Online Travel Sites

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Originally posted by: pjstroh
Yes, I use the travel sites. Call me crazy...or handsome. Take your pick.

I also get plenty of free room offers. I can also stay free at many timeshare properties in the city - a nice perk that comes with my career. But part of the thrill for me is exploring the city and staying at properties I've never been too or stayed at. I typically dont get many offers from them.

Which then leads to the question: Why book on Expedia or Hotels.com when you book directly through the hotel itself? Answer: Price. I dont understand how a middle man would charge a cheaper price for a room than the hotel itself but make no mistake - it happens. And it happens alot. I know it makes no sense but it is a a very real and frequent phenomenon. Always check both travel sites and the direct source.

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Originally posted by: pjstroh
I dont understand how a middle man would charge a cheaper price for a room than the hotel itself but make no mistake - it happens . . . . [and] it makes no sense.

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Originally posted by: franksynopsis
Most discussions of resort fees will eventually default to the subject of travel sites. From my own experience, I can't help but think of these enterprises as convenient, one-stop shopping for the masses. I can't understand why a frequent Vegas visitor with any degree of acuity would use them to book rooms. Flights, maybe. But rooms?

I've never used a travel site to book a room in Vegas because of free room offers from competing properties, which I have received since my second stay in 1999. No travel site, no matter how adept, can beat FREE.

I used Travelocity for years to book my flights, however, because I enjoy bargain hunting and I enjoy comparing prices. Then, my favorite airline stopped participating in this horserace, so I began booking flights directly from their website, and sometimes one of their competitor's websites. I soon discovered that, for me, any airline website is the best place to book an affordable flight. No travel site required.

Do you use an online travel site to book your Vegas trips? Flights and rooms? If so, why?

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Originally posted by: makikiboy

many of us use these third party sites because we don't gamble enough to warrant comps and don't want to pay full price that hotels usually charge. many of us like the travel sites because most like kayak already add all taxes and fees so we don't have to worry about how much our stay will really cost. I know that you say that you aren't a big gambler but you must play enough (probably machines) over a period of time to warrant getting comps. I mostly play craps and make $5 bets most of the time (except for hot tables) and I usually don't stay on a table for very long so most of the time I don't even qualify for a comp meal, let alone a room.

Not sure what you mean by any degree of acuity but how would you suggest I book rooms? while a number of strip hotels may price match there aren't many downtown hotels that will price match and many of us find lower prices on the third party sites.


A majority of the time I book rooms using the third party sites. for flights I usually wait, being from hawaii I notice that Hawaiian air usually drops prices every quarter for a day or two or three so I just wait for these drops to book. For cars I check with the costco site as a lot of the time they have the lowest prices. I also check dollar and thrifty for their lv local rates as I sometimes can find good prices for cars there.

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