Comments on: Hotwire taxes and fees vs Orbitz and Expedia http://blog.monkeyless.com/2005/10/29/hotwire-taxes-and-fees-vs-orbitz-and-expedia/ Yes, we have no monkeys Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:08:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Johnny Chako http://blog.monkeyless.com/2005/10/29/hotwire-taxes-and-fees-vs-orbitz-and-expedia/comment-page-1/#comment-25453 Johnny Chako Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:10:33 +0000 http://blog.monkeyless.com/2005/10/29/hotwire-taxes-and-fees-vs-orbitz-and-expedia/#comment-25453 My advice is to use expedia or hotels.com to shop multiple hotels and collect pricing information only. Then go to the hotel's own website to make the online booking. Two reasons for this: 1. Expedia and Hotels.com tack on an extra service charge and burry it in the "taxes and fees" so the customer doesn't notice it. 2. If the hotel or hotel chain has a loyalty program that awards points or miles for hotel stays, you can maximize the award by booking directly through the hotel company. Expedia and Hotels.com are operated by the same company, and they have become very successful by taking a percentage of hotel revenue, and by their stealth practice of sticking the end user with a 2.5% - 3% service charge per night. My advice is to use expedia or hotels.com to shop multiple hotels and collect pricing information only. Then go to the hotel’s own website to make the online booking. Two reasons for this:

1. Expedia and Hotels.com tack on an extra service charge and burry it in the “taxes and fees” so the customer doesn’t notice it.

2. If the hotel or hotel chain has a loyalty program that awards points or miles for hotel stays, you can maximize the award by booking directly through the hotel company.

Expedia and Hotels.com are operated by the same company, and they have become very successful by taking a percentage of hotel revenue, and by their stealth practice of sticking the end user with a 2.5% – 3% service charge per night.

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