One of the key issues facing hotel marketers is how to rationalize room rates and availability through the many distribution channels, particularly those using the Web. Some chains encourage customers to book through their flag’s Web site by offering “lowest price” policies. I’d like to share with you some of the findings from a recent report published by the Center for Hospitality Research titled “It Pays to Shop Around: A Comparison of Hotel Room Rates and Availability across Booking Channels,” which I wrote with Alexandra Failmezger.