Third Party Booking Sites

Don't be tempted to book your airline tickets, car rental, whatever, through a third party booking site.  Why?  Because if you read the fine print most of the time you get that discount because you:
1.  Prepay;
2.  non-refundable.

That's just the start.  Once you check in you will be treated like a second class citizen.  Be aware that the confirmation number the third party site you used is NOT the same as a hotel or airline issued confirmation number.  Things can go hamajang with this, and they often do.  The scenario goes something like this.

You arrive at the hotel exhausted from your trip.  All you want to do is get to your room to relax.  The clerk at the front desk tells you they don't have a reservation for you.  HUH????  How can that be???  AND...the hotel is completely sold out.  But....wait.... you DO have a confirmation and a written one at that.  You argue with the hotel clerk about it.  The clerk stares you down and tells you that it's not their problem.  You booked through a third party site.  It's the third party's confirmation number, not theirs.  You need to clear it up with them.

Good luck with that.  

Hotels and airlines don't like using third party sites to sell their services.  Third party sites are insurance for bodies to fill their rooms and seats.  They only need your warm body there if they don't sell out.  Besides, the hotels and airlines pay a fee to utilize a third party booking site.  This is business.  When you book directly with the hotel or airlines it increases their bottom line.  Think of it like using a credit card opposed to paying cash when you purchase something.  The credit card charges the merchant a fee that is invisible to you, the consumer.  Of course airlines and hotels prefer "cash."

Plus, when booking with a third party website you tend to get stuck in the undesirable rooms or the butt sniffer seats on the plane.