Angeles City

[Gen X Baer]

Former Front Office Manager here.

Most high class hotels (5 star), and with a management team that knows how to use their brain will more then likely be ok and smart enough to price match directly at the hotel so they can avoid paying commission to 3rd party booker's. If their reservation manager isn't lazy, they will communicate and lower the blocked room count with the 3rd party so they can use the room. 3rd party sites are required to provide xxx number of rooms per month / year anyways so unless it's sold it's a loss for both.

4 star and belows. Up to luck. They might match. They might not care and not want to work and just make you book via 3rd party so less work for them.

If your trying to book on same date and it's impossible as day has carried over to next day (midnight per se), take an initiative to snap shot the price you saw before and ask if they can price match. If the reception is lazy and declines (which is a loss of revenue for them), go ahead and leave them a. Ice slap of a review on trip advisor or whatever site they use for benchmarking, so that their FOM or GM can see the team isn't interested in making money and turning away walk in guests. See if that changes attitude of the establishment in few days LOL.

[Goferring]

extend at the front desk with cash and get the 20% discount (I'm going to guess that's tax free for them).

It maybe a dodgy tax free cash deal. More likely savings due to not having to pay the App's commission. These commissions can be 30 or 40% so it's understandable that the hotels are keen to avoid them. For this reason the Apps actually have a contractual clause that they are offered the lowest price and cannot be undercut.

Good for us. Not good for hoteliers.

Enjoy. G.

[WestCoast1]

This had happened at at least 3 different hotels. I used Agoda or Hotels to book a room, stayed a few days, and then wanted to extend for another day or more. The hotels would not let me book directly with them. They told me they had openings but had to book through the third party hotel website. Why is that?

Because the third party sites like Agoda each buy a set number of rooms each night, in advance. Agoda has dibs on those rooms, and you and me become the sub-renters (or sub-lets). The hotel can not rent those rooms, even if they are empty, as they belong to Agoda, in the same way that the hotel can not rent your room that you have already rented. Third-party entities (Agoda, Hotels.com, Booking) pre-rent rooms at a discount as they are buying large numbers of rooms, then rent them to you and me for more than they paid, and less than the hotel is charging.

[Goferring]

Today I look at Hotels dot com and magically Central Park is available. Is that related to me calling, who knows....

I'm careful not to window shop for hotels and airfares. Both have tracking in their apps and may present a loss leading price when you first look and it's magically unavailable when you return to actually book.

I search when I'm ready to go and book when I see what I want. Don't come back to confirm everything next week.

[Goferring]

Hi SJ,

So how do non Phil dwellers like me get a confirmed room to arrive to when the prices of the hotels are not always available?

Thanks.

Victor.

Google the hotel by name and get their email or phone to contact them direct. They will likely have some form of booking page on their web site.

I must say though that, as a customer, I have never had a problem with Agoda. Cheap prices, upfront in / exclusions and very easy to deal with if there are any problems or booking changes. My only issue is that you can't book a hotel for tonight only tomorrow.

I do have friends on the other side and yes, the way they treat the hotels, resorts etc is borderline criminal. Outrageous commissions, payment terms and contractual terms.

Enjoy. G.

[FuriousGeorge]

Today I look at Hotels dot com and magically Central Park is available. Is that related to me calling, who knows. The reason I've used Hotels is they give you every 10th night free so it's basically a discount. When I was there in March I extended by a week down at the front desk and it was very clear that my room was available for however long I wanted it. Pro tip, you could book one night with your credit card, then when you arrive, extend at the front desk with cash and get the 20% discount (I'm going to guess that's tax free for them). I haven't done this but when I extended they recommended that to me.

The opposite has happened to me: stayed a few days on an Agoda booking, tried to extend on the App but they were showing full, went down to the physical reservation desk and booked a room for the extra days. The 99 rooms that the hotel allots to Agoda et al had been sold but the few rooms that the hotel retained for their own web site, tour packages etc were still available. I paid more for the room but at least I had a roof over my head.

[Goferring]

This had happened at at least 3 different hotels. I used Agoda or Hotels to book a room, stayed a few days, and then wanted to extend for another day or more. The hotels would not let me book directly with them. They told me they had openings but had to book through the third party hotel website. Why is that?

The opposite has happened to me: stayed a few days on an Agoda booking, tried to extend on the App but they were showing full, went down to the physical reservation desk and booked a room for the extra days. The 99 rooms that the hotel allots to Agoda et al had been sold but the few rooms that the hotel retained for their own web site, tour packages etc were still available. I paid more for the room but at least I had a roof over my head.

[Pute Nut]

This had happened at at least 3 different hotels. I used Agoda or Hotels to book a room, stayed a few days, and then wanted to extend for another day or more. The hotels would not let me book directly with them. They told me they had openings but had to book through the third party hotel website.

This is a common occurrence in PH. Not even hinting that I don't need an OR yields a good cash rate. I have thought about this and the closest I've come to an explanation is that the hotels actually pre-sell some % inventory to the booking sites, which these in their turn guarantee to sell retail. This way the hotel can budget with a certain guaranteed level of occupancy, albeit at a crappier revenue. Is this what's happening?

[VictorHugo999]

Thanks for the clear field report (FR).

Sounds like Subic diving and "diving" into FL trip is a lost cause?

Any way to "salvage" as I hope to travel for advanced specialty course, both diving and the other "hobby" (LOL)?

Thanks,

Victor.

[VictorHugo999]

Hi SJ,

So how do non Phil dwellers like me get a confirmed room to arrive to when the prices of the hotels are not always available?

Thanks.

Victor.

I am a recovering hotelier with 20+ years in the business. I worked for a major international hotel chain whose name 100% of you know. The short answer is this;.

Always book direct with the hotel.

Never use a third party site like Agoda, or any other.

Agoda and many other third party sites often have No contractual agreement with the hotels that are listed on the website. Simply tries to lure in an unsuspecting shopper to the AGODA site with whatever rate and dates for a hotel. Then the third party weasels try to sell that booking to the hotel while taking a huge commission out of it. That is very underhanded.

So why does Central Park show as 'sold out' on Agoda? Another trick from the Agoda weasels, they have no contract with Central Park and Central Park has refused to do business with these weasels. So does AGODA drop Central Park from the Agoda site? Nnnnnoooooooo! Central Park garners Agoda many website visitors, so the weasels leave the hotel they do NOT represent on the Agoda site and try to bait and switch you to some other hotel where they DO get a commission..

[LoveItHere69]

Always book direct with the hotel.

Never use a third party site like Agoda, or any other.

This had happened at at least 3 different hotels. I used Agoda or Hotels to book a room, stayed a few days, and then wanted to extend for another day or more. The hotels would not let me book directly with them. They told me they had openings but had to book through the third party hotel website. Why is that?

[Old And Ugly]

Did not notice if it was open when I passed it. Its across the street from Vikings bar and Royal Amsterdam hotel. Hotels.com shows the GC as having no available dates for reservation, so its probably closed.

Caveat: These pics are from Google maps, 2021, before the re-opening.

Is closed.

[WestCoast1]

Same for the Grand Central on Walking Street itself. However, I think it may have closed for good. Shame as it was a great balance of location / facilities / price.

Did not notice if it was open when I passed it. Its across the street from Vikings bar and Royal Amsterdam hotel. Hotels.com shows the GC as having no available dates for reservation, so its probably closed.

Caveat: These pics are from Google maps, 2021, before the re-opening.

[Sailor Jack]

I am a recovering hotelier with 20+ years in the business. I worked for a major international hotel chain whose name 100% of you know. The short answer is this;.

Always book direct with the hotel.

Never use a third party site like Agoda, or any other.

Agoda and many other third party sites often have No contractual agreement with the hotels that are listed on the website. Simply tries to lure in an unsuspecting shopper to the AGODA site with whatever rate and dates for a hotel. Then the third party weasels try to sell that booking to the hotel while taking a huge commission out of it. That is very underhanded.

So why does Central Park show as 'sold out' on Agoda? Another trick from the Agoda weasels, they have no contract with Central Park and Central Park has refused to do business with these weasels. So does AGODA drop Central Park from the Agoda site? Nnnnnoooooooo! Central Park garners Agoda many website visitors, so the weasels leave the hotel they do NOT represent on the Agoda site and try to bait and switch you to some other hotel where they DO get a commission.

I know for a fact that this is what happens with Central Park because I know those owners. The Central Park hotel owners are some of the savviest hoteliers I ever met. They do not put up the third party weasels.

[Thampi62]

Off topic I was trying to book Central Park online and all their dates for the next few months say 'sold out'. This is through all the major booking sites, hotels dot com, etc. I called them directly and they said they were available and could book me directly. Don't know what's up but I suspect this is some way to cut out the middle man and make more money? Seems like you're shooting yourself in the foot since I almost just booked a different hotel.

Pin point the hotel you are planning to stay in Google map. Give the dates and you will get the available agencies quoting the cheapest price. Cross check and book. Don't forget that the price will fluctuate day by day and sometimes it will became cheaper closer to the arrival date if it is not on a peak season.

Warm regards and happy mongering.