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What are the pitfalls of booking a hotel room online?

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Catharine Hamm
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travel.latimes.com

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Ms. Catharine Hamm
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What are the pitfalls of booking a hotel room online?

There's some fairly standard pitfalls when you're booking a hotel room online. For example, the hotel room that you're seeing in the pictures may be the one that's been recently redecorated, whereas you might be staying in an older part of the hotel, in a room that hasn't been redecorated. So your expectation is you're going to get this great room, and you end up not getting a great room. Another pitfall when booking a hotel room online may be that you'll be charged. There's often a fee for online agencies like Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz, that's included in the price. So that's something to watch out for as well when booking a hotel room online.

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Hotels
 Hotel Basics 
  1. Catharine Hamm
  2. How should I pick a hotel? 
  3. What are the most common types of rooms offered by hotels? 
  4. What is an "extended stay" hotel? 
  5. What options are available if I am traveling with my family or a group? 
  6. What is a hotel room "upgrade"? 
  7. What is a hotel room "rack rate"? 
  8. What is a hotel room "cancellation policy"? 
  9. Who rates hotels? 
  10. What are "customer review ratings", and can they be trusted? 
  11. What is an "aggregator site"? 
  12. How do aggregator sites differ from other types of sites? 
Booking A Hotel Room (Now Playing)
  1. Catharine Hamm
 Alternate Accomodations 
  1. Catharine Hamm
  2. What is a "motel"? 
  3. What are the advantages of staying at a motel? 
  4. What is a "bed and breakfast"? 
  5. What features should I ask about when booking a bed and breakfast? 
  6. Are bed and breakfast rates comparable to hotel rates? 
  7. What are the advantages of a bed and breakfast? 
  8. What is a "hostel"? 
  9. Are hostels suitable only for young people and students? 
  10. What should I expect when staying at a hostel? 
  11. What is a "resort"? 
  12. Are resorts generally more expensive than hotels? 
  13. What is an "all-inclusive" resort? 
 Hotel Deals, Tips, And Tricks 
  1. Catharine Hamm
  2. What kind of deals or discounts do hotels offer senior citizens? 
  3. How can I use my Auto Club card to get a hotel discount? 
  4. How can I use my AAA discount when booking a reservation online? 
  5. What are the secrets to booking a hotel room over the phone? 
  6. What is an "opaque site"? 
  7. How can I save money when booking a hotel using an opaque site? 
  8. Can I get a better deal avoiding the 800 number and calling the hotel directly? 
  9. What is a "late check out"? 
  10. Is it possible to get a cheaper rate if I just walk into a hotel? 
  11. Are there certain types of hotels that families should avoid? 
  12. How do I get the best deal on my hotel room? 
 Hotel Services And Amenities 
  1. Catharine Hamm
  2. What are hotel "amenities"? 
  3. What is a "concierge"? 
  4. What are my options when it comes to hotel parking? 
  5. What are the standard rules for tipping hotel personnel? 
  6. During my hotel stay, how much should I tip the bellhop? 
  7. During my hotel stay, how much should I tip the parking valet? 
  8. During my hotel stay, how much should I tip the room maid? 
  9. During my hotel stay, how often and how much should I tip the doorman? 
  10. Should I tip the concierge? 
  11. What recourse do I have if I arrive to find my hotel is undergoing renovation? 
  12. What recourse do I have if I am unhappy with my hotel room? 
  13. What recourse do I have if I am unhappy with my overall hotel stay? 
  14. What can I do if I'm worried about the cleanliness of my hotel room? 
 Hidden Hotel Fees 
  1. Catharine Hamm
  2. What kind of hidden fees are commonly found on hotel bills? 
  3. What are "resort fees"? 
  4. Will the hotel waive the fees if I do not use the services? 
  5. How can I make sure I don't end up paying hidden fees? 

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