Who do you book your trips with?

[North East Goon]

Nothing fancy, just talking your standard vacation spots for Calgarians.

[Dentoman]

Expedia

[Scrollbar]

expedia. if i book thru travel points and need a hotel i also cross reference hotels.com

[malcolmk14]

For the most part I like to put together my own itinerary's and packages and do all the research myself.

I'll occasionally use Expedia if they have a really good price or if it's something I can't put together on my own.

[Travis Munroe]

bookit.com

[cKy]

My first and only time i used Expedia my Credit Card got jacked and I ended up buying someone a lovely diving trip somewhere tropical. Trying to explain the situation to the Expedia CSR was extremely painful. I am EXTREMELY friendly and courteous on the phone (since i do phone support, i know how it feels) but found them to be not helpful at all. He said "in my 10 years with expedia this has never happened before". I laughed my ass off at him, and politely disagreed that this probably isnt the first time it has happened to him. After 2 hours on the phone with them going no where, figuring I was stuck with a $700 CC bill, i called my bank and they fixed it up in 15 minutes.

First and last experience I will have with Expedia.

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

For the most part I like to put together my own itinerary's and packages and do all the research myself.

I'll occasionally use Expedia if they have a really good price or if it's something I can't put together on my own.

Ditto.

I've got enough points to go on the Space Shuttle so don't really pay to fly anywhere and I'll use places like Trip Advisor, Expedia and Venere to research hotels . . . . . then I might contact the hotels directly so I'm certain about the details and quality of the room I'm getting.

Works really well . . . . . haven't really had an unexpected experience for a hotel in some years now and we've found some very eclectic places on occasion.

Knock on wood.

Cowperson

[valo403]

Kayak to search and then try to book directly with the airline or hotel if possible. Going through third parties just adds another hurdel if something goes wrong.

[Knut]

Agoda.com is pretty good for pacific rim and some carribean hotels.

Expedia is the easiset to book with, but god help you if you need to make a change or have an issue. It will take months to resolve. Just keep on them though and keep asking for your problem to be elevated and you will eventually get it resolved.

[cmyden]

Whoever's cheapest

There's also an incredible amount of overlap which is why most people waste so much time comparing sites that are drawing their prices from the same source.

[drewboy12]

hostelworld.com, trip advisor to make sure its clean and has no bed bugs. Fly with work.

[TopChed]

nm

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by drewboy12

hostelworld.com, trip advisor to make sure its clean and has no bed bugs. Fly with work.

This. I find the cheapest flight I can, then book through hostelworld (occasionally expedia for a nicer hotel room). I've never had an issue with hostelworld and I've used them all over the world.

I don't generally book hostels either. Usually clean but spartan private rooms. The reviews on hostelworld haven't failed me yet.

Whatever you do, don't follow the Lonely Planet recommended accomodations. That has burned me more than once.

[macker]

I have been getting base info from Kayak and then calling in directly to get additional discounts. Many places are throwing in discounts such as AAA/CAA and entertainment discounts or even certain credit cards have gotten me discounts....in one case I got a 25% discount for referencing a forum....

[DownhillGoat]

If I book a package I'll use westjet vacations, and just used itravel2000 (flights only - even got petro points out of the deal).

Otherwise I'll just look for a good deal on flights, and book through the hotel for accommodations. Often times I've found dealing with the hotel itself to be cheaper.

[TheyCallMeBruce]

Stay far away from bookit.com

http://www.complaintsboard.com/bycom...com-a7445.html

Horror stories from a former employee:

http://www.complaintsboard.com/compl...m-c368520.html

[burn_this_city]

We shop around extensively for flights then bid on hotels through priceline. My girlfriend has a pretty good system to get the hotels she wants bidding through them.