Getting your player ready...
hotelbook.com Long to support the independent, the mom-and-pop, the boutique hotel? Check out this site, which gains easily searchable access to non-chain lodgings in more than 1,500 cities worldwide. Go ahead and test them, because we tried: Plug in Hyatt or Sheraton, and nothing comes up. But say you want to stay in Denver this weekend, and the Warwick and The Burnsley both appear. You can search by city, by price, by star rating, amenities (swimming pool, pets allowed), things to do (golf, tennis), style (luxury, all-suite) and location (mountain, rural). And since they just launched the site, booking through it now means free breakfasts and half off at participating hotels, as well as special offers in London, Paris and Rome.