[Lew Silverman]

Most of the hotel/motel chains do the same thing, Don, it's not just Holiday Inn. You can make a reservation at the standard rate with the payment due when you check-in, or you can make one a certain number of days prior to your arrival, but at a significant discount, with the payment due at the time of the reservation. The only problem with this arrangement is that the room charges are not refundable under any circumstances, so like you found out, if your schedule changes you still pay for the room. You have to weight the convenience of the discount against the possibility of your travel plans changing. There are also chains who lower prices a few days prior to your planned arrival, but then you have to gamble that they have a vacancy at the last minute! Have you ever tried the website Trivago? There are some bargains to be had there as well!