Booking Direct with Hotels.

MoodyMel

zagfles wrote: »

Do you mean cheaper than a package or cheaper than using a hotel booking agent (eg booking.com, expedia etc)?

Cheaper than a package via a travel agent (thomson/first choice etc)

MM xx

daveyjp

Google the hotel and e-mail them.

zagfles

MoodyMel wrote: »

Cheaper than a package via a travel agent (thomson/first choice etc)

MM xx

Usually - but if you're going to a popular European tourist destination off peak then packages can be cheaper. If you're going at peak times (school holidays) or going outside of Europe or off the beaten track, DIY is nearly always cheaper IME.

Bob_the_Saver

daveyjp wrote: »

Google the hotel and e-mail them.

If we wanted sensible advice we'd ask for it.

InsideInsurance

MoodyMel wrote: »

Do you have to actually phone the hotel or is there an online way of doing it, or would it vary hotel to hotel?

Most of the hotels have their own online booking systems and these have their own promotions and possibly cashback.

It is often worth while actually phoning them anyway because at the end of the day if you are paying Booking.com £100 for a room you can be damned sure your hotel is getting less than £100.

How successful you are will vary by the hotel, many large chains are fairly locked down in what they can do, especially if you speak to central reservations, because they dont want to sour relations with 3rd party sites that potentially represent the devils share of their bookings.

Whilst the above may be true what you may find is they are more open to adding in freebies than discounting price. I've had several times when they've given a free upgrade or a free meal etc which for me has saved more and given that a £60 meal doesnt cost the hotel £60 then probably cost them less too

budgetflyer

Its strange but several times, the hotel has referred me to booking.com to reserve and secure the room. These were paid on departure bookings and I just couldn't work out why they wouldn't just cut out the middle man.
Other times, your typical holiday hotels can not or will not compete directly with 3rd party agents when it is pre paid.
The only time booking direct seems to work is as doshwaster says, with the big chains such as Hilton, ICH, Starwood etc

Kynthia

If you book direct with a hotel you can make requests easier such as asking for a top floor room which has less traffic noise. Also if you go through a package or agent you are at more risk of there being overbookings/issues and you being offered an alternative hotel nearer the time.

no1wf

I just booked my first without-parents holiday through the hotel itself. Really nice all inclusive place in Salou, 7 night for the price of 5 (28.5% off) another 5% off for paying in advance, transfers included and a free bottle of champagne when we arrive so well worth checking out the hotel websites they might have offers like that on

MoodyMel

no1wf wrote: »

I just booked my first without-parents holiday through the hotel itself. Really nice all inclusive place in Salou, 7 night for the price of 5 (28.5% off) another 5% off for paying in advance, transfers included and a free bottle of champagne when we arrive so well worth checking out the hotel websites they might have offers like that on

WOW, great deal, well done :-)

photome

no1wf wrote: »

I just booked my first without-parents holiday through the hotel itself. Really nice all inclusive place in Salou, 7 night for the price of 5 (28.5% off) another 5% off for paying in advance, transfers included and a free bottle of champagne when we arrive so well worth checking out the hotel websites they might have offers like that on

Sounds good but paying on departure makes more sense, incase anything goes wrong between now and when you arrive, unless there is good cancellation terms