable place will match the price of third parties.

[Mik]

That would be Priceline.

[George K]

@Mik said in Best site for hotel/motel reservations in the US?:

That would be Priceline.

Just looking at a booking at the JW Marriott in NOLA. Same dates, same room, same number of guests (2 adults, 2 kids, age 7 & 10).

Same price.

[Axtremus]

To compare across multiple hotel brands/chains in the USA, I would say take a look at Expedia.com . Kayak.com advertises a lot here, but I have not used it myself. I used Priceline many, many years ago but have not used it for a long time.

But if you a hotel you like with a brand you recognize, see if you can book directly with that hotel chain first before you book through Expedia or Kayak. I generally wouldn't hurt to check.

Good luck.

[LuFins Dad]

We had the same discussion about rental cars. CALL the hotels directly. Even booking online directly is better than the aggregator sites, but calling is the best….

If you really want to save, ask if they have a (insert closest university) rate.

[George K]

I've mentioned the experience of a guy who rented (or tried to rent) a car from a third party at Hertz. His rental was denied, because the third party only "requests" the rental, with no guarantee. I have no idea who the third party was. His responses to the people at Hertz were, well, "colorful."

Do Priceline, Expedia, etc. guarantee availability of your reservation?

My only experience was in San Francisco, when I booked through Hotels.Com. Everything was fine, but I was not given reward points because I booked not directly.

[bachophile]

@George-K i did my car rental reservation for my upcoming trip through expedia, got a confirmation number, then went directly to the customer service of the rental company (dollar rent) and put in the confirmation number and got a message saying my reservation with them is confirmed....