Cheap hotel rates

I've been surprised how cheap hotel rates are if you do a little research on the Internet. For example I stayed in a new Marriott Springhill Suites in a nice section of northwest Austin for $75 per night. I tried to extend my stay but the Internet rates were no longer available – their cheapest suites were $119. So I did a bit of research and moved into an Extended Stay America suite nearby for $74 per night. The Extended Stay is not as classy as the Marriott Springhill Suite and there are no free newspapers and free breakfast buffet; however, it has an even bigger benefit: free passes to Gold's Gym.

The super cheap Internet rates disappear quickly. I figure the hotels dump rooms onto CheapTickets, Orbitz and the other Internet sites when their occupancy rate drops too low. The advantage is you get a good deal. The disadvantages are they charge your credit card immediately when you accept the reservation rather than when you register at the hotel. And worse – the cancellation policies are really bad. For example, most cancellations or changes made after 4:00 PM local hotel time on the day of arrival are subject to a 100% charge. Still, if your travel plans are firm you can save a lot by using Internet rates.