Agoda Bookings

[siam2007]

Cardholder is correct.

The hotel has a contract with Agoda to sell their rooms at a rate and availability that the hotel determines, not Agoda.

The hotel is solely responsible for keeping room rates and room availabilities updated on the Agoda web site - either by manually logging into Agoda's admin web-site and setting these details, or by automatic updating of these rates/availability using a Channel Manager.

Blame the hotel, not the online agents. The hotel sets the price, not the agents.

and some hotels INDEED fail to update their rates...... I needed to book a room in BERLIN for March 2012 as I have to attend the ITB tourism fair there, and I know the hotels are setting SKI HIGH PRICES there during major events and fairs.

AGODA is not very common or nearly unheard of in Europe, so most probably some hotels simply forgot to change their rates to "FAIR / EVENT-period" on the agoda website, as they get few or near to none bookings from agoda.

what happened is that I managed to book a room at a quite nice hotel (PARK INN by RADISSON) at their very low pre-booking-advance-purchase rate of just € 44. I knew this was almost to good to be true, but the payment went through and the voucher was issued.

I could not resist to check the Agoda-website for the same hotel one hour later to see if anything happened, and u know what, the same room was now 168 €

I know they will hate me when I check in but who cares.....

[gamini]

Just to explain again, Agoda does not control the room rate, room availability, room description, standard rate or whatever. It is all managed by the hotel by logging into the Agoda admin web site and setting the correct values (eg number of available rooms), or desired values (eg room rate).

When a hotel signs up to be listed on the Agoda web site, or that of another online agent, such as Booking dot com or Wotif dot com, they agree to 'the rules of the game'/contract, which states that the hotel (and only the hotel) is responsible for keeping their listing details up to date on the booking web site. If they fail to update room availability/rates, and an overbooking occurs or a room is sold at a cheaper rate than the hotel now wants, (eg due to change from low to high season), then the hotel must honour that booking, (because they offered the room at that rate, not Agoda).

If a hotel cannot be bothered to efficiently manage their listing on Agoda, then that is their problem, not Agoda's and certainly not the guest who has booked the room that was offered.

In the example quoted by WinnietheKhwai, Agoda has to charge VAT, so the final room rate price is going to be higher than the hotel's direct rate. If that hotel wants to offer an identical price, then they can adjust their net rate on the Agoda admin web-site accordingly.

Agoda is correct to highlight the number of rooms left for booking on their web site. Also, they cannot hold the booking for an extended period - other people may want to book the room.

By the way, I'm defending Agoda because I have managed hotels in Thailand for 6 years and I use companies such as Agoda, Booking, Wotif etc etc to sell my rooms on the internet, at no upfront cost to me, (I only pay a commission to the booking company when a room is booked).

I recognise that I have made a contract with the booking company, and that I must adhere to the conditions of this contract. what I hear about (on many occasions), is the hotel trying to avoid it's responsibilities to the guest who has made a booking on the travel web site in good faith.

In these circumstances, the only party that is responsible for sorting out a solution is the hotel - and the person who booked the room should stick to their guns and insist that they are provided with a room of similar standard, either in the hotel or at a nearby hotel - and at no extra cost to them.

Sorry to ranting, but I'm tired of hotels who give the hotel industry a bad name by failing to meet the responsibilities that they agreed to when signing up with Agoda etc.

Simon

Why has Agoda removed its Bangkok adress, its phone numbers, contact email slot, internet help etc. It did so during the floods when there were many problems. The hotel my wife booked had no record of her paying only my name. She asked the hotel to contact Agoda but they said it was no longer possible. They should not operate in Thailand without a local contact number

[FWIW]

I have used agoda on many occassions, with no problems. What surprises me on this thread it it seems that people may book through agoda, without directly checking the hotel web site. I always check. Sometimes direct booking is cheaper, sometimes agoda, and some times no difference.

The main disadvantage with agoda is that you pay in full when you book, while direct hotel bookings you normally pay on check out.

[drum]

agoda,again just checked there site for hotel price £508 per night special offer last 2 rooms £60,about bt3100,so phoned the hotel same room bt 2800, so who and where do agoda get there pricing from,because the hotel staff sure dont give agoda these rates,,unless i could not make my self understood to the hotel staff,there reply was we dont know why agoda get this rate, cheaper to book direct with hotel,

[THAIPHUKET]

As we have some industry insiders responding, would you care to explain how the prices differences between booking sites work. What do you do, if you want a good rate without going nuts by doing x number of searches?

[drum]

im not used to booking hotels,has ive had my own home in thai for the past 6 years,now searching to relocate out of town,

so i look on websites for hotels rates,and more so to view the hotel on line,,

i dont see any other web site offering rates at such high prices then slashing them to one 10 of add price,

i think agoda make there own rules and rates,

[BookMan]

Always worth looking at a few sites..

I use Tripadvisor first to see how a hotel is rated. That links to a number of hotel booking sites. Expedia, Agoda, Hotels.com, Wotif, Venere, etc etc.

They all come up in a tiled display listing the prices for the dates u want. I can read reviews for the hotel im interested in, and unlike a lot of the hotel booking sites the reviews have not been edited to remove negative comments.

Having read some of the comments in this thread I now understand why some booking site shave far cheaper rates (i presume it has not been updated).

Then I check the hotel website. If their rate is the same i will book direct with them.

[brizzle]

As the more informed posters have advised it is the hotel and not Agoda that decide the rates.

If you want the lowest rates then there is no quick solution to finding those rates...you have to spend some time exploring the various avenues that are available on the web.

I have today checked into the Pullman Kingpower in Bkk in an Executive room including ABF and full club benefits for just 20 GBP per night. The booking was made via Agoda about 11 months ago and was prepaid.

This was the hotels pricing mistake and not Agoda's but full credit must go to the Pullman for honouring the rate and giving us such a warm welcome.

[Soboringtochooseaname]

Booking websites not responsible... too easy... they get a commission and I pay them, not the hotel, so I won't listen to these stories. And in many countries the booking website can be sued anyway, because I paid this website not the hotel !

The best is to pay with Paypal annd ask a refund whatever is wrong, because Paypal always refund, then lets see if Agoda is not reponsible...

:-)

But what I am still wondering is why, when staying longer in hotel, they usualy want you to book on Agoda and deny to give you the same rate at the desk. Since when do people respect theirr contracts in Thailand ?! And is it really in their deal with Agoda that they cannot let you book the room at the same price ?

[theoldgit]

I booked a hotel just off Sukhumvit on Saturday, last minute thing because of a blocked pipe at home, turned up at the hotel less than an hour after I had made the booking.

Reception had no record of the booking, obviously hadn't caught up yet, the receptionist asked how we booked, "through Agoda" I repiled and gave her the voucher I had just printed, "OK no problem" she said and then upgraded our room.

Given it was 19.00 on New Years Eve I was suitably impressed.

[THAIPHUKET]

siam2007

That surprises me. I would have thought if the"country of issuing bank" does not correspond with the credit card details on Agoda's files, the charge should be rejected.

[Scully]

Just to explain again, Agoda does not control the room rate, room availability, room description, standard rate or whatever. It is all managed by the hotel by logging into the Agoda admin web site and setting the correct values (eg number of available rooms), or desired values (eg room rate).

When a hotel signs up to be listed on the Agoda web site, or that of another online agent, such as Booking dot com or Wotif dot com, they agree to 'the rules of the game'/contract, which states that the hotel (and only the hotel) is responsible for keeping their listing details up to date on the booking web site. If they fail to update room availability/rates, and an overbooking occurs or a room is sold at a cheaper rate than the hotel now wants, (eg due to change from low to high season), then the hotel must honour that booking, (because they offered the room at that rate, not Agoda).

If a hotel cannot be bothered to efficiently manage their listing on Agoda, then that is their problem, not Agoda's and certainly not the guest who has booked the room that was offered.

In the example quoted by WinnietheKhwai, Agoda has to charge VAT, so the final room rate price is going to be higher than the hotel's direct rate. If that hotel wants to offer an identical price, then they can adjust their net rate on the Agoda admin web-site accordingly.

Agoda is correct to highlight the number of rooms left for booking on their web site. Also, they cannot hold the booking for an extended period - other people may want to book the room.

By the way, I'm defending Agoda because I have managed hotels in Thailand for 6 years and I use companies such as Agoda, Booking, Wotif etc etc to sell my rooms on the internet, at no upfront cost to me, (I only pay a commission to the booking company when a room is booked).

I recognise that I have made a contract with the booking company, and that I must adhere to the conditions of this contract. what I hear about (on many occasions), is the hotel trying to avoid it's responsibilities to the guest who has made a booking on the travel web site in good faith.

In these circumstances, the only party that is responsible for sorting out a solution is the hotel - and the person who booked the room should stick to their guns and insist that they are provided with a room of similar standard, either in the hotel or at a nearby hotel - and at no extra cost to them.

Sorry to ranting, but I'm tired of hotels who give the hotel industry a bad name by failing to meet the responsibilities that they agreed to when signing up with Agoda etc.

Simon

You are correct in most of this. However, the process is somewhat different than you describe, especially up to the point where the customer makes the booking. When he does, the hotel must confirm the booking, and it is at this point that some hotels back out of deals - especially the ones that doesn't update the agoda admin site to reflect the available rooms.

If they send out a confirmation you should be in the clear, the hotel must honor the booking. If they dont, then you dont have a booking at all (and no voucher).

This is correct read the small print, they have to honour your booking. I rang a hotel in Udon and they told me no rooms available so I checked Agoda, booked and got my voucher.

I arrived at the hotel and as they say on their website get the hotel to get in touch with agoda, nice little upgrade to a suite.