In Reply to: from experience are the rates you get on posted by joeyrobby on Sunday, 1. March 2009 at 13:55 Bali Time:
Booking accommodation separately to flights, I have found online travel agents to be cheaper than my local travel agents, and online agents 50% of the time cheaper than booking directly with the hotel.
The other 50% of the time booking directly with the hotel has been cheaper than both online and local travel agents.
Most hotels were very willing to negotiate a lower rate than their own website prices when i've been staying longer than 3-4 nights.
Unless i have a flight/hotel package deal, local travel agents have never quoted me cheaper prices for my preferred hotel than booking direct with the hotel or booking with an online travel agent.