WANT to holiday like a Windsor with the budget of a Battersby?

Well, it ain't where you stay, it's the way that you book it, and LEGAL web loopholes let you book five-star hotels at two-star prices.

One MoneySaver bagged six nights in New York's swanky Sheraton Times Square hotel for £340 rather than £1,200. So if you're planning to book hotels here or abroad, try for a loophole or harness the web's super-speedy search power. Let's check in!

LOOPHOLE 1: Lastminute detective

WITH a bit of detective skill, mega hotel bargains are available from Lastminute.com 's "top-secret hotels" section. You're only told the star level and a description, with the hotel's name being revealed once you've paid.

Yet there's a SNEAKY way to discover the hotel's identity to see if it's worth it. Lastminute often uses the same description as appears on the hotel's own website, so simply cut and paste all or part into Google.

One 4-star Barcelona hotel charging £180 for three nights was listed as a "first-class hotel just a step away from Gaudi's most emblematic buildings". I searched that and found the hotel name, checked its worth, and even the cheapest price-comparison site had it for 50 per cent more, at £270.

LOOPHOLE 2: Priceline ploy

HOTEL bidding site Priceline.co.uk flogs posh hotel rooms at COLOSSAL discounts, and it's especially strong for US hotels. Normally, you tell it the area, star level and price you're willing to pay. You don't get told which hotel you're booking, but you have to agree to pay immediately if your bid's accepted. Bid too low and you'll have to WAIT a day to bid again.

But I've a trick-the one behind the super-hot £340 New York hotel deal.

A loophole allows you MULTIPLE bids in a day. So, if you want a three-star Miami hotel (normally at £80-a-night) bid first at £30, try £35 next, then £40. This way, you'll always succeed near the minimum accepted price. Find out more at www.moneysavingexpert.com/priceline

CUT THE COST OF EVERY HOTEL

YOU can also slash the costs of booking ANYWHERE. Start with comparison sites. Tripadvisor.co.uk can help you choose your spot, Travelsupermarket.com has the most far reaching comparison but Hotelscomparison.com lets you type in individual hotels and chains.

Make sure room taxes are included as these can distort comparisons. For flight and hotel bookings, try Expedia.co.uk , Ebookers.com or Travelocity.com . If you're going to traditional holiday destinations, package holidays are often cheaper.

Plus don't forget £1 budget airline flights, or even FREE flights via credit card loopholes. See www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapflights .

Also, try calling the hotel direct to haggle down prices. It means they won't have to pay anyone else a booking fee.

DEALS AND BARGAINS

DON'T think of all hostels as grubby dorms. Many have single and double rooms, free internet and cheap brekkies. Try Hostelbookers.com and Hostelworld.com .

STAR ratings determine facilities, not quality. A five star often means pool, big foyer and conference facilities.

£1 sales. Many hotels and chains have regular promotions. Book the MINUTE they start. Get the heads-up at www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips

PAY with Tesco Clubcard points at UK hotels and you could get a room at a QUARTER of the price.

STAY in student halls. Outside term-time these can be super-cheap. Try Travelstay.com for city rooms.

Your questions answered

Q I HAVE two mini cash Isas with Marks & Spencer. If the firm folded, where would I stand with my money? JON, via email

A I'VE had lots of questions like this about various supermarket savings. Firstly, cash ISAs have the same government protection as other UK savings, so you're covered for the first £50,000 per person, per financial institution.

The key is what defines a financial institution as some banks you may think are separate aren't due to their banking licence e.g. Halifax and the AA savings are one institution. Thus, you're only protected up to £50,000 in total for both. To see which banks your institutions are linked to go to www.moneysavingexpert.com/safesavings .

In your case, M&S money is actually owned by HSBC. Unless you've got more than £50,000 savings in total, in the unlikely event M&S went bust, you're protected.

Q MY supermarket had a Nintendo Wii with an £80 price tag. I snapped it up but was told at the checkout this was a mistake and I had to pay £180. Isn't this false advertising? JONATHAN WALKER, via email

A UNTIL money's changed hands, effectively creating a contract, you've NO legal right to buy it at any price, though many shops will honour price mistakes.

As for false advertising, there's no case if it's an accident. Yet if it's knowingly and deceitfully done to attract custom, it should be reported to Trading Standards. This case looks like an accident, but if the Wii went back on the shelves at that price, I'd report it.

Q I WAS putting £100 a month into Halifax's 10% interest regular saver for my ten-year-old son. At the end of the year only £66 was paid on the £1,200. Surely he should have got £120?

PAULETTE SIMON, via email

A THIS is a common misunderstanding. If you'd had a lump sum of £1,200 in there from the start, you'd have bagged £120 interest. Yet in the first month you had just £100, in the second £200 and so on. And you only earn interest on money IN the account. In fact your average balance over the year was roughly £600, and 10% of that is £60, so you got the right amount.

Many people feel this is a swizz. Yet, on money in the account at any moment, you've been earning a huge rate of interest.

TV Money Guru Martin Lewis is the creator of the Consumer Revenge website www.MoneySavingExpert.com which is packed with info on how to get more money in your pocket.

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