| So it's time to book a hotel in some foreign city that | | | | and web address, not to mention their direct line |
| you have never been to before. Like most people | | | | phone and fax. |
| you'll head to TripAdvisor or booking.com, and similar | | | | If you have Skype or some other VOIP (voice over |
| sites. The nagging question you'll have is "did I get | | | | internet phone), and you've checked out the best |
| the best deal?" Sometimes the best deal is not just | | | | offer on the booking service sites, it's time to call the |
| the price you pay, but the room location, a special | | | | hotel and simply TELL them what offer you have on |
| offer that has nothing to do with price but | | | | or whatever other site you used and say that you'd |
| everything to do with saving money--like getting a | | | | like to book direct to save them the commission |
| free tour instead that may actually be worth more | | | | (which is 6-15% so you do the math as to how much |
| than the discount on a booking service. | | | | you can ask for--like a room upgrade, free meal at |
| What I do when I travel since the big booking | | | | their restaurant, etc.). Last but not least there are a |
| engines never give you the web address or e mail of | | | | growing number of in city and in country hotel |
| the hotels they list, is immediately go to the country's | | | | websites created by locals who don't get a |
| national tourist board website or the city's official | | | | commission but simply charge a listing fee. Sites like |
| website. These sites always have an amazingly | | | | these allow and encourage DIRECT booking to the |
| complete list of all the hotels--and it gives their e mail | | | | hotels they list. |