Best site for hotel/car rental rate deals: Priceline.com

Entrepreneur, April, 2005 by Chris McGinnis

For business travelers on a budget, location and price are the main factors in choosing a hotel. As long as the hotel is a good value and it's near the place you're doing business, it's probably fine. The same goes for rental cars--it doesn't matter which rental car company you choose as long as you get an on-airport location, a clean car and a decent price.

That's why lots of travelers have jumped at Priceline.com's model of allowing users to name their own prices for an unknown hotel or rental car company. The uncertainty at the time of booking is a small price to pay for the savings you'll pocket (up to 40 percent or more off published hotel rates, 25 percent off rental car rates) with a successful bid. Currently, more than 20,000 hotels around the world are listed on Priceline.com. It offers deals on cars from the five biggest names in the rental car business and guarantees it will find you the best rental car rate, pledging to refund 100 percent of the difference if you find a lower rate anywhere else. Find out more at www.priceline.com.

CHRIS MCGINNIS is Entrepreneur's "Biz Travel" columnist.