Any Trick To Getting A Cheap Hotel Rate During Red Shirt Protests?

[cookiesunshinex]

I'm coming to Bangkok from April 21 to 25th. I have to come for some specific business and cannot cancel my flights.

I've been looking around at kayak.com and agoda.com and it doesn't appear that any of the hotels are cheaper than they were a month ago.

Surely, the hotels are hurting for business with no tourists and would take a lower rate.

Any ideas on how or where to get a really good deal?

I'd prefer to stay in Sukhumvit area

[britmaveric]

Thai(s) tend to raise the prices not lower in times like these.

[HerbalEd]

Try asking. It worked for me a couple of days ago. I smiled and politely said I know you have many empty rooms because of the political problems, so please give me a big discount.

[james24]

lol yeh they do seem to rise prices at the weirdest times and weirdest situations

[NanLaew]

And with Suvarnabhumi backlogged with people unable to fly to Europe due to the Icelandic volcano thingumabob, I would imagine the hotels are doing quite nicely and probably full right now.

[kangaloowest]

Try the "Honey Inn" about 200 mtrs down Soi 4 (Nanna Paza) on the right side of the road,

It is 600baht P/Night with air con rooms that are clean and comfortable.

The security is good and it is quiet.

There are also quite a number of restaurants available close by.

It has safety deposit boxes (Free) at reception and the 60yr or so Thai Lady that runs the place speaks english quite well and is a wealth of information in regards to most matters ie: money exchange where to get good taxi service etc.

Also in the reception area there is an internet kiosk with fresh coffee.

Cheers mate and good luck

[steven100]

SC Hotel in the heart of the CBD might have good rates at the moment.

[hagler]

wait a few more days and if things keep going the way they are there'll be plenty of hotels around the town with big holes in em and abandoned. Just mosey on in and take your pick of rooms. don't forget to pack your flack jacket.

[Stjohnm]

Thai(s) tend to raise the prices not lower in times like these.

In Thailand 1/2 the number of customers means they have to double their prices so they don't loose out.

Edited April 20, 2010 by Stjohnm

[ExpatJ]

Unfortunately, very difficult to get big discounts at 5 star hotels, even when they are almost empty. They dont like to reduce room rates too low as it damages their 'upscale' image - they would rather lose money for awhile rather than lose this upscale perceived image (many regular relatively rich guests and businessmen may change hotel allegiance if a 5 star hotel reduced its prices too much- to avoid the the ' riff raff' i suppose and allow them to keep their nice feeling of staying in 'exclusive' hotels.

[kerm99]

SC Hotel in the heart of the CBD might have good rates at the moment.

Priceless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This one made me laugh. Thanks

[goldfinger]

SC Hotel in the heart of the CBD might have good rates at the moment.

But have to wear his Red Shirt-then its probably for free...

[HerbalEd]

I often get a discount at hotels .. even five star sometimes ... unless the hotel is near fully booked. And I especially get these discounts when the hotel has few guests. Often the desk clerk doesn't have the authority to give discounts so I ask to speak to the owner or manager and then I bargain the room price much like I would when buying a shirt in the market. You just need to hone your bargaining skills ... and in Thailand lots of smiling and respect can get you a lot.

I don't at all believe the bit about Thai hotels charging more when there are fewer guests. If that is true then why do the tourist hotels routinely lower their rates during the slow tourist season?

Edited April 21, 2010 by HerbalEd

[SICA]

I often get a discount at hotels .. even five star sometimes ... unless the hotel is near fully booked. And I especially get these discounts when the hotel has few guests. Often the desk clerk doesn't have the authority to give discounts so I ask to speak to the owner or manager and then I bargain the room price much like I would when buying a shirt in the market. You just need to hone your bargaining skills ... and in Thailand lots of smiling and respect can get you a lot.

I don't at all believe the bit about Thai hotels charging more when there are fewer guests. If that is true then why do the tourist hotels routinely lower their rates during the slow tourist season?

Oh they do either raise their prices or keep them the same. It is very common. I book around 600 hotel rooms per year and often struggle to get any kind of discounts even now, it's nuts!

Just try your luck, especially around the Sukhumvit Road area. Websites like opodo and agoda won't lower their rates as they need to sell the rooms they have purchased at the rates they advertise to make a profit.

Good luck with it and happy travels!

[gotlost]

Say your a backpacker that's about as cheap as you can get.

[sokal]

Thai(s) tend to raise the prices not lower in times like these.

In Thailand 1/2 the number of customers means they have to double their prices so they don't loose out.

Lowering prices has its limits too though. Look at the airline industry.

[ThaiFelix]

Yeah, wear a red shirt!!

[roamer]

For up to 3 weeks ahead http://www.latestays.com/thailand/ is the only website I know where they often have deals related to either low tourist numbers or stuff like the current situation. I got a great deal there a while back on a hotel where the pool was going to be closed for two weeks, wasn't planning to go swimming anyway

[witold]

I often get a discount at hotels .. even five star sometimes ... unless the hotel is near fully booked. And I especially get these discounts when the hotel has few guests. Often the desk clerk doesn't have the authority to give discounts so I ask to speak to the owner or manager and then I bargain the room price much like I would when buying a shirt in the market. You just need to hone your bargaining skills ... and in Thailand lots of smiling and respect can get you a lot.

When I read your post above, for a second I thought it was one of my old ones. It reflects my experiences very well. Only a handful of times I wasn't able to negotiate - this was because the person who was able to lower rates was not on premises to discuss.

[chadintheusa]

Do it red shirt style, pick any nice hotel and sleep on the street in front of it.

[fishhooks]

When....(if)....The current turmoil settles down, will probably be the best time for several months to get a deal, whilst the rest of the world decides if it's time to look for smiles again!

[HerbalEd]

I often get a discount at hotels .. even five star sometimes ... unless the hotel is near fully booked. And I especially get these discounts when the hotel has few guests. Often the desk clerk doesn't have the authority to give discounts so I ask to speak to the owner or manager and then I bargain the room price much like I would when buying a shirt in the market. You just need to hone your bargaining skills ... and in Thailand lots of smiling and respect can get you a lot.

I don't at all believe the bit about Thai hotels charging more when there are fewer guests. If that is true then why do the tourist hotels routinely lower their rates during the slow tourist season?

Oh they do either raise their prices or keep them the same. It is very common. I book around 600 hotel rooms per year and often struggle to get any kind of discounts even now, it's nuts!

Just try your luck, especially around the Sukhumvit Road area. Websites like opodo and agoda won't lower their rates as they need to sell the rooms they have purchased at the rates they advertise to make a profit.

Good luck with it and happy travels!

Thanks, SICA. Actually just a couple of days ago I negotiated a 10% discount at S15 hotel on corner of Sukhumvit & Soi 15. Wasn't much but I saved myself 400 baht. I never try to get a discount over the internet, but instead do so by phone or, ideally, face to face at the hotel itself.

When you're booking all these hotel rooms don't you find that the rates are cheaper ... i.e., discounted ... during the slow season when there are a lot less tourists in Thailand?

Edited April 22, 2010 by HerbalEd

[jackr]

I book around 600 hotel rooms per year and often struggle to get any kind of discounts even now, it's nuts!

Can't see the point in staying in more than one hotel per night, but each to their own.

[SICA]

I often get a discount at hotels .. even five star sometimes ... unless the hotel is near fully booked. And I especially get these discounts when the hotel has few guests. Often the desk clerk doesn't have the authority to give discounts so I ask to speak to the owner or manager and then I bargain the room price much like I would when buying a shirt in the market. You just need to hone your bargaining skills ... and in Thailand lots of smiling and respect can get you a lot.

I don't at all believe the bit about Thai hotels charging more when there are fewer guests. If that is true then why do the tourist hotels routinely lower their rates during the slow tourist season?

Oh they do either raise their prices or keep them the same. It is very common. I book around 600 hotel rooms per year and often struggle to get any kind of discounts even now, it's nuts!

Just try your luck, especially around the Sukhumvit Road area. Websites like opodo and agoda won't lower their rates as they need to sell the rooms they have purchased at the rates they advertise to make a profit.

Good luck with it and happy travels!

Thanks, SICA. Actually just a couple of days ago I negotiated a 10% discount at S15 hotel on corner of Sukhumvit & Soi 15. Wasn't much but I saved myself 400 baht. I never try to get a discount over the internet, but instead do so by phone or, ideally, face to face at the hotel itself.

When you're booking all these hotel rooms don't you find that the rates are cheaper ... i.e., discounted ... during the slow season when there are a lot less tourists in Thailand?

Not really. I honestly think it is the person i am dealing with at the time and a reflection of their forthcoming bookings. I am more often than not amazed at how many hotels won't budge their rates in low season or during sad times such as now.

Another great example of this: i used to live in cha-am. When the tourist figures fell through the floor Cha-am became a ghost town for tourists. The vast majority of bars increased their costs rather than promote 'specials'. Those that didn't, and the majority of those were owned by ex-pats, were the only one's with any business. It was a crazy time. Some call it Thai-logic!

Anyway, still the best way to get a discount, in my opinion is to speak to decision makers face to face. If they can discount the room, they usually do.

[SICA]

I book around 600 hotel rooms per year and often struggle to get any kind of discounts even now, it's nuts!

Can't see the point in staying in more than one hotel per night, but each to their own.

Obviously i don't use all of them, that would be plain greedy!

[chadintheusa]

Wander around Silom at night, get shot, government picks up hospital bill, your stay is free.

[ALFREDO]

IBIS Hotel Nana, near Sukhumvit Soi 4 has an Internet booking promotion in the moment, stay 3 nights and pay only 2. (Only Internetbooking)

I f you stay longer you keep that discounted price which is about 880.- Baht a night for a double room, as long as you stay lasts.

A good price for that nearly new 1,5 year young hotel.

Edited April 22, 2010 by ALFREDO

[puipuitom]

The Thaifex food fair proved to be postponed too, from 12-15 May till now 30June-3 July. Very wise decission ... if you want to reduce the number of visitors. Was between Canton Spring fair ( 1-5 May) and Sial Shanghai ( 19-21 May), but now .. everybody with a ticket .. can throw that away and book a new one, for ONLY Thai fair.

( sorry, not informed by the organisation, but .. by a European potential visitor, who was warned by another European. Cheched the website of the Thai organisation , and .. yes, was mentioned there somewhere in a corner..... Nobody in Thailand came on the idea to warn already registered visitors, so many will discover this too late.

How to chase overseas customers into the arms of their comeptitors, mostly Chinese origin? Ask the Thais, they are specialist in that.