I am booking my holiday online for the first time, whats the best online company I can use?

[wengweng]

Actually I have just been looking at Trustpilot, and Exxpedia has been givien terrible reviews. 

[briguy]

Google Flights might be worth a look. You can put in your locations and travel dates and it will give you a list of possible flights with prices.

[wengweng]

2 minutes ago, briguy said:

Google Flights might be worth a look. You can put in your locations and travel dates and it will give you a list of possible flights with prices.

I'll do that  , cheers.

[SteveUK]

I would say first don't overcomplicate things by wanting to book via a travel agent etc, it's fairly pointless for a holiday to pattaya which isn't exactly like booking all inclusive package to other destinations where you "might" get a better price via a travel company.

Simply take the advice what other people have said just book a flight and hotel separate.

So jump on skyscanner, or Google flights etc find a flight , personally I would then jump on whatever airline you choose main site and see if the price booking direct with them is much different (as eg skyscanner a lot of the deals are via agents), if its not much different book via the actual airlines site as it gives you better protection if something goes wrong.

Then when you have your flight booked jump on Agoda and find and book a hotel. Either book for the whole period your staying or just for a few days, reason for a few days only is it does give you the option to change hotel if you don't like it rather then tied in for the whole period. It's not exactly difficult to find a different hotel once you are here.

Step 3 maybe book a taxi for your transport, multiple recommended on the site. Eg nams taxis

That's your basics all covered and to be honest can do In a hour sitting on your pc.

 

[Bonkabit]

1 hour ago, SteveUK said:

or Google flights etc find a flight; personally I would then jump on whatever airline you choose main site and see if the price booking direct with them is much different (as e.g. Skyscanner a lot of the deals are via agents), if it's not much different book via the actual airlines site as it gives you better protection if something goes wrong.

Links are:

• Search flights || ITA Matrix by Google
• Skyscanner Flights and
• see Skyscanner, whole month

I am going to Thailand from Australia soon. Web agent price for return flight was $A20 (~500 bahts) cheaper than booking direct with the airline (Malaysia). Booked direct for $A1552.73 (~37,300 bahts). Budget carriers are cheaper but I hate the drip-pricing and do not care for 9+ hours cramped (I'm 6 feet/180cm tall).

Plan to fly Bangkok to Chiang Mai. AirAsia budget carrier was $A50 (1200 bahts) nett but $80 (1920 bahts) to pay after the drip pricing e.g. suitcase etc. ThaiAir was $81 all-in, 24 bahts more. Booked ThaiAir.

Same applies with hotels. Booking sites are a good way to search. Cross-check with hotel direct.

Check that prices include Thai taxes etc, about 17% (e.g. Agoda may not include them in the price shown so multiply their on-screen price by 1.17 to see what you will actually pay). 

[Macawber]

On 07/02/2023 at 23:30, Tapaz1976 said:

Agoda for hotels in Pattaya/Bangkok. Much better for Thai hotels compared to the other big booking sites. Agoda is based in Bangkok so they are the SE Asia specialists.

Agoda HQ is in Singapore

[wengweng]

On 06/02/2023 at 21:34, D-low said:

I book flights on Expedia (use Sky Scanner/Kayak to make sure there's nothing cheaper) then use Agoda. I've booked countless hotels with Agoda and never had a problem. Each time you get a voucher (about £6-£10) to use on your next trip.

This is the link to the hotel you have stayed in before:

https://www.agoda.com/sabai-resort/hotel/pattaya-th.html?cid=1720055

You can see what's available on the home page, just choose Pattaya, put in your dates if you want to change it up.

Thanks for that D-low, mind you from what I have been reading and seeing on a couple of youtube videos my favourite hotel The Sabai Resort has closed down and being demolished, so looks like I will have to  have a gander eslewhere. Never mind as thers have said there are plenty of hotels around.😎

[wengweng]

On 11/02/2023 at 21:54, SteveUK said:

I would say first don't overcomplicate things by wanting to book via a travel agent etc, it's fairly pointless for a holiday to pattaya which isn't exactly like booking all inclusive package to other destinations where you "might" get a better price via a travel company.

Simply take the advice what other people have said just book a flight and hotel separate.

So jump on skyscanner, or Google flights etc find a flight , personally I would then jump on whatever airline you choose main site and see if the price booking direct with them is much different (as eg skyscanner a lot of the deals are via agents), if its not much different book via the actual airlines site as it gives you better protection if something goes wrong.

Then when you have your flight booked jump on Agoda and find and book a hotel. Either book for the whole period your staying or just for a few days, reason for a few days only is it does give you the option to change hotel if you don't like it rather then tied in for the whole period. It's not exactly difficult to find a different hotel once you are here.

Step 3 maybe book a taxi for your transport, multiple recommended on the site. Eg nams taxis

That's your basics all covered and to be honest can do In a hour sitting on your pc.

 

Thanks for the advice, actually i do like the idea of booking for one hotel for a week and the another hotel for the last week. I was think of doing something a bit different from the usual visits I did to Pattars up to the last time I went in 2016. I would like to spend a week in Pattaya and then the last week in Bangkok. I will look more into this , 👍😎

[D-low]

15 hours ago, wengweng said:

Thanks for that D-low, mind you from what I have been reading and seeing on a couple of youtube videos my favourite hotel The Sabai Resort has closed down and being demolished, so looks like I will have to  have a gander eslewhere. Never mind as thers have said there are plenty of hotels around.😎

Aah, that's a shame. Yes, there are loads of good hotels in Pattaya, you'll be able to get something good. Good luck!

[Tapaz1976]

On 12/02/2023 at 00:27, Macawber said:

Agoda HQ is in Singapore

Ok didn't know that. In any way they have a big office in BKK (a friend of mine works there) and are clearly the SE Asia experts as their rates and room availability for hotels in SE Asia are much better than the big players like Expedia and Bookings.com.

[patman]

I use Agoda for Holels and the airline web site for flights. Never had an issue, except for once when I booked the flight with Expedia. The booking got lost and Expedia were blaming the airline and the airline was blaming Expedia. Learnt my lesson, luckily it was a month before the flight so I rebooked..

[wengweng]

On 20/02/2023 at 03:09, patman said:

I use Agoda for Holels and the airline web site for flights. Never had an issue, except for once when I booked the flight with Expedia. The booking got lost and Expedia were blaming the airline and the airline was blaming Expedia. Learnt my lesson, luckily it was a month before the flight so I rebooked..

Thanks for telling me , and it lookslike that willbe the way I will be doing it  next year. I was going to  book Expedia, but th emore I read the more I have my doubts, the negative  feedback I read far outweighs the  good. 

[Herbby]

On 07/02/2023 at 06:10, jaynewcastle said:

I always book flights direct with the airline (virtually all complaints I see are by people who booked indirect through a 3rd party agent)

I use booking.com for the vast majority of my hotel bookings

This.

 

I had no idea people even used travel companies anymore. There is no need when it is so easy to book yourself.

[momo5]

27 minutes ago, Herbby said:

This.

 

I had no idea people even used travel companies anymore. There is no need when it is so easy to book yourself.

They’re definitely servicing a smaller market, but it’s there and quite lucrative I imagine.  I’ve several colleagues who plan their family vacations through a travel agent …. they want an end-to-end itinerary with everything arranged for them; they’re both too busy and too little inclined to be bothered to figure it out themselves. 

[momo5]

On 19/02/2023 at 22:09, patman said:

I use Agoda for Holels and the airline web site for flights. Never had an issue, except for once when I booked the flight with Expedia. The booking got lost and Expedia were blaming the airline and the airline was blaming Expedia. Learnt my lesson, luckily it was a month before the flight so I rebooked..

This.  
 

Fixing a fucked up flight itinerary can be problematic in the best of circumstances; recovering from an international flight snafu when the airline doesn’t see you as their customer can be both expensive and time consuming.  I always book international flights (or any flight that timing is critical for me) direct with the airline, preferably reputable airlines with whom I’ve got status.  

Using these online booking agencies, consolidators, etc only makes sense to me if the savings have a meaningful impact to one’s bottom line, along with a abundance of patience and spare time should something go wrong. 
 

Smaller puddle jumper flights locally that cost less than a couple of hundred bucks, are worth the risk to me because recovery will likely not cost me so much time/expense should something happen. 

[wengweng]

18 hours ago, momo5 said:

They’re definitely servicing a smaller market, but it’s there and quite lucrative I imagine.  I’ve several colleagues who plan their family vacations through a travel agent …. they want an end-to-end itinerary with everything arranged for them; they’re both too busy and too little inclined to be bothered to figure it out themselves. 

I know to many now  seems strange booking via  travel agents such as HAYS TRAVEL, but its the way I have always done it since travelling .  I never felt secure or confident enough to book online, in case it all goes tits up   when its time to go. Back . My usual yearly  habit way back in 2010 up until 2016, was to go into my local travel agent  Thomas Cook and book the holiday,  hotel and travel arrangments  to and from the hotel (The Sabai Resort) and  back to the airport. 

It would usually take over an hour with the lady  travel agent  and everything was sorted.  I became such a regular that they knew me by name and I would often get  a discount for being a regular customer.  I guess I am too used to that habit and  now must trust myself to  be able to get everything done online.  Well I have been given some good advice on here, so thats something to help me along the way.