Five sites to find great hotel and vacation deals

When travelers ask me how to find the best airfare deals, I usually advise that the most important strategy is to compare the fares on multiple websites. Ticket prices can change several times a day, and a single airline or online travel agency is unlikely to always have the best prices on your route.

However, when you're looking for a hotel room or a vacation package, I can recommend a few travel websites that offer one-stop shopping. Here are five of my favorite sites that typically serve up astonishingly good deals and information.

1. Go-today.com: This site sets the benchmark for air-and-hotel packages to destinations around the world. The prices are historically low - and the deals are actually available. For example, if you want a vacation in London in January, you can get round-trip airfare and six nights hotel for the rock-bottom rate of $299 per person. Or jet off to Beijing with a similar deal for $599 per person. You'll have to spend a little more if you're not departing from the nearest gateway, or if you want a better-quality hotel, but the value you'll get for a week's vacation is unparalleled.


2. Site59.com: If you're in need of a last-minute getaway, the place to look is Site59. You'll find great rates on whatever combination of travel components you need: flights, hotels, or car rentals, and you can book as little as 3 hours in advance. For example, I could take off today and spend the weekend in Myrtle Beach for under $200 per person. Plus, Site59 has a couple of user-friendly features that rank among the best in the industry. As you make changes to your itinerary, your exact price is always displayed, including taxes and fees. And if you're not entirely sure where you want to go, Site59's sophisticated search makes it easy to find a destination that's a good match for your interests and flexibility.


3. BiddingForTravel.com: If you need a hotel room but can't tell a Hyatt from a Hilton, I often suggest booking on Priceline, where it's possible to pay a fraction of the normal rates. But Priceline can be intimidating for users that aren't familiar with how it works, and it can be easy to pay more than you need to. BiddingforTravel is a message board that lists winning Priceline "bids" and offers detailed advice on booking strategies. This morning, I learned that you could stay in the Hyatt Regency in downtown Chicago in late December for as little as $44 per night. You're unlikely to find a deal that good anywhere else on the Internet.


4. Quikbook.com: This is the site I start with when I need to book a room and I don't want to use Priceline. Quikbook offers the guaranteed lowest price on its wide selection of properties, and like Site59, offers some extremely consumer-friendly features. If you're not familiar with the city you're visiting, you can see the location of specific hotels on a map that lists local attractions. You can search only hotels in certain categories, like pet-friendly properties or those with historic restaurants. And you can choose from properties where you pay when you stay and those where you pay in advance; if you have to cancel, the penalty is a very reasonable $10 fee.
   


5. TripAdvisor.com: If you're planning a vacation, it can sometimes be hard to tell whether a hotel you're thinking about booking is worth the money you'll pay for it. TripAdvisor is the place to check for honest reviews written by guests who've stayed at a particular property. For example, by using TripAdvisor before my trip to Hawaii last year, I learned that one hotel I might have booked was known for the roosters that awaken the guests every morning before dawn! I don't recommend booking with TripAdvisor's links, because you may be able to find the same property at a better price at Quikbook or another site. But it's a great place for information that can help you choose the right hotel for you.

If you've checked all of those sites and are still looking for a great vacation package or hotel deal, your best strategy is to shop on multiple sites. Try Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity, use rate comparison tools like SideStep, Booking Buddy, or Travelaxe, and visit hotel websites to check the rates that usually come with a low-price guarantee. After an hour or two of research, you'll probably come up with some decent options. But if you're looking to save time and find a great deal, your best bet is to start with the five websites above.