unfair trade practice by hotel booking site

[marikosay]

I was searching hotel on different websites for my coming holidays and surprisingly noticed two different rates on same site and on same date and interestingly at same time

one more thing i had noticed that the website is selling Deluxe balcony room, price more than executive room but surprisingly Deluxe Balcony room not offered on the website of said hotel or there is no category of Deluxe balcony room in the said hotel

 

Hotel-August Suit

Website-Agoda

 

Is any BM faced any similar unfair trade practice

 

 

 

http://www.agoda.com/august-suites-pattaya/hotel/pattaya-th.html?dsrch=1&asq=2FkU3qJexKP6d%2ftrUT7rOfqeBlORRwI0Nf9ew0NmbRrB6B4ISsjEcMseaSRgb8cZBWnAMicIhUCvDopYRZqirMWTNGPNPU%2bbIMfPI6GxVJTHnubbAZICecqK3xjOXSNynXATbEobiJ9d5p5b%2fz1bjW2zrWI0u%2bGXhsBlvSkIeH0%3d

 

 

 

http://www.agoda.com/august-suites-pattaya/hotel/pattaya-th.html?dsrch=1&asq=4%2fvaE%2fTLdjk0bgFQlwN%2bLpQlF1CLihhw5UtIoBbFqiqDyVTBVSJ3yx1aOdmOuILMQQk0uVuZ5Fh4HPt9ZO2jmUrAjqqOgz0SXhJaYblBPyZeaGfhzZ6VEzwFhmKMznDFqu9fmASPVQNC4gMykKXXB%2fQuli0lNCQq8LooeZwlvHY%3d

 

http://www.augustsuites.com/accommodation.html

[marikosay]

not allowed to post screenshort so pdf print attached

1August Suites Pattaya Pattaya, Thailand_ Agoda.pdf

August Suites Pattaya Pattaya, Thailand_ Agoda.pdf

[Buddy Edgewood]

This is not 'unfair trade practices', it's economics.

 

hotel rates fluctuate depending on demand.  Also on booking web sites, if more people are viewing the same hotel, during the same time frame, don't be surprised if the rates goes up a little on the website.  The same applies to airline booking websites.  It's all controlled by algorithms - I would suggest taking a break for an hour or so and come back, you might see that the rates decreased again.

 

Regarding a room available on a booking site but not on the hotel's website, the hotel probably already sold the room to the booking website, who will resell it.  Many people only use booking websites because they think they'll get the best deal and sometimes that's true.

[Darvid]

"UNFAIR"

 

Come on, unfair is when in the middle of a 3 way that 48kg ladyboy flops out a cock that if bent in half still has you covered.

 

If this is your biggest gripe on the world today you aint having to bad a day

[StormLtg]

Agoda screwed me over in the PI.

I reserved a room in a 3 star hotel in Cebu City for 6 days.

But due to the life threatening Super Typhoon forecast to hit Cebu I changed my plane flight and tried to change the day of my hotel reservation.

Agoda said on it's web site that I was not allowed to change it.

I emailed them and the hotel 3 times each concerning this life threatening situation (the Cebu airport was closed and a Signal 2 alert was issued for Cebu City).

The hotel in question never got back to me.

Agoda said sorry- It was up to the hotel and not them.

I protested to no avail.

Agoda makes the reservations, establishes the guidelines with the hotels, and handles the money and takes their cut of the reservation money.

Yet they 'cop out' in trying to arbitrate between the consumer and the hotel.

Saying- "Sorry it's not our problem".

Needless to say I lost a few 100 Dollars.

I'll never use Agoda again.

[jerry]

Time to panic again ... ? 

[matrix123]

Before, I used Agoda to book the hotels. I found out it didn't save much from booking directly with the hotels. Sometimes you save a hundred or two THB. Sometimes, nothing at all. I have no trouble to use their service but I read some bad experiences from the other members using Agoda, Expedia or the other sites. I got upgraded to a better room a couple times when booked through Agoda. Most of the time, I got what I booked. A few years ago, I started to book directly with the hotels. After became memeber, I could accumulate point to exchange room or airline mileages. I got upgarded more offen and I don't need to worry the booking site screw up my reservation. So, I don't use Agoda anymore.

[splitpin]

Its the hotels that in-put the room info into the booking agencies, not the agencies themselves. So if they give different info to one site than another its the hotels fault, they have complete control what is seen on Agoda

 

Hotelscombined.com is the best search engine for this type of booking

[jerry]

Before, I used Agoda to book the hotels .......

......................................So, I don't use Agoda anymore.

 

Found out lately that Agoda takes a very high percentage on these bookings . 

 

Booked a hotel in Phnom Penh for 2 weeks and as the room was very nice i

wanted to book it for another 2 weeks . Asked the reception if it would be

better to book through Agoda or directly with them . 

 

He showed me the original booking through Agoda and Agoda takes off

about 23% before paying out the rest . 

He was happy to give me a 20% discount if i booked directly with the hotel .  

[matrix123]

Some of the prices on those sites are with VAT and tax. Some of them are without VAT and tax. Some of them are with breakfast. Some of them don't come with breakfast. It is just a headache to compare which one is a better price. Unlese you are going to stay in a hotel for a month or two, just book with the hotel if you are going to stay for a few days. Not worth the time to search.

[LRanger]

Always check and cross check using hotels Combined plus Trip Advisor reviews, and the hotels own website.  Most often they are similar, sometimes they are not. Always good to check face to face with some for the next trip.

[marikosay]

................. It is just a headache to compare which one is a better price. Unlese you are going to stay in a hotel for a month or two, just book with the hotel if you are going to stay for a few days. Not worth the time to search.

Sorry mate we spent time on this forum to get best on holidays and majority of folks comes to LOS on shorter vacation, and if its not worth for some one i think he is hypocrite spending time in this forum

[marikosay]

This is not 'unfair trade practices', it's economics.

 

Hotel rates fluctuate depending on demand.  Also on booking web sites, if more people are viewing the same hotel, during the same time frame, don't be surprised if the rates goes up a little on the website.  The same applies to airline booking websites.  It's all controlled by algorithms - I would suggest taking a break for an hour or so and come back, you might see that the rates decreased again.

 

Regarding a room available on a booking site but not on the hotel's website, the hotel probably already sold the room to the booking website, who will resell it.  Many people only use booking websites because they think they'll get the best deal and sometimes that's true.

 

  "Economics"  You can't run economics through unfair trade practice, if its economics then cheating, breach of trust and fraud will also comes under economics

in the instant case first i searched on Agoda then go to the hotel website, but the hotel site directed me on Agoda, and in fraction of time two different rate showing although its difference of $2 but in my view its unfair and cheating.

i am aware of dynamic price mechanism used for airlines and hotel but never seen such fluctuation same time in two different tab

[marikosay]

Always check and cross check using Hotels Combined plus Trip Advisor reviews, and the hotels own website.  Most often they are similar, sometimes they are not. Always good to check face to face with some for the next trip.

its true if search on hotelscombined first and from there directed to any particular hotel booking site  you always have better price in compare to directly visiting hotel website

[marikosay]

Its the hotels that in-put the room info into the booking agencies, not the agencies themselves. So if they give different info to one site than another its the hotels fault, they have complete control what is seen on Agoda

 

Hotelscombined.com is the best search engine for this type of booking

i am not agree, if any hotel does not have that category of room (deluxe) and hotel booking site is selling in that category its unfair trade practice, because once you checked in with hotel you have to stay in the category of rooms (superior) which particular hotel have, whereas you have paid for different category (deluxe) of room.

in another word you paid for deluxe category (room size 45 sqmt) but hotel does not have such type of room and put you in Superior category (40sqmtr) saying this is the room which you have paid for

[jerry]

Buddy You better not come to Thailand . Farang pay 'unfair' prices for a lot of things .

[marikosay]

Buddy You better not come to Thailand . Farang pay 'unfair' prices for a lot of things .

you mean to say-- Thailand = unfair price = farang pay for lots of things :WinkGrin1:, its may be true only for few !

 

i came thrice in a year for the last 6 years and most of time avoided "Thailand = unfair price = farang pay for lots of things"

 

i pay for what they deserve in my view, if its ok for them alright, if not move to other

 

just have a look

 

http://www.pattaya-addicts.com/forum/topic/167707-canterbury-tales-guest-house-room-1c-review/?hl=%2Bcanterbury+%2Breview

[THAJEC]

Found out lately that Agoda takes a very high percentage on these bookings . 

 

Booked a hotel in Phnom Penh for 2 weeks and as the room was very nice i

wanted to book it for another 2 weeks . Asked the reception if it would be

better to book through Agoda or directly with them . 

 

He showed me the original booking through Agoda and Agoda takes off

about 23% before paying out the rest . 

He was happy to give me a 20% discount if i booked directly with the hotel .  

Surprising Jerry? I think not. Also, Agoda is the only business brokerage company and has to make a living and pay the costs. The question is how much extra per cent compared to prices when ordering in the hotel. Of course, prices in the hotel should always be advantageous although volume discounts may be high Agoda, hardly can achieve the prices offered by the hotel.

[coolsmoe]

He showed me the original booking through Agoda and Agoda takes off

about 23% before paying out the rest . 

He was happy to give me a 20% discount if i booked directly with the hotel .  

 

Few holidays ago I stayed at the Diamond Place City hotel (or whatever the name) on Pattaya Thai near Walkabout Creek pub. I booked a few nights through Agoda and the price was around 1k baht for a deluxe room. I liked the room so I decided to book some more nights. So I asked reception about the price for extra nights and they said 1500 baht/night. I told them it was cheaper booking through Agoda. They wouldn't budge and I took my iPhone and booked the same room with Agoda. I repeated this 3 or 4 times during my stay, after two times reception said: "Same room mister?".

 

I never changed hotels, so it was one long stay. (My plan was to go to other places, but you know how things work out in Pattaya.

[coolsmoe]

Agoda screwed me over in the PI.

I reserved a room in a 3 star hotel in Cebu City for 6 days.

But due to the life threatening Super Typhoon forecast to hit Cebu I changed my plane flight and tried to change the day of my hotel reservation.

Agoda said on it's web site that I was not allowed to change it.

I emailed them and the hotel 3 times each concerning this life threatening situation (the Cebu airport was closed and a Signal 2 alert was issued for Cebu City).

The hotel in question never got back to me.

Agoda said sorry- It was up to the hotel and not them.

I protested to no avail.

Agoda makes the reservations, establishes the guidelines with the hotels, and handles the money and takes their cut of the reservation money.

Yet they 'cop out' in trying to arbitrate between the consumer and the hotel.

Saying- "Sorry it's not our problem".

Needless to say I lost a few 100 Dollars.

I'll never use Agoda again.

 

So Agoda said on their website you were not allowed to change it? So you knew? Too bad for you there was some storm comming.

 

When there are heavy discounts or promotions, you are not allowed to change dates or to get refunds. You get what you pay for, not Agoda's fault if you don't pay attention.

[marikosay]

What i found that complaint against Agoda is maximum in compare to other hotel booking site.

[filibuster]

What i found that complaint against Agoda is maximum in compare to other hotel booking site.

The difference is probably that the exchange rate being used changed between your first and second booking. Changing the display price to Thai Baht comes up with exactly the same price for both bookings ... 1593.03 Baht.

[matrix123]

Marikosay,

 

You are right. People come to Thailand to have short vacation. They should spend time to search where to have fun. Which gogo has hot girls. Not to waste time to search how to save a few THB in hotel. People come here for pussy not the hotel rooms.

[marikosay]

Marikosay,

 

You are right. People come to Thailand to have short vacation. They should spend time to search where to have fun. Which gogo has hot girls. Not to waste time to search how to save a few THB in hotel. People come here for pussy not the hotel rooms.

hahaha.. right mate but you have to screw those pussy in hotel and when  hotel / booking site try to screw you then how you have fun

 

i have just completed my booking for my vacation starting 03rd January total 12 nights (10 nights pattya+2 nights bangkok)

 

August Suit- Superior @ THB 1030 PN

Page 10-      Superior Studio @ THB 1281 PN

Flipper lodge-Superior Wing B @ THB 920 PN

 

Citadin sukhumvit 11- @ THB 1016 PN

 

i did not allowed particular booking sites to screw me and saved roughly THB 7000 on current rate, ok to screw two pussy

thanks to trip adviser and hotelscombined

[jpmelville]

DON'T never ever pay in advance for your accomodation. Don't use the booking sites which require paying in advance. In the case of the trouble there is always problems to get your money back.

 

It's very easy to book your room directly from the hotel by email. They may ask for the deposit but I have been able to skip that every time.