Here's a recent tip I discovered for those looking to book hotels... besides the mega-sites (travelocity, ect) try going to the website for the tourism department of that city or state. I recently found the upscale W hotel listed for $104 at the New Orleans tourism site... everywhere else had it listed for $200 - 289.
Yes, I totally agree. I stayed in midtown Manhattan a couple of years ago, just 1 block from Grand Central, for $75 a night! This was in a hotel found on the NYC tourist board website.