More hassle-free reservations tips

As a hotel veteran, I’d like to offer a different perspective to some of Laurie Berger’s well-written column [“Dodging the Hassles,” Travel Q&A;, July 10]. When trying to directly reconfirm a new hotel reservation made through a third party, give it some time. Unless your reservation is for the same day, many hotels won’t even know you’ve booked a room because (in many cases) reservations are faxed. When a reservation is made after 6 p.m., many hotels won’t see it until the next morning. You’ll be better received when calling to confirm during a slower time of the day.

Best suggestion: Make the reservation on the hotel’s website and ask for the moon. You’ll be treated better and you may get the best available rate.

Curtis Jones

Palm Springs