Alternatively, figure out how much you want to pay, the type of hotel you’d like to stay in, and bid for a room through a booking site such as Priceline.com. You won’t know which hotel you’re staying at until after you’ve paid, but you can specify the category of hotel using the star-ratings system.

Note that star ratings are inconsistent. A four-star hotel on one site might only be a three-star hotel on another.

Another strategy: See what rates are offered at specific hotels online, then call the hotel directly and ask if there’s a lower rate, Hanson said. “A third of the time there will be.”

“When there’s an empty room, it’s just losing money. Any amount of money you pay for that room is found money,” said Tim Zagat, who has just published “Top U.S. Hotels, Resorts & Spas 2009.”

Zagat encourages consumers to negotiate hard. “Ask for package rates, ask for the lowest rate, ask for an upgrade. There are all kinds of deals out there. Not to ask is to look stupid,” he said.

Call the hotel at its local phone number, not the chain’s 800 number. “The branded hotel company has limits on what it can do, but the individual owner can do anything he feels like,” Zagat said.

Once you make a reservation, check to see if prices drop, then rebook. “If the booking pace is slower than forecast, hotels switch to a lower rate schedule,” Hanson said.