Hotel Accommodations: Have you ever done this?

[Archie F. Swin]

For at least the last five years we've been using Hotwire.com to get killer rates on national hotel chains and we feel we've saved a ton of money over the years despite any "convenience" fees we've had to pay. Now that we have a laptop and many hotel have free or affordable internet, I'm considering a certain strategy. Since we're going to a city that has several 3 & 4 star hotels and you can find really good rates within 24 hours of check in....I'm thinking about taking my chances on sniping the best rate available on a daily basis. Have you ever done this...use your laptop to snipe cheap accommodations for individual nights in the same city during the same vacation?

[Mr. Flopnuts]

The wife and I are going to Victoria, BC in August. We got the Red Lion on a 1 day special booked for 3 nights at $225. Total. I was thrilled with that deal. Did I do pretty good?

[Archie F. Swin]

I could answer that if I knew what the Red Lion was.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

I could answer that if I knew what the Red Lion was.

I thought they were a nationwide chain. 3 star hotel rated at 4 by users, but they're always an easier crowd. It came out to $65 a night and was far and away cheaper than others I saw. But it's booked pretty far in advance, and now I'm wondering if I could've done better by waiting until the last minute.

[KCwolf]

I thought they were a nationwide chain. 3 star hotel rated at 4 by users, but they're always an easier crowd. It came out to $65 a night and was far and away cheaper than others I saw. But it's booked pretty far in advance, and now I'm wondering if I could've done better by waiting until the last minute.

Red Lions are nice ..... 3+ on the scale....Might be a PNW chain cause there are a few up here --- and You will LOVE Victoria BC.... Incredible views all around and Great food. And to state the obvious....."check out Butchart Gardens".

[stlchiefs]

For at least the last five years we've been using Hotwire.com to get killer rates on national hotel chains and we feel we've saved a ton of money over the years despite any "convenience" fees we've had to pay. Now that we have a laptop and many hotel have free or affordable internet, I'm considering a certain strategy. Since we're going to a city that has several 3 & 4 star hotels and you can find really good rates within 24 hours of check in....I'm thinking about taking my chances on sniping the best rate available on a daily basis. Have you ever done this...use your laptop to snipe cheap accommodations for individual nights in the same city during the same vacation?

Cool idea, I've never thought about it, but it sounds adventurous. The only way it backfires is if you're in town the same night as a big event and all the rooms are booked.

[doomy3]

I've been thinking about doing this exact same thing. I'll be interested in hearing if anyone has done this as well...

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Red Lions are nice ..... 3+ on the scale....Might be a PNW chain cause there are a few up here --- and You will LOVE Victoria BC.... Incredible views all around and Great food. And to state the obvious....."check out Butchart Gardens".

We're definitely going to spend an entire day between Butchart and the Butterfly Gardens. Royal British Museum, amongst a few other things so far. I've never been there. It's a great little local place for us to head off to. Thanks for the heads up, and if you have anything else about the area that I can't live without seeing please let me know.

[cdcox]

I guess it depends on a lot of factors. You're going to spend 10% of your vacation looking on the internet for new rooms, checking out of your old room, traveling across town, and checking into the new room. I like to unpack my bag so I feel a little more settled, but I would never do this for one night. Also if your travel partner's aren't 100% on board with this strategy, it is just going to be one more layer of stress on the trip. When you stay at multiple places, you are going to realize sometimes that the last place you were at was better than the new one. Other times the new digs will be better. But all in all, the inconvenience isn't worth trying to save $40-60 per day. If you go through your whole vacation penny pinching, you miss out on a lot of the fun, which is what the vacation is supposed to be about.

[cdcox]

Plus, there is limbo time between check out in your old place and check in for the new place. You could end up missing an desired activity scheduled for the middle of the day because you're bird dogging the room for the next night.

[Bugeater]

I'm with Seedy, it sounds like a complete pain in the ass. Or work at the very least, which you shouldn't be doing when you're on vacation.

And there used to be a Red Lion in Omaha, but it's a Doubletree now.

[KCChiefsMan]

I had a problem with one of those sites, it clearly said check out time was noon and had the printout. The checkout time was really 8 am. Boy was I pissed off in a drunken rage.

[doomy3]

I am thinking about doing this on a road trip though. One that would be pretty unplanned and kind of spur of the moment. So, if I decided to stop in Nashville and then drive to Texas the next night or whatever, I could do that.

I just am curious about the savings you can get last minute like that.

[Bugeater]

I had a problem with one of those sites, it clearly said check out time was noon and had the printout. The checkout time was really 8 am. Boy was I pissed off in a drunken rage.
8am??? You gotta be fucking kidding me...

[stlchiefs]

I had a problem with one of those sites, it clearly said check out time was noon and had the printout. The checkout time was really 8 am. Boy was I pissed off in a drunken rage.

Too bad you aren't 72, then you would have at least had an excuse for your rage. :p Yeah 8 is insane, what did you do?

[FD]

I've been planning a weekend trip to new orleans for a few months, I waited until today for hotel (on purpose) and get a very nice hotel, the Ambassador, for $47 a night, right in the French Quarter. My friends who booked the same hotel last month are paying $70 a night, so I feel pretty good about it.

[KCChiefsMan]

Too bad you aren't 72, then you would have at least had an excuse for your rage. :p Yeah 8 is insane, what did you do?

first I tried to be calm about it, granted I didn't know it was 8am until the last night when I came back from where we went and we were drunk, which was about 3am. A note on the door said "Reminder checkout time is 8am, if you do not check out by then you will be charged for another day." So I got my printout went to the front desk, they told me it doesn't matter. I asked for the manager he said "LOOK, I don't care what hotels.com said, your checkout time is 8am and you will be charged another day if you don't check out by then" Then I got drunk rage eyes, and yelled something beligerant, then he threatened to call the police so I left. I called hotels.com and they called the manager and they called me back but I got nothing.

Thats the only time in my entire life I've seen an 8am checkout time.

and the rate was around $150 a night, I didn't want to pay another day

[JOhn]

Cool idea, I've never thought about it, but it sounds adventurous. The only way it backfires is if you're in town the same night as a big event and all the rooms are booked.

This


Working in the Hotel industry, I can guarantee this is going to back fire on you when you run into a big event day or some sort of tourist town.

Of course I always book at the corporate rate, and get room for less the $30/night and can get a Friends & Family rate for those close at 50% discount on average.

[acesn8s]

first I tried to be calm about it, granted I didn't know it was 8am until the last night when I came back from where we went and we were drunk, which was about 3am. A note on the door said "Reminder checkout time is 8am, if you do not check out by then you will be charged for another day." So I got my printout went to the front desk, they told me it doesn't matter. I asked for the manager he said "LOOK, I don't care what hotels.com said, your checkout time is 8am and you will be charged another day if you don't check out by then" Then I got drunk rage eyes, and yelled something beligerant, then he threatened to call the police so I left. I called hotels.com and they called the manager and they called me back but I got nothing.

Thats the only time in my entire life I've seen an 8am checkout time.

and the rate was around $150 a night, I didn't want to pay another dayHopefully you slandered the hotels names all over the internet.

[DaKCMan AP]

The wife and I are going to Victoria, BC in August. We got the Red Lion on a 1 day special booked for 3 nights at $225. Total. I was thrilled with that deal. Did I do pretty good?

I'll be in Victoria late next week as part of a Pacific Northwest road trip that starts tonight. We (there's 6 of us, 4 staying on for Victoria/Vancouver) rented a condo in downtown Victoria.

[Mile High Mania]

Plus, there is limbo time between check out in your old place and check in for the new place. You could end up missing an desired activity scheduled for the middle of the day because you're bird dogging the room for the next night.

I guess it depends on a lot of factors. You're going to spend 10% of your vacation looking on the internet for new rooms, checking out of your old room, traveling across town, and checking into the new room. I like to unpack my bag so I feel a little more settled, but I would never do this for one night. Also if your travel partner's aren't 100% on board with this strategy, it is just going to be one more layer of stress on the trip. When you stay at multiple places, you are going to realize sometimes that the last place you were at was better than the new one. Other times the new digs will be better. But all in all, the inconvenience isn't worth trying to save $40-60 per day. If you go through your whole vacation penny pinching, you miss out on a lot of the fun, which is what the vacation is supposed to be about.

I concur with these thoughts... are you traveling with your kids?

If so, summer time... kids... and doing what you're suggesting = a complete and total whipping if you ask me.

You might save some money each day, but is it worth the additional time spent searching and time lost doing something fun with your family. I know my kids wouldn't be fun during the "search and wait" portion of this journey.

[Archie F. Swin]

I've been planning a weekend trip to new orleans for a few months, I waited until today for hotel (on purpose) and get a very nice hotel, the Ambassador, for $47 a night, right in the French Quarter. My friends who booked the same hotel last month are paying $70 a night, so I feel pretty good about it.

When are you gonna be in NOLA?

[Archie F. Swin]

For those of you worried about time consumption...it typically takes 10-15 minutes from log on to room booked. I could have the next room booked by the time the wife and kids wake up.

[wutamess]

This


Working in the Hotel industry, I can guarantee this is going to back fire on you when you run into a big event day or some sort of tourist town.

Of course I always book at the corporate rate, and get room for less the $30/night and can get a Friends & Family rate for those close at 50% discount on average.

Well put your money where your mouth is and hook the man (friend) up in order to save him the troubles.

[Mr. Arrowhead]

just got Sherraton by the sports complex on the saturday before the Home opener for the raiders for $56 (70 after the charges). It looks pretty nice

[mikeyis4dcats.]

why not just ask the desk clerk to match the price? They won't have to pay hotwire the booking fee that way.

[kepp]

I could answer that if I knew what the Red Lion was.

I believe its the sister chain to The Blue Oyster.