Speedy Gateways to Hotel Room Discounts

I’ve devoted so much attention to the largest U.S. hotel discounter, Hotel Reservations Network, over the years that it’s only fair to report on its major competitor, the fast-growing Quikbook.

Until now, Quikbook has offered reductions from 20% to 60% below regular rack rates in seven cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington.

Quikbook recently added eight more: Dallas; Denver; Houston; Miami; New Orleans; Orlando, Fla.; Philadelphia; and Seattle.

Americans now have a choice of hotel discounters, or consolidators, for many of their out-of-town stays.

Here are examples of savings that Quikbook says it can make in some of the cities new to its lineup:

In Dallas, at the giant Renaissance Hotel, rooms that usually cost $179 a night are $79 from Quikbook. At the Sheraton Park Central, $189 rooms often are $99 through Quikbook.

In Seattle, a $240 room at the Madison Renaissance has been listed at $139 through Quikbook.

Better for budget travelers are examples from other cities with more hotel rooms available:

In Atlanta, rooms from Quikbook start at $85 at the W Hotel Atlanta; in normally expensive Washington, for $109 at the Henley Park.

Quikbook likes to emphasize that it has no membership fees, charges no cancellation or change penalties and does not require prepayment. You do have to guarantee your reservation with a major credit card and pay for your stay at checkout. Quikbook makes its own deal with the hotel, so you don’t have to be involved.

The company states that it specializes not so much in national hotel brands (though it handles these) as in “upscale, independent properties and stylish boutique hotels, including those that have special amenities like complimentary continental breakfast.”

And because it is not an auction-style Web site, you don’t have to take the risk of a mystery hotel. In fact, Quikbook not only lists the specific hotels on its Web site, but also includes their ratings in the Mobil Travel Guide and the Official Hotel Guide, in addition to photos, lists of amenities and comments from former guests (all Quikbook customers).

Quikbook is reachable by telephone (800) 789-9887 between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. EST, by fax at (212) 779-6120, or by e-mail at [email protected]. Its Web site can also be used to make reservations: https://www.quikbook.com.

How about hotel reservations in London or elsewhere in England, Scotland and Wales? For these we prefer a separate entity operated by British discounters. The Web site known as Laterooms.com (https://www.laterooms.com) is a Britain-based Internet database of last-minute, cut-rate hotel rooms throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland that would go empty without response to last-minute bargains.

Whether you want to stay at a luxury hotel at a more reasonable price or make a budget hotel a bargain lodging, Laterooms.com will probably have something suitable. Its listings cover every geographic region, from cities such as London and Edinburgh to hamlets such as Chichester and Arundel, and availability can be checked up to three weeks in advance.

Laterooms.com also has “Best Deals” (the most heavily discounted rooms, up to 70% off) and “Rooms on a Budget” (for the lowest-priced rooms).

There is no fee to use the services offered on Laterooms.com. You make your reservations directly with the hotel, using the contact information provided by the Web site and quoting the Laterooms rate when you call.