Originally Posted by
pinniped
I don't see package deals cheaper than buying separately. Quite often, they are substantially more expensive than booking separately.
The package has only worked out for me once, over many years of testing -- in Vegas, where an Alaska Airlines deal essentially got us into Bellagio at a Motel 6 rate. Most of the time package offers are far worse than what you can find for yourself. The offerers are counting on consumer cluelessness.
Originally Posted by
svenskaflicka
Just remember that most times you are going to get the lousiest room in the hotel. If you don't care about that then go for it. At the Hyatt, Maui we heard someone complaining because they were put in a room that was ground floor atthe entrance, overlooking the parking lot. It really was an awful room. The desk agent announced loudly that they booked through priceline or one of those and that's what they get unless they wanted to pay more to get a better room.
That is a whole different issue than package deals. If you Priceline a room you may, every so often, get the "Priceline sneer" at check-in and a sub-par room... even though Priceline T&C say you should be treated equal to any other guest. In dozens of Priceline bookings this has happened to me about twice, and I've accepted with good grace because I was paying < $100 for a > $250 room. But that's not the same as buying a "run of house" room as part of an all-in vacation package.