Travel + Leisure Case Study Favors Travel Agents

Travel + Leisure recently did a Test Case study on finding the best deal when you're booking a hotel room. They compared the prices they found for a two night stay at the Riz Carlton New York on FareCast.com, Expedia.com, Ritz-Carlton.com, the Ritz Carlton reservations line, the hotel directly and the travel agent.

While the rates were mostly the same - $695 or $625 for the first night (depending on negotiating power) and $625 for the second night at the online resources and phone reservations - the travel agent was able to snag both rooms for $625, with breakfast and even a room upgrade, based on availability. It just goes to show that sometimes, what you get online isn't always the best deal.