Explain the logic ?

[Runamile]

There's no hard-and-fast rule.

Generally, you will pay less online through agency sites. They quote the colossal buying power they represent.

There's some degree of truth in that, but it isn't the whole story.

These days, the major hotel chains, many small chains and, equally, many individual hotels work to a liquid pricing model. Generally, if you speak to the hotel direct, you'll be offered the illiquid rack rate.

Hotel's yield managers work to maximise yield per room per period of time. In doing that, their main tool is the internet., with them releasing quotas of the same room at different points in time, at different rates. They look to see how particular periods and room types are selling and make price adjustments, which they release to the various agencies. It tends to be less fluid than airline ticket prices (guessing, I think that's because of less profound use of IT auto-noting Y percent of tickets in coach has sold, so we auto-move to price X), but still very fluid (I've spoken to hoteliers in UK of a once daily liaison with the booking agencies - interestingly the price is supposed to be the same for all agencies you've entered an agreement with - though "accidents" do happen!).

IT's easy to see how online becomes cheaper - it's the perfect tool of liquid pricing. Meantime, at the front desk, the guys offer the rack rate. But there are exceptions. The one man band hotelier may offer ad hoc discounts at reception as he/she thinks fit. Some yield managers mail down new prices to reception, on a regular basis. Time of day matters. I was with a friend who manages a very upscale hotel in Newbury, UK. At around 4pm, her words to me were that to offer her £50 for that night would be to get the room.

Location is also part of the equation. The hotel I mentioned has a very obscure location. Chances are, arriving that late, you'd have a quick doze, shower then eat in the very expensive dining facilities, maybe quaff some of the finest wines you'll come upon.

A town-centre hotel has virtually zero guarantee that you will help yields, beyond your room purchase.

[tonywillo]

There's no logic here and I wonder if you were there in person would the same loading be applied to a non internet booked room? Some of my best deals have been made just as I was about to walk away.

For me I avoid the parasitic fly by night web based booking agents and I'm more than happy to pay a reasonable higher fee to deal direct with a hotel be it via email web booking or telephone.

[laislica]

The logic is it's a developing country with a poorly educated populace that happens to be situated in Asia, Land Of Asking No Questions.

Don't think too much or next you'll be wondering why one rule is followed "Because it's the rules" and another isn't because it suits someone's wallet.

your logic is based on nothing but ignorance dear Sir. the OP's phone call might have been to Tokyo, London, Paris, Rome, New York, Geneva, Rio or San Francisco with exactly the same result.

don't shoot from the hip but read and learn!

This has more to do with the contract that a hotel has with their booking agencies.

The agencies say that the hotel may not offer a price lower than the agency.

If the agency found out that the rule was broken, they would drop support for that hotel.

As you say, this is a worldwide thing.

Did you ever notice, for example, that Agoda might have rooms available at a particular hotel and Booking.com did not?

Then a few days later Agoda has none and Booking.com has them?

I found this out when I booked a stay with Agoda and about 10 days later tried to extend but I had to book through Booking.com.

It's all a stich up by the agencies to ensure that they always get their share of the business.

On the other hand, if there were no agencies, can you imagine the difficulties in finding accommodation?

Sometimes you just need a simple room for the night, near an airport.

Other times a budget place or a nicer place with great amenities and on and on.

On balance they do agreat job, as far as I am concerned anyway.

[belg]

get your thai girlfriend or wife to call in thai, and you WILL GET A BETTER PRICE !!!

[In Search of Space]

Many times I have booked 3 and four nights via the Internet and later decided to stay 1 extra night,which was charged at the full rate,if they said you got a reduced rate by booking on the Internet, it would be silly doing business by later changing their mind and giving you the same reduced rate in person!

I have done the same thing, went to reception to extend and had to open computer on reception desk & book online with her watching me.

[laislica]

get your thai girlfriend or wife to call in thai, and you WILL GET A BETTER PRICE !!!

Sorry, I cannot agree.

It is true that on the odd, very odd occasion, we have been able to make a "special and good deal" but it is unusual to say the least.

We often overnight at a hotel in Madrid near the airport, no special deal possible, in person or by phone.

They used to take us to the airport cheaper than the taxi but the taxi maffia has put a stop to that!

Our regular stay in Chaing Mai can only be booked through an agency and extensions also have to be online, even when the place is almost empty in the off season

[zaZa9]

Agoda is a "reseller" of rooms.

It relies on volume and turnover of rooms for it's lower room rates.

What Agoda does is to is to purchase a certain number of rooms for the horels and pre-pay for those rooms at a discount rate to the hotels.

Then they use their volume marketing exposure worldwide to potential costumers for that room space.

You will never get a rate for an equivalent hotel room from the hotel as low as you do from the "hotel room' bucket operators like Agoda because you can not match their worldwide marketing base.

It's exactly the same as buying a discount flight ticket from a "bucket shop" low fare air ticket supplier.

High end hotels market their rooms through resellers like Agoda, especially at the "off peak season" period because they in effect pre-sell those rooms to resellers like Agoda and can be sure of a money making season even in 'off season" times that way.

Exactly the same reason that airlines do for otherwise empty seats during the low season travel periods.

The justification for higher costs for booking by phone is that someone has to take the call and make the booking.

Staffing costs money, they have to ne paid., and they want lunch breaks, Computer systems can work 24 hours a day, no lunch breaks required.

This is totally made up.

These sites 'buy' or 'prepay' for nothing.

They are merely agents whose market presence is so powerful that room providers would be mad to miss the exposure by not offering at least some rooms for them to list/advertise.

And computer systems need monitoring by STAFF - walk-ins negate available vacancies as listed on booking engines and those 'availabilities' offered on-line must be changed.

Most hotels DONT need special staff for this , the check-in staff or desk manager can monitor the booking system while they work.

The original reason that Hotels could offer such discounts ( as well as a commission!) was that not all rooms are always the same in the Hotel. Those with a 'problem' were those offered up to the booking engines because they were/are worth less - walk-ins got to see the best rooms.

Of course , over the years many new hotels have opened that rely almost entirely on the web engines for their bookings. These hotels 'play the game' and put a premium on anything bought outside the web 'arrangement' ... as somebody said , the staff are given no leeway to negotiate with walk-ins because they are not empowered.

[zaZa9]

get your thai girlfriend or wife to call in thai, and you WILL GET A BETTER PRICE !!!

Sorry, I cannot agree.

It is true that on the odd, very odd occasion, we have been able to make a "special and good deal" but it is unusual to say the least.

We often overnight at a hotel in Madrid near the airport, no special deal possible, in person or by phone.

They used to take us to the airport cheaper than the taxi but the taxi maffia has put a stop to that!

Our regular stay in Chaing Mai can only be booked through an agency and extensions also have to be online, even when the place is almost empty in the off season

I think belg meant Thai girlfriend enquiring IN Thailand.

His experience is mine - my tg almost always gets a discount when we visit hotels in south Thailand ...

usually she has to check us in in her name but.

[laislica]

get your thai girlfriend or wife to call in thai, and you WILL GET A BETTER PRICE !!!

Sorry, I cannot agree.

It is true that on the odd, very odd occasion, we have been able to make a "special and good deal" but it is unusual to say the least.

We often overnight at a hotel in Madrid near the airport, no special deal possible, in person or by phone.

They used to take us to the airport cheaper than the taxi but the taxi maffia has put a stop to that!

Our regular stay in Chaing Mai can only be booked through an agency and extensions also have to be online, even when the place is almost empty in the off season

I think belg meant Thai girlfriend enquiring IN Thailand.

His experience is mine - my tg almost always gets a discount when we visit hotels in south Thailand ...

usually she has to check us in in her name but.

We never stayed in the south of Thailand but our experience in Bangkok and Chaing Mai has been mostly via booking agencies.

One time on a visit to Karon, the desk clerk said I had to pay an extra 1,000b per night for my "wife"!

I explained that she really was my wife and the additional charge was waived - so long as I had the same wife every day LOL

[bushwacker]

Thailand the hub of business nonsense.

I like it when you talk to them and they quote 1 night for B1500, so you say, OK, what if I book for 7 days. They respond with, OK, we can give you the special rate of B10,500. Hmmm .... Ok, what if I book it for a month, say 30 days. They say, OK, we can give you a discounted rate of B45,000 and we need a 1 or 2 months deposit for damage and breakfast cannot be included in that rate.

Hmmm .... Ok, give me 1 night. So that I can check out your competition.

Ok sir, up to you.

[Maestro]

Removed replies to removed post.

[Grindting]

In Indonesia one thing that would piss me off when booking upon arrival (and on the phone) is that smaller chain/brand hotels the reception would lie about availability of the cheapest room "sorry sir, only deluxe available at x-rate", considerably more than the standard room and rate. Thinking the foreigner with Indonesian wife will be fine with that. When we've later found that there were regular rooms available. Same with the ticketing on trains.. Business class only available. When boarding the train.. Plenty of economy seats no one sitting in. They take one look at the white man and then continue to con us.

But actually I think the frustration of the OP is not so much that one rate is more than another, it's the fact that the staff who are supposedly trained in hotel management, or if not, by default of working in a hotel on the phone taking bookings may know a thing or 2 about the hotel policies about bookings and rates etc. the fact that they are so oblivious to absolutely everything around them is what is frustrating, they literally put no effort into understanding the job they are paid to do, not even a pinch of thinking from inside the box, let alone outside the box. You get the few oddballs who seem to know what is going on, but day to day most of the time you are greeted with people the OP have spoken to who are happy to swim in ignorance and just smile away with the yes sir no sir routine. more interested in day dreaming about the next time he's going to stuff his face with street snacks than look into a query from a potential customer

[NoshowJones]

Agoda is a "reseller" of rooms.

It relies on volume and turnover of rooms for it's lower room rates.

What Agoda does is to is to purchase a certain number of rooms for the horels and pre-pay for those rooms at a discount rate to the hotels.

Then they use their volume marketing exposure worldwide to potential costumers for that room space.

You will never get a rate for an equivalent hotel room from the hotel as low as you do from the "hotel room' bucket operators like Agoda because you can not match their worldwide marketing base.

It's exactly the same as buying a discount flight ticket from a "bucket shop" low fare air ticket supplier.

High end hotels market their rooms through resellers like Agoda, especially at the "off peak season" period because they in effect pre-sell those rooms to resellers like Agoda and can be sure of a money making season even in 'off season" times that way.

Exactly the same reason that airlines do for otherwise empty seats during the low season travel periods.

The justification for higher costs for booking by phone is that someone has to take the call and make the booking.

Staffing costs money, they have to ne paid., and they want lunch breaks, Computer systems can work 24 hours a day, no lunch breaks required.

There is a regular hotel I use which always costs me 450 Baht per night, out of curiosity, I looked up Agoda on the internet. Their cost is 650 per night for the same room.

[Runamile]

@Grindting

I think that greeted should be "greeted", so intense is the day-dreaming, or, more particularly, the interaction with mobile phone. You see, "sociable" is limited to the social media and those special ones - our little coterie on Facebook, QQ, etc. Then, of course, there are games. Work, well that's a bit too real to be interesting. Bit dangerous, too - you could lose face if you make an error in the real world.

[kjhbigv]

Only a few days ago was in Chiang rai, walked in, asked price 1500 baht. I said its only 1000 baht on Agoda.

No problem, you can use our internet and computer to book.

So, I sit in their lobby on their internet, then shout over to reception...."You got the booking yet?"....."Yes"......here is your room key!

[Runamile]

@kjhbigv

That's about how it usually rolls.

Remember with booking.com the extra discounts and offers you can get, once an established client. I've, several times, found those really worthwhile.

[yermanee]

In Europe I always stay in one of the Accor or IHG hotels.

Guaranteed the lowest price and the knowledge that the comfort level of these hotels is pretty much the same irrespective of the location and/or country.

As for Thailand I have my preferred hotels in the different locations I tend to visit.

As for booking websites they are all on a par as far as I'm concerned, the differences of prices is minimal between them (as for example Agoda and Booking.com are the same company).

Yermanee

[mikemac]

This topic was started with one thing in mind, to instigate Thai bashing.

Mission accomplished.

Next !

[djhotsox]

The answer to your question and the reason you can get a big discount online as compared to the rack rate at a hotel is because the website will buy a large block of rooms from the hotel at a certain (low) price and they will then sell them to potential guests online. The website is betting they can make a profit dealing with the large volume they bought at a big discount. The hotel is happy they sold a bunch of their rooms so have guaranteed some income at least and partially filled the hotel leaving them other rooms to sell at a much higher profit margin.

If you can book a large number of rooms yourself rather than just one, I'm sure you can negotiate a lower price with the hotel as well. But just one room isn't worth it for them.

That's the reason.

[Minnehaha]

I often wondered the same thing, but I did get it explained to me once.. It went something along the lines of..

Hotels that join the pool for internet/travel agent bookings enter into an agreement to supply X amounts of free rooms in return for such things as free or subsidized Bedding, Towels and other Hotel consumables.

Have you ever wondered why that room you booked online is always the longest walk from reception or in the oldest part of the hotel?

Therefore the price offered by the internet booking companies is totally unrelated to what the Hotel set's its pricing at..

If a hotel undercuts a price offered online, then it is in breach of their agreement..

Sounds crazy I know, I wonder if someone could put me right or confirm this as a fact?

There is an element of truth to this. But it is more complicated.

Each of the big online booking agencies have slightly different rules.

But all force hotels to agree that they will not undercut the price quoted online. Otherwise nobody will book online. And online booking agencies would cease to exist. And if you search for hotels of a certain criteria there would be no 'directory' or 'big data' to produce results that fit your target search.

I met with the staff of a 5 star hotel just yesterday, with the owner and GM in the room. This was explained to me. THey dont like it but have to live with it. Still they want to drive more traffic to their website because they make more than if you book online. Yes, they have to pay a commission to the booking company. What is worse, companies like booking.com charge you a fee to put your results above other similar properties. Lets say you search for 4 star in certain location, with certain amenities/facilities. If you did not pay a fee, then your results will be way down the list. It may also affect the commission they charge.

As I understand it, it seems like it has to be illegal in some way, but probably only in a country with real laws.

[zaZa9]

The answer to your question and the reason you can get a big discount online as compared to the rack rate at a hotel is because the website will buy a large block of rooms from the hotel at a certain (low) price and they will then sell them to potential guests online. The website is betting they can make a profit dealing with the large volume they bought at a big discount. The hotel is happy they sold a bunch of their rooms so have guaranteed some income at least and partially filled the hotel leaving them other rooms to sell at a much higher profit margin.

If you can book a large number of rooms yourself rather than just one, I'm sure you can negotiate a lower price with the hotel as well. But just one room isn't worth it for them.

That's the reason.

Id genuinely like to see any evidence of this you can offer.

I was 17 years in this business and I never once saw these web Agents "buy" blocks of rooms ...its also a very risky business plan.

A tsunami could wipe out the hotel , who refunds Agodas 80 rooms booked and paid for for 3 months?

Martial Law is declared , is that the hotels fault? Will a Thai Hotel be refunding ? The rooms are still there.

Agents put people together ... renting out their 'own' rooms would ruin their implied impartiality .

Agoda and the like do not buy their own hotels , even though they are in a great position to do so.

[zaZa9]

I often wondered the same thing, but I did get it explained to me once.. It went something along the lines of..

Hotels that join the pool for internet/travel agent bookings enter into an agreement to supply X amounts of free rooms in return for such things as free or subsidized Bedding, Towels and other Hotel consumables.

Have you ever wondered why that room you booked online is always the longest walk from reception or in the oldest part of the hotel?

Therefore the price offered by the internet booking companies is totally unrelated to what the Hotel set's its pricing at..

If a hotel undercuts a price offered online, then it is in breach of their agreement..

Sounds crazy I know, I wonder if someone could put me right or confirm this as a fact?

There is an element of truth to this. But it is more complicated.

Each of the big online booking agencies have slightly different rules.

But all force hotels to agree that they will not undercut the price quoted online. Otherwise nobody will book online. And online booking agencies would cease to exist. And if you search for hotels of a certain criteria there would be no 'directory' or 'big data' to produce results that fit your target search.

I met with the staff of a 5 star hotel just yesterday, with the owner and GM in the room. This was explained to me. THey dont like it but have to live with it. Still they want to drive more traffic to their website because they make more than if you book online. Yes, they have to pay a commission to the booking company. What is worse, companies like booking.com charge you a fee to put your results above other similar properties. Lets say you search for 4 star in certain location, with certain amenities/facilities. If you did not pay a fee, then your results will be way down the list. It may also affect the commission they charge.

As I understand it, it seems like it has to be illegal in some way, but probably only in a country with real laws.

This is exactly my experience.

My profits were well down when somebody used a web Agent.

So they didnt get the best room.

The best rooms were to seal a deal with those who walked in.

You simply HAD to list some rooms with the big web players in order to have a presence on their websites - that always ranked up there on the first page of a google search!

The great irony is that when the net first arrived , 'Travel Agents' were predicted to disappear overnight because every individual would soon have the ability to book directly and cheaply with the providers , even if they were on the other side of the world!

[JacChang]

To the OP, if you have your own business you may understand better instead of saying the system is not logical.

I'll show you an example.

The hotel has 300 rooms available in the building. Through it's own marketing strategy/phone/direct agents/etc., it could usually only sell 250 rooms on a regular average basis. 50 rooms will always be empty regardless, which will be sold to "outside companies", which I will explain later in detail.

Out of that 250 rooms the hotel controls directly,

50 is reserved for EARLY BIRD promotions at the price of 2,000 THB. This is an insurance guarantee. As a director, I never want to risk selling 248 rooms or 249 rooms. Is selling 200 rooms easier than selling 250? Sure it is.

20 rooms for internet pricing at 2,200. Why call the staff when the online price offers 2,200 THB and then complain the hotel phone call gives 2,400THB? Do you have too much time? Are you here to argue with the system? Just frigging buy it online then geez.

100 standard rooms at 2,400 THB. The usual nothing special.

70 standard rooms at 2,800 THB. The exact same rooms but at the higher price. "DONT CALL ME ASKING WHY THERE IS 2,400THB room"

10 standard rooms at 4,000 THB. VERY UNNEGOTIABLE. Targeted at last minute, desperate customers. Hmm, the number is too high, usually only 2-3 rooms reserved for this price.

So there it is, nothing illogical, just business. A marketing model. I'll sell those products that are exactly the same at different categories with different prices. Once the quota in one is gone, customers have to move to the next. GUESS WHAT, the system works. Complain?

Now I explain about the outside companies of the remaining 50 rooms.

What the hotel industry is facing is inefficiency. That is having occupancy rates of 90%. What do we do with the remaining 10%? That's where the outside companies come in. Walk into the hotel, discusses with the CEO. I have a plan for you, I will buy the remaining 10% rooms from you. Giving you 100% occupancy rates. CEO thinks, "Hmmm, I like it, what's the catch?" The hotel would have to sell the remaining rooms at 30% price for example. Most businessmen, would agree with me, this is a very good deal. You can choose between two choices. 1) Only profit from 90% of the rooms. 2) Profit from 100% of the rooms, even if the last 10% rooms have a lower profit margin. 1 baht is better than 0 baht. As long as the remaining 10% rooms sell higher than costs, it is worth it.

Next, the outside companies have this amazing 10% rooms at crazy cheap prices. They will find their own customers to sell to at 1,400 but only for 50 rooms. Of course, there would always be that one misinformed guy who gets pissed and calls the hotel to complain why the internet says 1,400 but the hotel offers 2,800.

Why why why?! Do you really expect the hotel to say "Oh I'm sorry sir, we'll match the internet price?!" HAHA. Here comes the contract part. How many of you think the online slogan of "If you can find anywhere else that is cheaper, we will beat it?" It is a whistleblower strategy. To allow customers to be the detectives, to check if anyone is in breach of the contract. When the outside company buys the 10% remaining rooms, there is a contract that is for the protection of the outside company. If the hotel could offer the same rates as the outside company, what's the purpose of the outside company? It is illegal, for hotels to advertise or have any evidence, OR to give other agents/more outside companies, that they can offer cheaper prices. If any customer can indeed find one, and let's the company know, the company will get huge compensations from the hotel for breach of contract.

[thaicookingchef]

Does not seem difficult to understand that rooms are cheaper online to attract customers.

But of course hotels prefer to rent the rooms for higher price if someone is stupid enough to call or not book online.

[JacChang]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I have done the same thing in Thailand and the Philippines. However, being informed that my rate will be higher - due to booking in person - I connect to their wi-fi and book the room from my laptop. Then i have them print out the email voucher. idiots...

The staffs are not idiots, you are just misinformed. Read my above post.

I have done the same thing, went to reception to extend and had to open computer on reception desk & book online with her watching me.

That's standard procedure.

Only a few days ago was in Chiang rai, walked in, asked price 1500 baht. I said its only 1000 baht on Agoda.

No problem, you can use our internet and computer to book.

So, I sit in their lobby on their internet, then shout over to reception...."You got the booking yet?"....."Yes"......here is your room key!

A lot of reactions I'm seeing is most people feel that the staff or hotel system is incompetent or the like.

Most misinformed customers, as I would like to label it, check the internet to see the prices of 1,500 for example, then walks in gets offered 2,000. They feel insulted as if the staff is trying to trick them. And to prove the staff wrong, they book it online and gets checked in. MOST will roll their eyes, and considers the service bad. Most will feel superior as if they accomplished something to prove the staff wrong. Did you know, the staff is having a disapproving nod?

Have you ever wondered what the staff is thinking? Read my previous post, it has all the complete details for you to understand, it is completely business and completely RATIONAL AND LOGICAL. You are making a fool of yourself by doing all those things you have posted. The staff did not prevent you from ordering online did they? They supported you to order online if that is your wish, and that I give thumbs up to them already for service. They have never stopped you from doing so. Turn it around, today in the hotel restaurant, you order a nice steak for 400 baht, and then you complain the outside street vendor sells for only 20 baht. Idiot problematic customer? Most would agree. Ok, now take this exact same situation and place it on the pricing of the hotel. The online sells for 1,500, but you are walking into the hotel which the staff offers for 2,000. VERY VERY logical. Smart customer. Ruthless complaining. IF ONLINE IS CHEAPER, BUY IT ONLINE THEN, WHAT'S THE FUSS?

And for those saying or claiming 20+ years in the business and proving others wrong. Sorry, I don't know about the sales agent level, but I work with the board of directors and General Managers of each hotel, and this is how the business model works. I don't care if your computer doesn't show up how "outside companies" didn't book 10 rooms or so on.

[samuijimmy]

This booking online, is the same world wide.... agree with those who suggest an excuse of Thai Bashing..... ...

..... it just become another stupid thread of nonsense.

[kjhbigv]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I have done the same thing in Thailand and the Philippines. However, being informed that my rate will be higher - due to booking in person - I connect to their wi-fi and book the room from my laptop. Then i have them print out the email voucher. idiots...

The staffs are not idiots, you are just misinformed. Read my above post.

I have done the same thing, went to reception to extend and had to open computer on reception desk & book online with her watching me.

That's standard procedure.

Only a few days ago was in Chiang rai, walked in, asked price 1500 baht. I said its only 1000 baht on Agoda.

No problem, you can use our internet and computer to book.

So, I sit in their lobby on their internet, then shout over to reception...."You got the booking yet?"....."Yes"......here is your room key!

A lot of reactions I'm seeing is most people feel that the staff or hotel system is incompetent or the like.

Most misinformed customers, as I would like to label it, check the internet to see the prices of 1,500 for example, then walks in gets offered 2,000. They feel insulted as if the staff is trying to trick them. And to prove the staff wrong, they book it online and gets checked in. MOST will roll their eyes, and considers the service bad. Most will feel superior as if they accomplished something to prove the staff wrong. Did you know, the staff is having a disapproving nod?

Have you ever wondered what the staff is thinking? Read my previous post, it has all the complete details for you to understand, it is completely business and completely RATIONAL AND LOGICAL. You are making a fool of yourself by doing all those things you have posted. The staff did not prevent you from ordering online did they? They supported you to order online if that is your wish, and that I give thumbs up to them already for service. They have never stopped you from doing so. Turn it around, today in the hotel restaurant, you order a nice steak for 400 baht, and then you complain the outside street vendor sells for only 20 baht. Idiot problematic customer? Most would agree. Ok, now take this exact same situation and place it on the pricing of the hotel. The online sells for 1,500, but you are walking into the hotel which the staff offers for 2,000. VERY VERY logical. Smart customer. Ruthless complaining. IF ONLINE IS CHEAPER, BUY IT ONLINE THEN, WHAT'S THE FUSS?

And for those saying or claiming 20+ years in the business and proving others wrong. Sorry, I don't know about the sales agent level, but I work with the board of directors and General Managers of each hotel, and this is how the business model works. I don't care if your computer doesn't show up how "outside companies" didn't book 10 rooms or so on.

Where in my post did I suggest or infer that "the staff or hotel system is incompetent or the like."?

"Most will feel superior as if they accomplished something to prove the staff wrong."....What are you talking about? That statement says more about you than me. It's the system and I appreciated the fact they encouraged me to book online. You DO realise it's the same in other countries (UK, France, Germany) etc, not just Thailand.

"You are making a fool of yourself by doing all those things you have posted.".......ridiculous statement.

Do you think the staff care less how a customer books a room? The owner maybe but certainly not the staff, especially when the place was almost empty.

Where have I complained in my post, I was just stating a fact.

I could not care less what a hotel does or what it's staff think as long as I get a room, at the price i think is correct for the level of accommodation!

[Runamile]

If anybody's still having difficulty with this, it may well be good to consider what is the core skill of hotel management. It is property management.

When did you last see a hotel doing its own laundry - that had become outsourced long before the term "outsourcing" had even been coined!

What this thread has been about is outsourcing sales to a global market through the internet. That said, it's outsourcing only the low value sales, hotels, usually, still trying to have some kind of crack at high value sales themselves - though I would have thought that, apart from known brands, that must feel increasingly like swimming against the tide.

I assume that hotels have gone the way of airlines, in other words from the outsourcing representing incremental sales to it representing core sales.

[bonobo]

I booked a room in Phuket for three nights, then wanted to stay an extra night. The hotel wanted 40% more for the room, so I walked to the lobby computer and booked the room for the advertised rate. This was on the hotel website, not a retailer.

The receptionist didn't bat an eye when I walked back across the lobby with the confirmation.

On the other hand, I was in Redding, California last month, coming in late and needing a hotel. I found one, then went online to the chain website to see the price (no prices on the signs). I got the price and went in. They gave me a price of $69 when the website said it was $59. I showed them the hotel website with the price, and the owner blew up at me, screaming that I was a liar and trying to cheat him, even when I showed him the page on my phone. I thought I was doing him a favor, but I guess not. I was tempted just to push the purchase button, but why give him the business? I just went across the street to a Travelodge and got a room at a military rate of $55.

So it is not just "third world" countries that act this way. This was in the USA.

[kingstonkid]

Very simply and this is the international system not just Thai or Asian.

As someone above stated the system is established so that they can replace the person taking the reservation on the phone.

It is a lot easier to get the booking done on the internet and it is more cost effective to the hotel.

Instead of having a reservation desk in a hotel a chain can have a computer system that manages all the hotels at once. You just put in the name to the main server for Marriott and it makes the booking for that hotel.

Why is it cheaper. It is called incentive and yes it is only good for use on the internet.

HENCE INTERNET ONLY PRICE