is calling up a hotel possibly cheaper than booking online
 

with a third party site?


need a room in nyc, actually several but want to get the best prices...

so would it be cheaper?

Sometimes and tell them you have AAA and it's will get you 10%-20% sometimes.

i have caa lol

best way to find out is call, get a price, and compare it.

I have found that you get a better price online. by rewarding you for doing it online, they have to hire less people to answer phones etc.

more automated=less overhead=better price.

Not sure

Your CAA card is valid for AAA discounts :) Just say you have triple A, and show em your CAA card when you checkin, no problems there.

hotwire is the only one that i know is cheap but u dont know where ur staying till after you pay.

all other times ive called and its 30-100 dollars cheaper.

anything is possible

That's what I would have thought...but I seem to have been wrong.

Last weekend we took the kids to a local hotel for a friends birthday party and the online theme room price was $160 with this wording next to it, "Online price only".

I phoned to double check on the amenities and asked them how much it was to book it by phone and they said $150.

edit-I think they may be taking advantage of people that don't compare prices, because "Online price only" SOUNDS like it'll be the best deal. Or, they're short sighted and trying to pay for their website expenses with the price difference.

I go to nyc alot, check out hotwire.com If you book the flight and hotel together, you can save a ton! And it will give you the hotel name

why dont you just call and find out

I do 99% online still I *always* check the off hotel site, they have specials sometimes that are cheaper then all the booking hotels expedia and whatever site

Well its always a good idea to call and arrage yourself a deal.

If you're booking multiple rooms, always call and ask to speak the group reservations person. They'll almost always beat posted rates.
WG

negative...if you call, they give you the rack rate. WAY better to go online.

do it. tell them you worked for a travel agent in the past and would like an industry discount ^^