RANT: Booking Agent

[JaySonic]

For the first time ever, I used one of those online booking services (think Agoda, Expedia etc). This one is called WOTIF, and I booked the Windmill Resort in Ya Nui, Rawai

 

BIG MISTAKE

 

I booked an awesome hotel in a location that is unique. Despite the itinerary clearly saying 'no need to confirm with hotel' I did so anyway. What followed was the MORON of a hotel manager first said 'I can't confirm your booking", then "What is WOTIF". At one point this braindead halfwit said "I'm not saying we do have your booking, and not saying we don't". Eventually, after several days she seemed to say she DID have my booking all along. I replied telling her she just could have <deleted> told me that in the first place

 

SO I talk to WOTIF, asked where the hell my booking is that Ive paid for in full. Said they would investigate it. In the meantime, I'm getting all sorts of stupid emails from the imbicile at the hotel. 

 

WOTIF never bothered to get back to me. I folowed up again, and then again a third time. Next thing you know I get a phone call from them...

 

 

AT 4AM IN THE MORNING ! You would think a company that exclusively deals in international booking would bother to look at the timezone of the customer they re calling? Nooooooo.

 

SO they then tell me the hotel is overbooked. I was FURIOUS. I go back to the hotel and demand to know why it was cancelled. Moron Manager claims that WOTIF cancelled it ! 

 

Since then I have gotten no replies demanding an explanation. I'm going to take this up with the relevant consumer agencies, and while I can't do anything about the thick as two bricks hotel manager, I can turn the thumscrews on WOTIF

 

They tried to shuffle me into alternative accommodation. At 4am, being woken up, and made to decide on the spot, I'm glad I checked. they wanted to put me in a two star DUMP for the same money. I refused, and as it works out I'm in a pretty nice place now. But that'snot the point. It's in a different location, a few kms away ! 

 

So this was my first and last experience with WOTIF. They can go to hell. 

[petermik]

Wotif they are not bothered about your custom.......Wotif if they do not care about going to hell........Wotif you never book with them again     

[JaySonic]

What sort of business model is that ? To not be bothered with my custom?

That's a pretty ridiculous statement. 

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Wotif you were just an a$$ on the phone?

[JaySonic]

I was not. 

However I was a total a-hole via email by the end of our exchanges with the hotel moron. 

[Boycie]

WOTIF there wasn't any www., internet, online booking sites, forums etc.

 

I know, i know, i wouldn't be wasting my time reading and replying to these RANT's. (Real Arse Needing Treatment)

 

 Missing the 70's, 80's

[JaySonic]

haha, ironic to be posting that comment on an internet forum. 

 

I usually book direct with the places, but this time I wanted to pay everything in advance so it would be less expenses when I get there. In the past, most hotel managers would say 'don't worry about it, pay when you get here'. Those damn laid back Thais are to blame for all of this ! 

[Rc2702]

2 hours ago, JaySonic said:

What sort of business model is that ? To not be bothered with my custom?

That's a pretty ridiculous statement. 

Why did you go for this unknown booking agent. Any sensible person goes with what they know. Agoda etc.

 

 

 

 

[55Jay]

Why would you still want to stay in a place managed by a MORON, an imbecile who's thick as two bricks?

 

Sounds like WOTIF did you a favor.

[grollies]

On a road trip with the wife from Mae Phim to Patts we decided we liked the look of a hotel in Sattahip, rooms on jetty into the sea, and phoned for directions saying we wanted to stay that night.

 

Got there eventually, to be told the hotel was full...

 

Was a dump anyway but I can understand the OP's frustration. TIT.

[JaySonic]

4 hours ago, Rc2702 said:

Why did you go for this unknown booking agent. Any sensible person goes with what they know. Agoda etc.

Any sensible person would get their facts straight before commenting. WOTIF is a subsidiary of Expedia, following a $700 million takeover in 2015.Hardly an 'unknown booking agent' and certainly not a backyard outfit,being that they are valued a 3/4 billion dollars. 

 

Any more fonts of wisdom you wish to impart?

[JaySonic]

19 minutes ago, 55Jay said:

Why would you still want to stay in a place managed by a MORON, an imbecile who's thick as two bricks?

 

Sounds like WOTIF did you a favor.

 

You pose a question of uncalulatable logic. How on earth would I have known the manager was a moron if the booking process had unfolded as intended? Do you expect me to pre-interview the manager of every hotel I stay in? 

Despite this - why would I care if the manager is a moron. I catch taxi's where there driver is a lunatic. shop in a supermarket where the staff are pathetic, and live in a country led by a fool.

[JaySonic]

The absolute disgusting part of this is that if I hadn't have checked with the hotel (as it clearly states on the itinerary, "No Need to Confirm - Your room is booked") then I would have arrived after a 12 hour door to door trip, only to find that I had nowhere to stay, despite having paid IN FULL

 

The manager and the WOTIF staff can kiss my ring. 

[55Jay]

7 minutes ago, JaySonic said:

 

You pose a question of uncalulatable logic. How on earth would I have known the manager was a moron if the booking process had unfolded as intended? Do you expect me to pre-interview the manager of every hotel I stay in? 

Despite this - why would I care if the manager is a moron. I catch taxi's where there driver is a lunatic. shop in a supermarket where the staff are pathetic, and live in a country led by a fool.

Sounds like you're a glass half-empty person that nobody would want to be stuck next to on a long flight.

 

Good luck with your complaint to Consumer Affairs. 

[JaySonic]

You have ongoing problems with logical evaluation. Ho can you suggest Im being negative when I fully pay for lodgings, am told theres, no need to confirm, yet the booking disappears? And you still haven't validated your earlier statement that is, well, quite frankly nonsense. 

 

Rest assured, we'll never share a trip together, I am not eligible to board the special needs bus. I wonder if you're related to the hotel manager...

Edited January 26, 2017 by JaySonic

[stevenl]

The absolute disgusting part of this is that if I hadn't have checked with the hotel (as it clearly states on the itinerary, "No Need to Confirm - Your room is booked") then I would have arrived after a 12 hour door to door trip, only to find that I had nowhere to stay, despite having paid IN FULL
 
The manager and the WOTIF staff can kiss my ring. 

From your story I get the feeling they cancelled on you, not because it was full. That's just the excuse.

Sent from my ROBBY using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[Rc2702]

28 minutes ago, JaySonic said:

Any sensible person would get their facts straight before commenting. WOTIF is a subsidiary of Expedia, following a $700 million takeover in 2015.Hardly an 'unknown booking agent' and certainly not a backyard outfit,being that they are valued a 3/4 billion dollars. 

 

Any more fonts of wisdom you wish to impart?

Yh I use agoda and I book/travel 5 times a month on average and I never had any problems ever in 5 years that warrant publishing  and WOTIF is not a brand I would have chosen had I been in your shoes. Great start to you ventures. Well done. If your so pleased wirh them perhaps you would not be on here defending them whilst berating them and their partners. 

[55Jay]

4 minutes ago, JaySonic said:

You have ongoing problems with logical evaluation. Ho can you suggest Im being negative when I fully pay for lodgings, am told theres, no need to confirm, yet the booking disappears? And you still haven't validated your earlier statement that is, well, quite frankly nonsense. 

 

Rest assured, we'll never share a trip together, I am not eligible to board the special needs bus. I wonder if you're related to the hotel manager...

Horse can be led to water, can't make 'em drink.

 

I'm out. 

[JaySonic]

4 minutes ago, stevenl said:

From your story I get the feeling they cancelled on you, not because it was full. That's just the excuse.

Sent from my ROBBY using Thaivisa Connect mobile app
 

Is there something in the water you guys are drinking from ? How could they possibly know any perceived attitude I have BEFORE I contacted them? My only vitriolic communication was well after the screw up. 

 

Are we to assume you believe the hotel manager has ESP? 

You guys need to stop drinking so much, it's really messing with your ability of comprehension

Edited January 26, 2017 by JaySonic

[grollies]

And yet another TV topic decends into insult.

[JaySonic]

3 minutes ago, Rc2702 said:

Yh I use agoda and I book/travel 5 times a month on average and I never had any problems ever in 5 years that warrant publishing  and WOTIF is not a brand I would have chosen had I been in your shoes. Great start to you ventures. Well done. If your so pleased wirh them perhaps you would not be on here defending them whilst berating them and their partners. 

WOTIF have been around since the year 2000, yet Agoda has only existed since 2007. There's no failure to take duty of care on my part. WOTIF are a massive company, and their parent company Expedia are even bigger. You are not the authority on booking agents. 

 

Perhaps you might explain where I am 'defending them'. I will NEVER use them again, and I will NEVER endorse them. This is not the meaning of the word 'defending'. 

[grollies]

To quote a mod from a previous topic:

 

"I've removed the company name from the OP due to Thaivisa's Name-and-Shame policy, I'm sure our OP would be happy to respond by PM if anyone wants to know.

 

Please be careful in this type of thread, blanket descriptions are fine but direct pointing at an identifiable outlet could lead to problems for Thaivisa and our membership."

 

Come on then, apply the same standards across the board.

[JaySonic]

So you're endorsing the selective removal of facts, in the interests of revenue dollars? That seems a little.. well..CORRUPT, don't you think? 

 

I'm not a competitor to WOTIF, I have no personal interest in any other book agency (have never even used one before) and I had a lousy experience. And you're calling for my censorship ! 

 

I see you're keen to running to your forum mommy though. Wah wah wah, bad man on the internet said a boo boo. 

 

You're such a big boy, grollies ! 

Edited January 26, 2017 by JaySonic

[grollies]

Nope, but after being suspended here for the last 24 hours just thought I'd note the inequality of the moderators here. My post is aimed at them, not you.

 

And only my wife calls me "big boy" Jay 

[stevenl]

Is there something in the water you guys are drinking from ? How could they possibly know any perceived attitude I have BEFORE I contacted them? My only vitriolic communication was well after the screw up. 
 
Are we to assume you believe the hotel manager has ESP? 
You guys need to stop drinking so much, it's really messing with your ability of comprehension

It was cancelled after you contacted both the hotel and Wotif, at least according to your posts here.

Sent from my ROBBY using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[JaySonic]

2 minutes ago, grollies said:

Nope, but after being suspended here for the last 24 hours just thought I'd note the inequality of the moderators here. My post is aimed at them, not you.

 

And only my wife calls me "big boy" Jay 

Actually, my post is also aimed at them. I was moderated for a very simple comment in another thread earlier today, and it was no doubt pandering to other parties

[grollies]

I just think that by phoning to confirm the booking, everything has got lost in translation. W***F (with acknowledgement to the mods) and the hotel have all misunderstood and got you into a right pickle.

[JaySonic]

3 minutes ago, stevenl said:

It was cancelled after you contacted both the hotel and Wotif, at least according to your posts here.

Sent from my ROBBY using Thaivisa Connect mobile app
 

You're making no sense. I would not have been having ANY conversations with the parties if not for the screw ups and poor communication. It would have unfolded as follows: 

Me: Hi, I wonder if you have my booking that I made through WOTIF

Hotel: Yes, sure, see you in February

 

That's it. You're just trying to fill in the gaps when there are no gaps. This was lousy service, plain and simple. 

 

 

[grollies]

2 minutes ago, JaySonic said:

Actually, my post is also aimed at them. I was moderated for a very simple comment in another thread earlier today, and it was no doubt pandering to other parties

Hey, Jay, you trending "hottt" on TV ATM!!

[JaySonic]

2 minutes ago, grollies said:

I just think that by phoning to confirm the booking, everything has got lost in translation. W***F (with acknowledgement to the mods) and the hotel have all misunderstood and got you into a right pickle.

Well there are advantages, I guess. It means I won't have to hire a motorbike, as the new hotel is more central to facilities (I have not rode before). And the new hotel looks very flash, with a listed price thats more than double what I paid. But that's not the point. I chose the first hotel because of it's proximity to a friend's home, and to the beach, and it's quiet location. Now Im a couple of kilometres away from there, the closest beach is not used for swimming, and it's across the road from a government depot for garbage trucks. The new hotel also has many negative reports of poor customer service (although my experience with them to date has been excellent)

What I haven't touched on until now is that I believe the reason for this whole debacle is because they are watching the popularity levels, jacking the prices up, and running with the newer bookings at a higher rate. AT the time, I actually saw the prices jump significantly, so I feel they shunted me, despite paying in full.