What's your tip(s) for surviving the cesspool of Hotel booking websites?

[dajop]

It still benefits to be an ‘informed’ consumer… but compared to the old days where hotels and car hire were booked through travel agents at massive commissions,

Or arriving on a train and dealing with the hundreds of touts waiting there to find a pension to stay in ! Aah I miss the randomness of it all.

 

[burmans]

Or arriving on a train and dealing with the hundreds of touts waiting there to find a pension to stay in ! Aah I miss the randomness of it all.

Can’t say I do!

 

[JohnK]

Another occurrence with Agoda rates changing.

Searched for hotel in Pattaya and Agoda cheapest at $883 for 10 nights.

As I booked hotel I logged into Agoda and rate still $883. Something came up and I timed out. When I went back into Agoda rate for 10 nights increased to $933. Took a few minutes to work out they were charging me more to log into account. Ended up logging out and booking with signing in and booking appears in my account anyway.

Sneaky.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Another occurrence with Agoda rates changing.

Searched for hotel in Pattaya and Agoda cheapest at $883 for 10 nights.

As I booked hotel I logged into Agoda and rate still $883. Something came up and I timed out. When I went back into Agoda rate for 10 nights increased to $933. Took a few minutes to work out they were charging me more to log into account. Ended up logging out and booking with signing in and booking appears in my account anyway.

Sneaky.

Yeah… i’ve had the same experience with agoda.

a way to get back the cheapest rates is to go in via Tripadvisor, and selecting agoda from within there.

As an ex one, hotel in bali… was $104, then $110 when i went back later in the day. Through tripadvisor agoda was still offering $104.

 

[Warks]

Or arriving on a train and dealing with the hundreds of touts waiting there to find a pension to stay in ! Aah I miss the randomness of it all.

Everyone clutching their Let's Go guides and checking if the places are in there.

We arrived at Izmir bus station quite late at night and there was only one tout there waiting. He said he'd take us to hotel, very good hotel. We got in reluctantly, thinking we'd be going to some scam underground bar with dancing girls and be relieved of our limited money. The guy drove through the endless streets and back lanes until we arrived at the hotel. Seemed normal, went in and got our room. I checked the Let's Go and it was the first hotel recommended for Izmir! (this was 1990)