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Along with the hotel's own website, you may want to check the following: (Hint: Load SideStep.com onto your hard drive; it automatically pops up when you access a hotel booking engine to provide you with comparisons of prices offered for the same hotel or dates from other sources.)

• Priceline: Allows you to name your own price. You'll know the general location and star-quality level of the hotel before you book, but you won't know the exact address or hotel name until afterward. www.priceline.com.

• Hotwire: As with Priceline, you'll have to wait until after you've booked to see the name of the hotel. Hotwire offers more information about the quality and amenities. www.hotwire.com.

• Octopustravel: Lodging around the globe. www.octopustravel.com.

• Travelweb: Discounted hotel rooms on site owned by major U.S. hotel chains. www.travelweb.com

• Quikbook: Specializing in boutique hotels, but with a good variety of others, too. www.quikbook.com.

• Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz: All three of the major online booking sites offer hotels. We've generally found the best values at Expedia. www.expedia.com, www.travelocity.com, www.orbitz.com.

• Hotels.com: A good variety of lodgings in a wide range of cities at competitive prices. www.hotels.com.

• Wheretostay.com: Hotels, resorts and villas in the Caribbean. www.wheretostay.com.