Avoid Awd

[bojefr]

Asia Web Direct (AWD) is a thai site where you can make a hotel reservation in the whole Asia. But now they are out of work: I had to pay 10% for the reservation, they kept it but I never had the voucher. They don't reply the mails. Fax is impossible.

AVOID this site.

[ClaytonSeymour]

Asia Web Direct (AWD) is a thai site where you can make a hotel reservation in the whole Asia. But now they are out of work: I had to pay 10% for the reservation, they kept it but I never had the voucher. They don't reply the mails. Fax is impossible.

AVOID this site.

Although I've never used them myself, I've just looked at their web site; it looks quite professional and I see they have several offices in Thailand, one in Malaysia and one in the UK. Who says they are out of work? Have you tried phoning them? Your posting suggests instantaneous, reactionary behaviour. I suggest you calm down, take stock and try to contact them again.

[ovenman]

I haven't booked anything with AWD recently, but in the past I have always had good luck with bookings made thru them.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

It true that they don't reply to emails. I sent a couple of requests, with no reply to date.

As opposed to AtSiam who responded each time, almost as soon as office hours began. 9am Thailand.

So given the choice, i would choose AtSiam. AWD are probably fine, on price, as long as nothing goes wrong.

[Stekmer]

I've used Asia Web Direct (AWD) a couple of times for hotels in KL and had no problem .... but then I didn't need to contact them for any thing after I made my booking. My room was reserved and waiting for me - no problems.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Update: They did reply to my email after three days, but their reply bore almost no relevance to my question.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Gave them another chance. They took three days to tell me that the room I booked with them was not available.

When I checked with the hotel in question, there was plenty available. AWD are crap.

[jingjoe]

Hotels only release a "specified" amount of rooms to "travel agents" and keep the rest in reserve.

I bet you the actual hotel you contacted, that still has "plenty available" weren't offering you AWD's rates?

And to the OP... Coming to TV to bag an online agent in your first post, doesn't fill me with confidence that your motives are pure of heart.

Edited December 2, 2007 by jingjoe

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Hotels only release a "specified" amount of rooms to "travel agents" and keep the rest in reserve.

I bet you the actual hotel you contacted, that still has "plenty available" weren't offering you AWD's rates?

And to the OP... Coming to TV to bag an on line agent in your first post, doesn't fill me with confidence that your motives are pure of heart.

Of course they weren't offering the same rate. Otherwise, why would I bother with AWD at all.

They took three days to answer an email and another three days to tell me a room was not available.

No thanks.

[jingjoe]

Yeah well they obviously ran out of their assigned number of rooms, build a bridge.

[grtaylor]

I've used Asia Web Direct (AWD) a couple of times for hotels in KL and had no problem .... but then I didn't need to contact them for any thing after I made my booking. My room was reserved and waiting for me - no problems.

Me too - used them a lot - never had a problem.

[taxin]

AWD are a joke ! Rooms unavailable or not, there is no excuse for this unprofessional attitude and people need to know. Not responding to emails and taking 4 days to do so when they do is just not acceptable !

Why should you have to call them if they dont reply to your emails ? If they are an "online" company like they say they are then you should not need to.

The problem with AWD is they are victim of there own success, they struggle to find staff to keep up with the volumes of enquiries generated through the sheer amount of traffic they get on there sites. Take phuket.com, just Google anything with the word Phuket in there and it will always be top. As the saying goes, "Big is not always best" !

Due to low profit margins on bookings and lack of man power to respond to enquiries they turn to extorting money from business's to advertise on there sites. Again, just look at phuket.com, packed with overpriced advertising !

Great if you want to advertise with them and dont care how much it costs, not so great if you want to make a hotel booking.

[Samuian]

this thread looks like a threat to discredit AWD operations, to promote other (smaller, upcoming) booking-sites to me!

I have dealt with AWD for quite some time from the opposite site - as a seller and never had a complaint!

Have you ever read the "small print"? they are selling online hotelroom allocations - it's up to the hotel - to upgrade availability and the rooms allocated are AVAILABLE at any time - if so, it's the hotels fault for not upgrading the room allocation tables!

AWD, like many others, is by max an online agent - the "middleman" on the web for everyone, from anywhere accessible!

[orchis]

But why did he supposedly pay 10 % on a reservation that didnt come through? (as he states in IP)

Edited December 4, 2007 by orchis

[onethailand]

The OP did say he never got the voucher - if so then AWD is at fault. If, however, he got the voucher, and the hotel did not honor it, then most likely the hotel is at fault.

Kinda tough to say without further information - but I haven't known AWD to be problematic.