Complete your booking, and travel sites like Expedia will bill your card the full amount.

Most of the big travel sites are looking to hotels to take up the slack. And they have a new trick up their sleeves –requiring payment for a hotel room in full at the time of booking. Typically, they display a price that’s crossed out, and list a special lower price you can only get if you book – and pay – right now.

The trouble is, these rates aren’t really any better than the rates you can get through the hotel web site. In some cases, they’re not as good. And why should Expedia, and not you, have the use of that money for the next six months.

Case in point, we needed a hotel room for one night in St. Thomas before our morning flight back to Los Angeles. Since we’ll have already spent a week on St. John and exploring the British Virgin Islands, we just plan to do a little last minute shopping. All we really need is some place convenient for shopping and getting to the airport.

After a little trip planning, we concluded that the Best Western Emerald Beach Resort would probably fit the bill. Expedia offered a deluxe beachfront room for $298.75. With taxes and fees, the total came to $352.53, payable in full at the time of booking.

Travelocity had the same room available for $298.75. But they slapped on a mandatory resort charge of $23.90, bringing the total to $373.14. Orbitz showed no availability at the property.

Since I really didn’t want to pay up front, I went to the Best Western site and got the same room for $278.10 plus $50.06 in fees. The total price through Best Western was $328.16 — $24.37 less than Expedia and $44.98 less than Travelocity.

So will Travelocity

I used a credit card to guarantee the reservation but wasn’t charge anything, and I can cancel up until three days before arrival with no penalty.

Travel websites that don’t require prepayment.

Not all travel websites ask you to pay up front. Booking.com rarely does. This Priceline subsidiary has a nice selection of properties, a user-friendly website with lots of photos and traveler reviews, and competitive rates. In fact, when I looked for hotels in New Orleans in mid-December, the only difference between Expedia.com and Booking.com was that Expedia wanted me to pay in advance for their “Special Rate.”

But the Best Western website won’t.

Since we’re going to a family function at the Royal Sonesta, we took advantage of their group rate. But if we were willing to prepay and book at the hotel site, we could have saved $43 a night over the Expedia prepay price.

If you’re traveling to Europe, Venere.com is another good site that represents lots of hotels, inns, and smaller properties, and doesn’t usually require prepayment for hotels.

Before you get suckered into giving one of the huge travel websites your money months before you intend to travel, do a little travel planning and see what your options are. Start with the individual hotel web site or chain, if the property belongs to a group like Best Western of Marriott.

All things being equal, the hotel or chain will be happy to have a direct booking and you’ll likely save money or at least hang onto it longer.

Read other advice about travel sites here.

Most luxury hotels have big mortgages or management fees that are due every month. So they have to fill their rooms. And sometimes, the only way to do it is to really slash their prices.

So where can you find these great deals and save a bundle at a five-star hotel? Here are three travel websites that specialize in selling luxury travel at a discount.

An online luxury travel auction website.

Luxury Link auctions off travel packages to the highest bidder. You need to register to bid, and unlike at eBay, the auction doesn’t end at a specific time if people are still bidding. This is a nice feature because no one can come in and outbid you at the last second. Discounts are up to 65% off and all their properties have been vetted by their staff.

Luxury Link

Many of their packages include several nights in a suite or superior room, plus extras like massages, dinner one night, or a sightseeing activity or excursion.

In addition to hotels and resorts, Luxury Link also has deals on cruises and tours. And they also have packages you can buy at a pre-determined discounted price.

Read all the fine print carefully, because your bid is binding, and sometimes the packages are only available for certain nights of the week. Check before you bid to make sure your dates are available.

We’ve used Luxury Link several times and have always been very pleased with the accommodations and the value for money.

An invitation-only travel website.

Some of the most successful web businesses the past couple of years have been invitation-only shopping sites. Now Gilt Groupe, one of the pioneers in discount high fashion, has launched Jetsetter.com.

Jetsetter

Although the site is billed as invitation only, we put ourselves on the waiting list and received an invitation two days later. So don’t despair if you don’t know any members.

The way Jetsetter works is that they send you an email of travel sales each day. So far, the discounts seem to be around 50% off the rack rate. And an availability calendar lets you check your dates there and then.

Sales usually last two days or until the inventory sells out. If you can’t make a decision on the spot, you can place a hold on a room for 72 for 10% of the purchase price. It’s applied to the price if you travel, or credited to your account if you don’t.

We haven’t used Jetsetter yet, but they were offering rooms at Le Meurice in Paris for $295 less than their web site.

A travel website that analyzes the saving for you.

Dealbase

Dealbase combs the web for travel deals and then analyzes and quantifies them for you. They compare the offered price to other available rates – including the average 30-day price on hotels.com – and then show you how much you’ll really save.

We used it to compare Honolulu hotels and ended up booking our hotel through it. Right now, the number of places it covers is limited, but they are expanding into other markets.

Read more trip planning advice here.

Our first step used to be consulting sites like Frommers, Fodors, and Tripadvisor. But these days, we’ve reversed the process, and we use those sites to validate our short list. Our new strategy has produced better results for us. So we’re happy to share it with you.

Here are our tips for finding hotels that you’ll love:

* The first step is to figure out what you really want do while you’re there. Is your goal to just relax and unwind, to see every square inch of the city, or to eat in all the best restaurants and shop till you drop? When we went to Kauai, we realized that one thing that we really wanted to do was to swim and surf. It’s hard to believe, but there aren’t many good swimming beaches in Kauai if you visit in winter. Once we narrowed down the choices, it was a pretty simple decision. We ended up renting a vacation rental at Kiahuna Plantation and it was the perfect place for us. If we’d ended up down the road at the Grand Hyatt Kauai — which gets high marks from Fodors, Frommers, and Tripadvisor users — we’d have been unhappy with the rocky beach there.

* Once you have your days figured out, think about your evenings. If you’ll be going full tilt, hiking, biking, or kayaking from dawn until dusk, chances are you won’t want to expend a lot of energy getting dinner. That country inn that’s away from it all may seem a lot less appealing when you’re beat and the nearest restaurant is a 20-minute drive away. Especially if you were thinking a couple of cocktails sounded appealing. Having to eat virtually every meal at an overpriced resort can also take the fun out of things pretty fast. What works for us is staying in a hotel that has a few restaurants within walking distance or a few minutes drive.

* With your daytime and nighttime activities figured out, you should concentrate on which neighborhood puts the things you want to do in easy reach. If you want to dine in Michelin-starred restaurants and shop for haute couture in Paris, you’ll find the 1st or 8th arrondissements convenient. If you prefer bistros and boutiques, choose the 6th — St-Germain-des-Pres. What’s true for real estate is equally true for travel. The most important thing is location, location, location.

* When you know which neighborhood appeals the most to you, figure out how much you want to spend. There are usually accommodations available in a range of prices. When you compare prices, use the superior room price. Standard rooms are actually sub-standard rooms that are the least desirable for one reason or another. Chances are, you won’t be happy in one. When you look at price, also bear in mind that if you stay at a more centrally located hotel, you’ll save on transportation costs. Once you have a short list, use a travel site like hotelscombined.com to check prices. Although most travel sites are owned by the same two or three travel conglomerates, there are some bargains out there. Just be sure that you’re comparing apples to apples and read all the fine print. To us, paying a non-refundable rate in advance isn’t worth saving 10 or 15%. And be sure to contact the hotel directly for a rate. Because there’s no middle man to compensate, the hotel will sometimes give you a better deal.

* Not all hotels have the same amenities. This is especially true in Europe, where many rooms don’t have an alarm clock. So if there’s something you need to feel at home — a pre-dinner cocktail, laundry service, or a wake-up call — confirm in advance that’s it’s available. It only takes a few minutes and it could save you some disappointment.

* Read user reviews on sites like tripadvisor.com, but remember that no matter how great a hotel is, someone will always be disgruntled. Reviews can tip you off to a potential deficiency that might be a deal-breaker for you. But we’ve stayed in hotels that every trip advisor user gave five stars that we really didn’t like. So take the reviews with a grain of salt.

Finding the right hotel isn’t that hard, but the more trip planning you do in advance, the happier you’re likely to be.

Read more travel advice here.

Free bags, free meals, free blankets, free seat assignments.  Those amenities are long gone.   Is there anything left for the airlines to cut?   Probably.

But with a little advance planning, you can eliminate many of the hassles of air travel.  Here’s our list of travel tips for a more enjoyable flight.

1) Book a nonstop flight.  Your chances of being delayed or inconvenienced multiply with every flight, so why risk it.  On a nonstop flight, there’s no connecting flight to miss.  And it’s harder for your bags to get lost.

2) Take an early flight.  Delays compound as the day wears on, so a one-hour delay on an 8AM flight may be a four-hour delay by two in the afternoon.

3) Book a big plane.  Wide bodies — planes with two aisles — are more comfortable.  The three-and-three seating configuration on smaller planes means that if you’re a couple flying in coach, you have a neighbor.   Your best bet if you’re not flying in business is a wide body with two-four-and-two seating.  Travel sites like seatguru.com or seatexpert.com can help you figure it out.  British Airways recently started charging for seat assignments, so be prepared to pay for the seats you want.

4) Choose a connecting flight wisely.  If you’re traveling in winter, avoid airports like Chicago and Denver that are known for weather delays.  And don’t fly too far out of the way if you can avoid it.  Los Angeles/New York/Buenos Aires makes no sense when you can fly via Miami.

5) Pack light.  If you can avoid checking baggage, do.  And know that bags that are sold as carry-ons in the United States, may not meet the standards for international flights.  Be prepared to check you bag at the last minute if they won’t let you carry it on.  Have some clean underwear and a change of clothes in a bag you know you can carry on the plane.

6) Swap clothes.  Put a couple of your outfits in your traveling companion’s bag and vice versa.  That way, if your bag gets lost, you’ll have something to wear until it’s returned.

7) Have a sensible dinner.  Even if you have an iron-clad stomach, the night before your flight, avoid spicy, high-fat, and greasy foods.  Trust us on this one.

8) Dress for any temperature.  We’ve been on flights where we could see our breath of the plane.  And we’ve been on flights where the cabin temperature has been nearly 90.  Many airlines no longer give blankets in coach, so take enough layers to keep warm and be able to peel them off if it’s hot.

9) Be comfortable.  We love jeans as much as anyone, but they’re not the most comfortable clothes to sit in for hours on end.   Wear loose fitting clothes made of natural fibers.  They’re safer.  And comfortable, sturdy shoes will be a blessing if you have to walk from terminal A to terminal Z.  If you’re flight’s delayed, you can also go for a nice, long walk.

10) Take food.  Some airlines have meals for purchase, but they’re not very good.  We often roast a chicken or buy a rotisserie chicken the night before we travel (see #6) and make roast chicken sandwiches to take on the flight.  They’re delicious, healthy, easily digestible, and easy to eat — no utensils required.

11) Take water.  Buy it after you go through security.   These days, in-flight service ranges from great to nonexistent so don’t depend on the flight attendants to keep you properly hydrated.   Drinking plenty of water will minimize all the negative effects of air travel.

12) Get some exercise.  On some flights, it seems like the Captain never turns off the fasten seat belt sign.  We strongly believe that when the sign’s on, you should stay in your seat.  But it’s also important to get some exercise, especially on long haul flights.  There are some exercises you can do in your seat.  But if possible, you should get up and stretch every two hours or so.

13)  Get some sleep.  If you’re on a long-haul flight, take an eye mask, some ear plugs, and a neck pillow.  Many airlines give these out, even in coach.  But who knows how long they will.  And don’t drink too much alcohol or caffeine.  If you’ve followed all our advise, you’ll be well fed, hydrated, and snug as a bug in a rug.  So relax, turn out the light, and nod off.  With a little luck, you won’t wake up until the final approach to your destination city.

Get more trip planning tips here.

A lot of people don’t do any travel planning before they go on vacation.  They just show up and let whatever happens, happen.

But if you’re like most of us, you have a lot invested in your vacation, both financially and emotionally.  A little pre-trip planning can save you money, eliminate hassles, and maximize your precious time.

Before your trip, check out the destination guides at travel sites like fodors.com, frommers.com, or our sister site, tripaddiction.com.  In just a few minutes, you can learn the sights and experiences that no traveler should miss.

Many of the most popular sights, like the Sistine Chapel or the Eiffel Tower, can have really long lines.  So consider purchasing your tickets in advance.  You may pay extra for the convenience.  But how much is three or four hours of your time worth when you’re only in Paris for a few days.

Viator.com sells tours, day-trips, and activities in 450 destinations – everything from camel rides in Dubai to helicopter rides in San Francisco.  But you can often find other options by doing a Google search for “Uffizi tickets” or “Alhambra reservations.”

We’re not big fans of group tours, but sometimes a tour will get you in and out of a popular attraction with no waiting, and you’ll see several others sights while you’re at it.

Even if you’re not traveling abroad, some advance travel planning can still be well worth the effort.  Food is a big vacation expense, and if you only eat at restaurants on the tourist trail, you’ll pay through the nose, and the quality may not be the greatest.

To find a wide array of restaurants, check out the local newspaper website or weekly periodical.   Many have online dining guides with restaurant reviews, top ten lists, and special events.  The information is usually very current, and you’ll find restaurants in all cuisines and price ranges.

If you’re traveling to a major city, another good source of restaurant information is Timeout.com.  Looking for a curry house in Buenos Aires?  This is the place.

Concerts, plays, cultural festivals, art exhibits, and other events can really enhance a vacation.  Even if you’re not an opera, classical, jazz, or bluegrass fan, consider stepping out of your comfort zone and doing something you wouldn’t ordinarily do at home.

Since many of the most popular events sell out well in advance, plan ahead to avoid disappointment.  A Google search for Paris concerts, Honolulu events, or Las Vegas entertainment calendar will usually get you where you want to go.

Just a little bit of travel planning can transform any vacation from good to great.  So next time you plan a trip, take an extra few minutes to make it exceptional.

Get more travel planning info here.

Almost everyone we know loves to travel.  But for the average vacationer, trip planning can be a real hassle.  Just figuring out where to go and what to do can take hours of research.

Is it any wonder that most people just take the easy way out and book a cruise or vacation package?

But doing your own travel planning has lots of advantages.  First of all, you don’t have to be surrounded by tourists if you don’t want to be.  Making your own arrangements gives you more options.  And it’s often less expensive.

It doesn’t have to take a lot of time, and there are plenty of travel sites and online resources to help you plan a trip.  The first step is to answer these simple questions:

1) What kind of travel experience are you looking for?

There are as many kinds of trips as there are travelers.  Do you want to kick back and relax, enjoy an active outdoor vacation, or drink in the splendor of ancient Rome – as well as the wine?  If you’re not sure, think back on the travel experiences you’ve enjoyed the most.

If your fondest travel memories are of hiking in the mountains, a big city like London or New York probably isn’t right for you.  Love Las Vegas nightlife?  Cross Tahiti off your list – everyone there is tucked in by 10PM.  Want to shop till you drop?  Check out the currency exchange rate.  Shopping’s not much fun when everything costs twice as much as it does at home.

Once you’ve figure out what kind of vacation sounds good, figure out:

2) How much time do you have?

These days, jets can take you anywhere in a fraction of the time it used to take cruise liners and trains.  But just because you can travel somewhere in twelve hours doesn’t mean you’ll be bright eyed and bushy-tailed once you get there.

You should figure on one day of jet lag recovery for every time zone you cross.  If your dream destination is more than seven times zones away, don’t go for less than a week.  Otherwise, it will be time to go home just when you’re hitting your stride.

With two weeks vacation – 14 nights away from home – you can go almost anywhere you like.  Don’t plan on much activity for the first couple of days, and remember to schedule days off into your itinerary.  Sometimes you just want to loaf, no matter where you are.

With one week, you’ll probably enjoy your vacation more if your destination is less than a six-hour flight away.  And don’t fly more than three or four hours for a long weekend.   Remember all the time spend getting to and from the airport, and standing in line.

By now, you should have a pretty good idea of how far you can go.   Next, ask yourself:

3) How much money do you want to spend?

Want to practice your French, wander down cobbled streets, and dine on Coq au Vin?  Montreal’s got it all for about half the price of Paris.  Looking for a secluded beach you can call your own?   If you’re willing to hike ten minutes, there’s one on Kauai for a lot less than that private island in Tahiti.

Most travel experiences are available in a wide variety of price ranges.  So figure out what you can afford, and then back out the cost of meals.  Many people underestimate how much they’ll spend on food.  So unless you intend to be very frugal, add another 30% to the cost of your trip.  After all, dining is one of the best parts of traveling.

Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ve already started the trip planning process.  The next step is to start doing some research.  For an introduction to travel sites that can help you with that, read the best travel sites for planning a trip.

Read more trip planning tips here.

Best Travel Sites

Do a Google search for “travel,” and you’ll see that there are nearly 800 million sites on the topic.

So how do you know which travel sites can actually help you with your trip planning, and which ones you should check out first?

If you read Trip planning basics – three key questions to ask yourself before you plan a trip, you probably have some idea where you want to go.   So figuring out how much it will cost to get there is a good first step.

There are several sites that compare airfares, but a couple are head and shoulders above the rest.  For airfare within or originating in the United States, Kayak.com is hard to beat.  Not only do they list fares for virtually all domestic carriers, when you click on the fare you want, you’ll be routed directly to the airline’s website for booking.

A calendar showing fares by date makes it’s easy to see how much you could save by traveling midweek or going a earlier or later than planned.

Sidestep.com is another excellent airfare comparison site.  It pulls information from over 600 airlines.

You may have heard about the ridiculously cheap airfare in Europe — sometimes it costs as little as $2 to fly from London to Italy.  There are plenty of hidden charges, but if you’re flexible and traveling light, they can still be a bargain.

Dohop.com is the best place to find these deals.  It lists fares for EasyJet, Ryanair, and other discount airlines.   Just be sure to read all the fine print before booking.  Last time we looked, Ryanair led the industry in customer complaints.

Recently, the airlines have begun charging for advance seat assignments and exit-row seats.  Before you pay for the privilege, you should probably visit Seatexpert.com or Seatguru.com.   Either one will help you find the most desirable seats on your flight.

Once you have your flights figured out, or at least know how much to budget, you can start researching hotels.

Many people love tripadvisor.com.  In fact, it has over 25 million user-generated hotels reviews.   We use it to get ideas, but the couple of times we’ve reserved hotels based exclusively on tripadvisor, we’ve been disappointed.  Not everyone has the same taste, so even though tripadvisor users think a place is great, you could still hate it.

If you do find a hotel on tripadvisor that interests you, look for a professional recommendation before you book.  Fodors.com and Frommers.com both provide objective, professional reviews.

Venere.com is a great travel site for European hotels.  It represents lots of small inns that you won’t find on big sites like Expedia or Travelocity.

When you’ve chosen a hotel and you’re ready to book, don’t waste a lot of time comparing prices.  Two or three parent companies own most of the hotel booking sites, so prices don’t vary much.  If you find a room for a lot less, make sure you’re comparing apples to apples.  Rates can vary a lot by room type.

Many sites now require payment upfront for the best available rate.  And often, these rates are nonrefundable.  So read the terms and conditions carefully, especially the cancellation policy.

And before you make your reservations, be sure to contact the hotel directly – especially if you’re making your plans at the last minute.  They’re often willing to negotiate.  They usually don’t require prepayment except in high-demand periods.  And their cancellation policy is usually more liberal.

With a place to stay and a way to get there, all the heavy lifting is done.  The next phase of trip planning is figuring out what to do when you get there.  For advice on that, read Travel planning tips to help you save time, reduce hassles, and make the most of your vacation.

Read more travel advice here.

Airplane window image Flickr: contraption