Photo of a hotel entrance and a waiting taxi cab in downtown Cleveland during the winter holidays.

The internet has revolutionized the hospitality and service industry. Online travel companies (OTCs) such as Expedia, Priceline, Hotels.com, Orbitz, and Travelocity allow an internet user to visit a single website to search for all hotel rooms available in a specified area. In a single transaction, a customer can choose a hotel, book a room, and