Research sites such as Hotels. com or Travelweb, which are specific to hotel bookings only, and do not include additional search options for flights and rental cars. Check for additional fees. Some independent online booking agencies charge a fee for using their service. The fee can range from $1 to over $10, and it is never refundable if you cancel or change your reservation. Want to save a little extra money? Scope out wikiHow’s coupon pages for Hotels. com, Hotwire, Booking. com, Travelocity, Expedia, and/or TripAdvisor before checking out.
Pay in full for the best rates. Many hotel sites and discount agents will offer you a lower price if you pay for the entire stay at the time of your booking. There are often restrictions on canceling or changing your reservation. Provide the required deposit. If your plans may change and you do not want to pay for the full cost of your stay, book a hotel that only requires a deposit. When you pay the deposit required by the hotel, which is often the equivalent of one night’s stay, you can usually still change your travel dates without a penalty. Pay at the time of your stay. Depending on the hotel, you may be able to guarantee your reservation with a credit card number, but not pay anything until you arrive at the hotel. Most online agents such as Expedia, Orbitz and Hotels. com will not provide this option.
Pay by credit or debit card. The easiest way to pay for a hotel booking online is by using a credit card. You will need a credit card number to make a reservation online, and you can use that card to pay for the hotel deposit or the full price of your stay. Pay with PayPal, if you want to use BookIt. com. PayPal is a popular method of online payment, because you do not need to provide your credit card information to yet another website. BookIt. com is the first online travel agency accepting PayPal as a method of payment. You will need to have a PayPal account already set up. Pay with miles or reward points. If you are a frequent traveler, you have probably accumulated enough points at the hotel chain you use to get some nights for free. Book online directly with the hotel, and provide your rewards card number and other information.
You will need to pay in full with a credit or debit card at the time of booking.
