Honestly your best bet is to go directly to the source unless you are planning a trip overseas in which you don't have much flexibility on where to go once you land. When I was helping my sister search back home. It was actually cheaper to go through the holiday inn express website than it was through expeidia/orbitz/priceline.
I think through Holiday Inn direct was about 200 per night, Orbitz/Expedia was up to $238 a night or so. Its simple logic...the websites have to make money too. A tip is to check the prices periodically throughout the coming days. It will almost always lower a bit when the date is nearing and they are scrambling to get rooms filled. Unless you are trying to stay in one of those illegal spots in the bronx...can't help you there