I book directly. If there is a problem with the reservation, hotels have much more flexibility to accommodate changes. You can usually cancel on the arrival dat

I book directly. If there is a problem with the reservation, hotels have much more flexibility to accommodate changes. You can usually cancel on the arrival date with no penalty, change room type, etc. I've heard others say that if you quote an online price, the front desk can match it (better to get 100% of the discounted price than 60%), although I haven't tried it myself.