Motel and travle question need some help

JOCCO · Jul 12, 2017

I am sure some of you are wizards at this but his fall we may be going on a trip. My question is on motels. Am I better off to just call them directly for rates or use the online stuff (which I do not fully understand nor seem to get to work very well) I am looking for the best deal possible. Can you get a super deal if say a large motel has unsold rooms? Most of the time I have just called and paid what the rate was minus maybe AAA discount. thanks

rrlund · Jul 12, 2017

The ones with the reviews like "bloody boogers on the wall" are helpful,but I always call direct to make a reservation.

Russ from MN · Jul 12, 2017

We usually book online, hotels.com, but check both ways. Occasionally get a free one that way, and reviews are valuable.

JOCCO · Jul 12, 2017

I look at trip advisor (am a member) got caught with a bad one this summer (your barn would have been better)!!! Try not to hang up on all the little stuff and not looking for a posh place. As always some of the bad reviews ping off stupid stuff. Just never used this online booking stuff. OH BUY THE WAY That wife number 4-5 five we talked about we used to refer to that as "rooms by the hour"

ChuckMa · Jul 12, 2017

Best one night deals are in the roadside catalogs found at rest areas. But you are taking a risk if theres going to be room available. If your traveling resort areas, or other high demand areas call ahead or book on line, or if you like to take a chance at a good deal try Priceline.com. You can a great deal at price line but you are committed I don't think you can cancel you pay when you book.
Chuck

rrlund · Jul 12, 2017

We're Windham Rewards members,so we usually just look for a Windham hotel. We stayed in a Drury in Bowling Green Kentucky a couple of years ago. We were on the road and just stopped in without a reservation. No more expensive than anyplace else,but the most unique and fanciest place we've ever stayed. If I ever pulled of an exit and had a choice,I'd stay at a Drury again in a heartbeat.

As far as the gal who's been married so many times,it's not that she's a fast woman or anything like that,just fickle I guess. I never dated her back in my younger days,dated her best friend,but not her. Grew up with her though. Nice enough gal,just seems to like a change of scenery every few years. lol

FBH44 · Jul 12, 2017

Best way I've found [and I'm not being a smart-a@@ here ] is to just ask my 18 year old son, riding over there in the passenger seat, just get online and find the best place. Kids love the online stuff, and appreciate being asked to help. Will work great for the next few years, at least.

D beatty · Jul 12, 2017

When we travel we get discounts through AAA,AARP, Farm Bureau Ins.,NRA, and Choices Hotels. Sometimes if hotel or motel is running a special like in the off season they sometimes won't let you use discount cards.

in-too-deep · Jul 12, 2017

When the hotel parking lot is empty, I will often ask politely for a better rate. Usually works.

rvirgil_KS · Jul 12, 2017

When I was working and traveling around the state, I would often check on line and call motel direct and compare. Most of the time it was a better deal calling direct.

Be sure and get confirmation number when you make reservation

DoubleR · Jul 12, 2017

We travel allot on our motorcycle, sometimes we gone for a month or so. Every morning my wife sits on the back of the motorcycle with her phone and we will book a room for that night. We are members of Windom rewards and trip advisor. We get a free room every now and then as a result. When I travel alone I will call her mid afternoon and she will book the room for me for that night. Before the fancy phones we have we would find internet at McDonalds or something and use the lap top to book room for the night. Before that we would look for coupons at the rest areas. We have done it but its been years ago, walking in cold to get a room.

John T · Jul 12, 2017

If I go the reservations online route, I try "Trivago" first. If I'm just stopping in and asking I ALWAYS negotiate and make them an offer they can take it or leave it. MANY times I've started out the door and they say WAIT lol. Seems like so many of the agents are from Pakistan for whatever reason. Make them an offer and walk away............ I'm not gonna beg them to take my money, if they want my business they have to accommodate me. This is one place where the old saying MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY works lol. However I'm most often travelling in the RV with my own comfy queen bed, heat or AC, and best of all I know who slept in the bed the night before...........

John T Old Fuddy Duddy and so glad for it.

JOCCO · Jul 12, 2017

John would not work to well around my don't know about other areas but they would tell you that's the price take it or leave it!!!

JOCCO · Jul 12, 2017

Haven't heard that term "fast" for awhile but seen many the same way nice enough person good worker and so on but always got trouble with partners, financial trouble or some other mess. Liked the one the other day on here about "devils daughter" guess I had one of those but not for long!!! Then there was an old George jones tune " for better or worse but not for long"!!!

rrlund · Jul 12, 2017

I think some people's marriage vows end with "for so long as we both think it's a good idea.".

INCase · Jul 12, 2017

i usually have better luck online.

i generally always stay at a hilton branded hotel.

but i usually go online with hotels.com, travelocity, trivago ect ect and check out the area and see where i want to stay. look at location on the map, reviews ect ect.

then i go into the actual corp hotel website and see what kind of deals they have. >i've never found the hotels.com type websites to be even $1 less than going direct corporate.

being a hilton honors there are sometimes better deals. also the hilton website lets you pick AAA, military, government and other discounts. then gives you several options for prices.

the sooner you book the better the deal.

RN · Jul 12, 2017

Or get sober. Dennis Rodman and Carman Electra in Las Vegas few years back used that as reason for divorce a week after marriage- tonight show had one on to verify: the drunk marriage, sobered up and looked at what was sleeping next to them excuse for divorce is well known in Vegas area. Pre Marital blood test some states to check for STDs- maybe need to check blood alcohal and controlled substance levels as well. RN

Larry EC-OH · Jul 12, 2017

Good advice from everyone.

I also usually use hotels.com, I also check travel advisor for reviews.
I like to check when my credit card will be charged. I only pick the room that allows me to cancel at the last minute and that the motel will not charge the card until I actually stay there.

You have a lot more clout that way if something is not quite right and you are certain of the charges.

john *.?-!.* cub owner · Jul 12, 2017

If you are not 100% certain of your trip make sure it is one you can cancel without a penalty. Many of them do not allow cancellations and charge your card as soon as you book them. Like the others, I recommend going on line, motels.com, expedia, etc. I had bad luck with Booking.com, they did not reserve the room, and I had to find another motel when I got there. Needles to say they did not get a chance at anymore reservations for me.

John T · Jul 12, 2017

I have absolutely NO problem with that LOL I will just leave it then.

John T

Bob in SD · Jul 12, 2017

[i:654c4848f0]...When I travel alone I will call her mid afternoon and she will book the room for me for that night... [/i:654c4848f0]

My wife will be glad to hear that I'm not the only one to handle it this way.

Geo-TH,In · Jul 12, 2017

You can book on line yourself with AAA.

I use google maps for traveling. I can get the same Motel at a lower rate booking online with smart phone.

Ted in NE-OH · Jul 12, 2017

I search on line for best price, then call motel and ask for best price for AARP, AAA Military. I also ask if they will match on line price if it is lowest and make reservation direct. I make reservations for tractor shows and don't like the NO CANCELATION policy of on line reservations. The direct reservations do not have these restrictions.

jm. · Jul 12, 2017

D b I was with Choice for years , and let me tell you Hilton Honors is ten times better. More rewards, better rooms for less money and on and on. I always look on line then call the motel direct and seem to get a better deal.

dacaseguy · Jul 12, 2017

I use hot wire. I get on line sometimes using my phone when I am close to where I want to stay. I've done it sitting in motel parking lot. No refunds and no motel name till you pay but you can chose your rate and I look at their star ratting. Always done ok and saved a lot of money. You can book ahead with Expedia if you know your schedule. They have pretty good rates. Dick

Tom in Ga · Jul 12, 2017

We use Choice Hotels and get 20 per cent discount with Farm Bureau. I look ahead as I travel to see where I will be that night. Pull up the rates on line and then check with the discount to see the difference. Sight unseen, I try to find a Comfort Suite or a Comfort Inn. They are usually pretty nice. I started making reservations online couple of years ago.lots easier than trying to understand some foreigner on the phone. No matter how nice the room is it ain't like being home.

redtom · Jul 13, 2017

I shop online but then call directly. If you book through a website they may have different rules than the actual motel does. My sister got ripped off that way when she got there and online site had messed up reserve and hotel could not help because it was not done through them.

OldFarmall450 · Jul 13, 2017

My buddy likes to fly by the seat of his pants. Last March we went to the grand canyon. We stopped at Gallup and got a room on the fly for $80. Coming back late at night I got on booking.com and found a nice room in ABQ for $40. I think the late hour had the rate lower. I almost always book online now.

RedMF40 · Jul 13, 2017

(quoted from post at 06:28:46 07/12/17) I think in general it's better to book with the place you're doing business with. The main risk of going online is that you might get
Sucked into some site that is just
A clearinghouse for reservstions of all kinds and may bump up the price to increase their cut. Hotels/motels are in the hospitality biz--they should have somrone on hand to help you.

Motel and travle question need some help

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