Online Hotel Rates

[buadhai]

While I hate to bite the hand that feeds us and I certainly understand if this thread gets deleted, I'd like to comment on hotel rates offered by res24.com....

Ken and I decided to stay at the Ambassador in Bangkok this last weekend for the TV Pissup at the Sin club. I booked a single room using res24.com and he booked a double using a different site. I was surprised to find that I paid a couple of bucks more than he did, even though I had a single and he a double. (This is based on amounts actually charged to our credit cards.)

I'm going to be in Bangkok at the end of September and am planning to stay at the Rembrandt. I'm checking res24.com and they quote US$81.60 for a superior twin, including tax, SC and breakfast. The site Ken referred me to quotes US$59.00 for the same room, also including tax. SC and breakfast.

Am I missing something here, or is res24.com really that much more expensive?

Different experience anyone?

[Firefan]

Nothing wrong in questioning official prices. Also nothing wrong in giving us the link to that other page so we can do some checks ourselves.

I am guessing that the deals will vary depending on many factors, so sometimes one booking page will be the cheapest, but other times not.Cheers!

[ilyushin]

I found that asiahotels.com is okay. Lots of good sites will great rates at the moment. Search around and make a corp contract for stays.

[ilyushin]

Found this price. From US$ 32

Ambassador Hotel Bangkok

[lampard10]

I aleays use http://www.asiarooms.com they are very good. But even with them some hotels are cheaper if you just go to them. Take three hotels in Surin; Manerotte,Petchkasem and Thong Tarin. All three hotels offer half their published prices for rooms. The discount sites do their calculations on full prices, so these three hotels it is cheaper to phone direct or just turn up. A friend of mine booked ther Thong Tarin from UK, and paid ฿1,100 a night. The turn up rate is only ฿810.

Of course some cases it is better to book. The turn up rate at the Siam Bayview for a superior room is around ฿3,500. On asiarooms we got it for around ฿2,300.

[buadhai]

I usually use Planet Holiday and have been happy with the prices. However, since this was a TV function, I thought I'd use their online agent. I paid US$38.29 for a single at the Ambassador. Ken paid US$37.00 for a double. Both including tax, SC and breakfast.

The site he uses is Wired Destinations

[bartender100]

This has the Ambassador at $30 and Rembrandt an $59

http://www.latestays.com/

[Tj555]

This has the Ambassador at $30 and Rembrandt an $59

http://www.latestays.com/

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Precision Reservations has Ambassador at $24 single $26 twin.

Try looking at http://hotelreslist.com to see a comparison; the data is interesting, vis-a-vie res24. They're frequently 50% more expensive than the cheapest rate.

In this case, res24's current rate for the Ambassador is around $37.22/$39.62. Or 55% more than Precision on a single.

But I'd guess that thaivisa.com doesn't use res24 as the official provider because their rates are cheap; they use res24 precisely because the rates are higher, which leads to higher commissions for the website.

ie: X% of $10 is better than X% of $5. (or res24's case, 35% of the net profit on the booking)

Note: Yes, I'm affiliated with hotelreslist.com

--

Edit: corrected the percentage. 55% = (37.22 - 24)/24 is correct. Not 35% = (1 - 24/37.22).

Edited July 31, 2005 by Tj555

[bkkmadness]

I usually use Planet Holiday and have been happy with the prices. However, since this was a TV function, I thought I'd use their online agent. I paid US$38.29 for a single at the Ambassador. Ken paid US$37.00 for a double. Both including tax, SC and breakfast.

The site he uses is Wired Destinations

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe Planet holiday is Precision reservations and as far as I know PR is the cheapest on the net and provide a lowest price guarantee.

[lopburi3]

I usually use Planet Holiday and have been happy with the prices. However, since this was a TV function, I thought I'd use their online agent. I paid US$38.29 for a single at the Ambassador. Ken paid US$37.00 for a double. Both including tax, SC and breakfast.

The site he uses is Wired Destinations

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe Planet holiday is Precision reservations and as far as I know PR is the cheapest on the net and provide a lowest price guarantee.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This company uses the same method as AirAsia to attract customers - price without tax/service is quoted and only when you go to pay do you get the full price. The real price for that $24 single room is $29 per night. The real price from LINK is $27.94 and this service does not require advance payment of more than one day. Buyer beware.

[Totster]

This company uses the same method as AirAsia to attract customers - price without tax/service is quoted and only when you go to pay do you get the full price.  The real price for that $24 single room is $29 per night.  The real price from LINK is $27.94 and this service does not require advance payment of more than one day.  Buyer beware.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Bloody right.... got a shock with Air Asia the other day...

totster

[Tj555]

I believe Planet holiday is Precision reservations and as far as I know PR is the cheapest on the net and provide a lowest price guarantee.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This company uses the same method as AirAsia to attract customers - price without tax/service is quoted and only when you go to pay do you get the full price. The real price for that $24 single room is $29 per night. The real price from LINK is $27.94 and this service does not require advance payment of more than one day. Buyer beware.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sneaky sneaky. I just checked, and $29 is correct for a single, as you say - $5 additional per night is tacked on.

Gov't. Tax includes VAT, sales tax and other tax recovery charges.

These typically range from 7-11% of the total amount of your booking.

Hotel Service Fees include customary hotel service charges paid direct

to the hotel (typically 10%) and our cost in servicing your

reservation. See Booking Conditions.

However, I would say that it's only a matter of time (and/or money) before others follow suit. People respond to the low price number. It's the same reason why restaurants don't factor in service charges and taxes into their prices on menus. They want the price to look lower than it is. After-purchase rebates, such as for computer parts, are a similar example.

One can't keep their competitors from displaying prices in this fashion, and one can't keep people from responding to it, even if they know that taxes and fees will be added later. It's human nature. The only real option (aside from losing business due to honesty and integrity) is to mimic the competition.

I'll have to think about a taxation column for my comparsion site, though.

[deepdiver]

A friend of mine booked ther Thong Tarin from UK, and paid ฿1,100 a night. The turn up rate is only ฿810.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

friends ???? you ????

[Tj555]

I usually use Planet Holiday and have been happy with the prices. However, since this was a TV function, I thought I'd use their online agent. I paid US$38.29 for a single at the Ambassador. Ken paid US$37.00 for a double. Both including tax, SC and breakfast.

The site he uses is Wired Destinations

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe Planet holiday is Precision reservations and as far as I know PR is the cheapest on the net and provide a lowest price guarantee.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This company uses the same method as AirAsia to attract customers - price without tax/service is quoted and only when you go to pay do you get the full price. The real price for that $24 single room is $29 per night. The real price from LINK is $27.94 and this service does not require advance payment of more than one day. Buyer beware.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Foot-in-mouth. Eating crow. Sheesh. I'd gotten so used to seeing "taxes and fees included in price" that I didn't sort Precision Reservations correctly. The other 5 services I list all include the fees.

It now seems that Precision often has the *worst* price, not the best. I checked 6 of the Bangkok hotels they list, and came up with an average of 21% extra in fees/taxes that were tacked on, per night. ( the 6 individual percentages were: 20.83%, 22.22%, 21.54%, 20.0%, 19.49%, 21.05% )

For example:

( http://hotelreslist.com )

Amari Airport, twin price, THB:

Bangkok.com 5920

R24.org 5950

ResortHotel.net 5960

DiscountHotels 6158

Precision Reservations 6251=5166+21%

From the best to the worst. I wonder how their "low price guarantee" factors into this? Has anyone ever tested it out?

[mr_lob]

I usually use Planet Holiday and have been happy with the prices. However, since this was a TV function, I thought I'd use their online agent. I paid US$38.29 for a single at the Ambassador. Ken paid US$37.00 for a double. Both including tax, SC and breakfast.

The site he uses is Wired Destinations

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe Planet holiday is Precision reservations and as far as I know PR is the cheapest on the net and provide a lowest price guarantee.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This company uses the same method as AirAsia to attract customers - price without tax/service is quoted and only when you go to pay do you get the full price. The real price for that $24 single room is $29 per night. The real price from LINK is $27.94 and this service does not require advance payment of more than one day. Buyer beware.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Foot-in-mouth. Eating crow. Sheesh. I'd gotten so used to seeing "taxes and fees included in price" that I didn't sort Precision Reservations correctly. The other 5 services I list all include the fees.

It now seems that Precision often has the *worst* price, not the best. I checked 6 of the Bangkok hotels they list, and came up with an average of 21% extra in fees/taxes that were tacked on, per night. ( the 6 individual percentages were: 20.83%, 22.22%, 21.54%, 20.0%, 19.49%, 21.05% )

For example:

( http://hotelreslist.com )

Amari Airport, twin price, THB:

Bangkok.com 5920

R24.org 5950

ResortHotel.net 5960

DiscountHotels 6158

Precision Reservations 6251=5166+21%

From the best to the worst. I wonder how their "low price guarantee" factors into this? Has anyone ever tested it out?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

a whole THB 4 cheaper than Bangkok.com - http://firstasiahotels.com/hotels/Thailand...el-Bangkok.html

[bkkmadness]

Tj555

I noticed some of the prices on the website you have do not seem accurate.

I also checked and the precision reservations rooms stay at a constant price it seems, whilst many of the other jump up in price during high season. It seems to make many of PR's rooms are cheaper if you use it for booking in the high season?

Will the prices on your website stay the same, or is this something you will update as high season comes?

I found the Amari Airport Hotel to be at this price for a twin room during high season. Based the PR results on two factors, whether you have single or double occupancy, and I'm not sure what the others hotels are priced on, single or double occupancy. USD converted to THB using todays rates from xe.com.

ResortHotel.net - 6410 THB

DiscountHotelst 159 USD approx. - 6547 THB

Precision Reservations - 159 USD (Single occupancy) approx. - 6547 THB

R24.org - 6550 THB

Bangkok.com - 6700 THB

Precision Reservations - 165 USD (Double occupancy) approx. - 6797 THB

Compared to your rates shown for low season:

Bangkok.com 5920

R24.org 5950

ResortHotel.net 5960

DiscountHotels 6158

Precision Reservations 6251=5166+21%

In high season, now Resorthotel.net is the cheapest, and the previous cheapest, Bangkok.com is one of the most expensive. Discount Hotels jumps from the second most expensive to the second cheapest. PR is one of the cheapest or most expensive depending on how many people you have staying in the room.

When you online book is it a case of not sticking to one online booking provider but to move around and find who has the best discounts and at what time of the year.

I imagine all these online companies offer the 'best rates' but they do seem to vary from room to room, hotel to hotel and from season to season.

Better to always shop around than remain loyal to one company for the best prices?

Edited August 6, 2005 by bkkmadness

[Tj555]

A bit late on the reply, but here goes:

Tj555

  I noticed some of the prices on the website you have do not seem accurate.

  I also checked and the precision reservations rooms stay at a constant price it seems, whilst many of the other jump up in price during high season.  It seems to make many of PR's rooms are cheaper if you use it for booking in the high season?

Will the  prices on your website stay the same, or is this something you will update as high season comes?

I try to update the prices on http://hotelreslist.com at least once a week. The software pulls the most recent/current price from each reservation website and uses that for sorting. Some places don't seem to vary their prices for low/high season (DiscountBKKHotels seems to give the same rates no matter when I set the date range), and some places give monthly variations in prices.

So, for booking in the near future, the sorting/pricing is generally correct. However, it's entirely possible that you still found some innaccuracies on pricing, as my updates are not synchronized with theirs.

I just checked the current listings for Amari Airport, and they all seem to be correct.

Note that some services may use a different exchange rate than I do. (Precision certainly seems to). Mine's taken from XE.com, as yours was.

In high season, now Resorthotel.net is the cheapest, and the previous cheapest, Bangkok.com is one of the most expensive. Discount Hotels jumps from the second most expensive to the second cheapest.  PR is one of the cheapest or most expensive depending on how many people you have staying in the room.

When you online book is it a case of not sticking to one online booking provider but to move around and find who has the best discounts and at what time of the year.

I agree that the key is to choose the provider based on the rate they provide. And it does seem to be a problem that the sorting order changes based on time of year - ie, at different times of the year, different services will have the best price for a given hotel.

Providing a date interval on the price listing would solve that, and make the site more useful. It would also involve a rewrite of the site to make it dynamic. No more pre-generated pages. Something to think about, although it would involve time, effort, and more expensive hosting.

  I imagine all these online companies offer the 'best rates' but they do seem to vary from room to room, hotel to hotel and from season to season.

Better to always shop around than remain loyal to one company for the best prices?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Loyalty to a provider is not a good goal for the customer; it's something to be sought after by the provider.

The purpose of the website was to find the cheapest reservation site for a given hotel - the specific room booked isn't the same. (I don't mention that on the site), so it's entirely possible that one's comparing the "standard" to the "superior" room.

I don't consider this to be apples to oranges in the strictest sense, however. Most people I know don't care to have the superior room - they want the standard room. If a site only books the superior room, for more money, then that site is rightly sorted downward.

[Tj555]

In high season, now Resorthotel.net is the cheapest, and the previous cheapest, Bangkok.com is one of the most expensive. Discount Hotels jumps from the second most expensive to the second cheapest.  PR is one of the cheapest or most expensive depending on how many people you have staying in the room.

When you online book is it a case of not sticking to one online booking provider but to move around and find who has the best discounts and at what time of the year.

This thread has diverged a bit from the original topic, but how about this?

Proposed format for http://hotelreslist.com

(note: rates were fabricated for the purposes of demonstration)

See image attachment to this post.

I'm still not sure as to how I'd implement it, though.

Do I need to explain it? 'cause if I do, it probably isn't a good idea for a general use website.

Ok, ok. The lines represent the rates over time, but the Y axis isn't the dollar value - it's the sort order. Dollar (wlog, other currencies) value is displayed as numeric annotations to the graph. The time divisions are determined by the aggregated time divisions from all reservation sites. (most sites will have the same rate change dates - when the hotel changes rates. But this isn't necessarily a given)

The original site was written as static HTML to avoid the problems that a dynamic site has (such as errors occurring due to some random runtime issue). If I have the HTML, I have the HTML. Period. It displays, it has no server load other than delivery, and I can spend as much time generating it as I like. It's also easier to save. (this is contrary to my desire for ad impressions, but it's directly related to my personal dislike of un-savable web pages.)

Lack of server-load is especially relevant with the "single-page-has-all-information" layout that I use. Pagination was avoided due to the desire to "see it all at once." Pagination + dynamic page generation is a big irritation for me in web design. (I don't want the website's crappy search function - I just want to do a text search in the page; I want to be able to pageup/pagedown to see things; etc.)

Issues:

-Implementation; how?

-Page size: Assuming I could use a small set of transparent-background images for the lines and stretch them in table cells, I've still caused a *ton* of new HTML to be generated.

-This only allows for one price per hotel per service. Choose Single or Choose Twin. I could fork the HTML again, I suppose. One more column in the selector grid. I'm not happy about that.