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Book Hotel Rooms Direct and Save?

SYDNEY, Australia, July 25 PRNewswire — Book direct and save, best available internet rate, best price guarantee, best rate publicly available, best online rate guarantee ... these are words that hoteliers use on their hotel website to persuade customers to book direct.

These influential words can save hoteliers paying up to 35% commission to online travel agents. But are hoteliers living up to their price guarantee? Hotel price comparison website HotelsCombined.com conducted research in four metropolitan cities to determine if randomly selected hotel chain websites and independent hotel websites offer the best available rate*.

City: New York City Hotel: Hilton New York Best Available Rate on Hotel Website: $433.21 HotelsCombined.com Provider Best Available Rate: US $316.00 AsiaTiv.com City: London Hotel: Le Meridien Piccadilly Best Available Rate on Hotel Website: GBP 222.07 HotelsCombined.com Provider Best Available Rate: GBP 163.47 GtaHotels.com City: Paris Hotel: Best Western Opera Saint Lazare Best Available Rate on Hotel Website: EUR 109.00 HotelsCombined.com Provider Best Available Rate: EUR 87.61 BookinHotels.com City: Sydney Hotel: Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel Best Available Rate on Hotel Website: AUD $289.00 HotelsCombined.com Provider Best Available Rate: AUD $274.00 AsiaRooms.com To see full results of 24 hotels visit: http://www.HotelsCombined.com/AboutUs/Press/BookDirectAndSave.aspx

* Rates are in full amount which include taxes and service changes. Best available rate is for the cheapest available room for check-in 29 August 2008 and check-out 30 August 2008. Rates are true and accurate as at 21 July 2008.

The results indicate that hotel websites do not always offer the best available rate. What's more consumers cannot count on hotel price guarantees as most guarantees must be carefully documented if consumers are planning to file a claim. Even then it can be difficult to extract the guarantee. Without this guarantee, however, it leaves loyal customers no choice but to book through online travel agents which offer better deals. And how are online travel agents offering better deals? They make hotels sign a lowest rate guarantee contract.

About HotelsCombined.com

HotelsCombined.com is a hotel price comparison website that helps travelers' worldwide search for hotels across a multitude of hotel websites. HotelsCombined.com searches established online travel agent sites such as Booking.com, Priceline.com, Hotels.com, Orbitz.com, ReserveTravel.com and hotel chain sites including Intercontinental.com. Searching is done in real- time so that results show the latest pricing and availability and travelers' are redirected through to partner websites to book. HotelsCombined.com is headquartered in Sydney, Australia and was founded in 2005 by former executives from HotelClub.com, RatesToGo.com and Stella Hospitality Group. For more information, please visit www.HotelsCombined.com.

Contact: Vicki Byrne Business Development Phone: +61 2 8011 4192 Website: http://www.HotelsCombined.com

SOURCE HotelsCombined.com

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