A complaint I hear repeatedly, and with justification, regards high hotel rates. I feel the pain as well, of course, since we editors stay undercover and receive no special discounts or freebies. Accommodation prices have increased far faster than the inflation rate. I consulted my Pan Am’s World Guide from 1974, published just five years before the first issue of the Hideaway Report. At Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, for example, double rooms started at $22 per night, the equivalent of $150 today. The lowest rate I could find for this November is $2,190, more than 14 times as much in constant dollars! The story is the same at luxury hotels around the globe.

In many places, properties that cost under $500 (one $) and meet Harper standards simply no longer exist. However, we know that sometimes you might not want to pay for white-glove service. To search a broad selection of hotels at various prices, go to the Andrew Harper homepage, log in and click on the green “Book Online” button. The search bar gives you access to a wide range of properties, including recommended hotels with member benefits, and you can confirm a reservation immediately.

Meanwhile, we’ll continue to hunt for hidden underpriced gems, like this issue’s Cartagena discovery.