Manila Hotels

[Eszpresszo]

If you use a booking site, you end up paying the tax. Phone or show up and no taxx= cheaper.

Yours.

Pedro Cheap Carlos Morales.

And where do you get this idea that by avoiding the internet when booking, that you won't be charged any tax?

[PedroMorales]

Sorry, more info please. Can you explain this.

I could be wrong but I would have thought that the physical hotel is locked into paying local tax whereas the web site can be domiciles anywhere and minimise tax. My hotel confirmations often come from Singapore.

I stayed in Angeles last May, booking on line at booking.com. I arrived late at night and was told because I booked on line I had to pay the tax. When I upgraded, there was no tax and a discount. If you go through boking.com etc, you are on the system and the tax man wants his cut. Most of the Phils is a cash in pocket business and thus the difference.

On another point, I booked a hotel on line for the end of this month and told them by phone I wanted the day before to but it was booked out. They told me it was not booked out, just that they had not yet released the rooms. I then booked by phone the extra night.

[Goferring]

This is great advice RK. When the booking sites run out of their allocation, it will show as no rooms are available on their specific websites. This doesn't mean that there are no rooms available at the hotel. On many occasions I have rung the hotel direct and rooms are instantly made available. Only the reservations clerk will know the true state of vacancies. Often they will discount the room further as they don't have to pay commissions.

Well done but I'd advise not waiting until the last minute to do this. If the hotel knows that the online allocation is gone they can up their charges. Quest in cebu did this to me once and charged me full rack rate for 3 days. Admittedly they knew they had me by the short and curlies beacause 1/ the agoda allocation was sold and 2/ I was extending a stay so unlikely to pack up and move just for a couple of days. Although I should have.

As said below, be sure to investigate and weigh up all your options.

[Goferring]

If you use a booking site, you end up paying the tax. Phone or show up and no taxx= cheaper.

Yours.

Pedro Cheap Carlos Morales.

Sorry, more info please. Can you explain this.

I could be wrong but I would have thought that the physical hotel is locked into paying local tax whereas the web site can be domiciles anywhere and minimise tax. My hotel confirmations often come from Singapore.

[Engine Driver]

I can't understand why so many guys use booking sites for hotels instead of going direct to the hotel site and asking straight up for the best deal they have.

I guess the cheap charlies worry about the cost of the international phone call. You can make that up in numerous ways by phoning direct.

Ask for the sales manager. Tell him / her what the booking site is offering (check first with Agoda, Expedia etc) and they will always at least match it because they don't then have to pay their percentage to the site so they always come out in front. Sometimes you will get even better deals. It's important that you talk to a manager though or someone authorised to make you an offer for a price.

My last trip to Vientiane Laos I was not only upgraded but they threw in my laundry costs for my 15 day stay. Same for the last time I stayed in Cebu at Waterfront. I was also upgraded to a higher standard room and was offered free merienda for the afternoon of my first 2 days stay.

The booking sites are large multi-nationals and they rip cash out of the country's economy. Most hotels will jump at the chance to book you direct, especially if you are staying longer than a week.

This is great advice RK. When the booking sites run out of their allocation, it will show as no rooms are available on their specific websites. This doesn't mean that there are no rooms available at the hotel. On many occasions I have rung the hotel direct and rooms are instantly made available. Only the reservations clerk will know the true state of vacancies. Often they will discount the room further as they don't have to pay commissions.

[Goferring]

Generally I'd agree with this approach but sometimes Expedia et al offer flight plus hotels for less than they are selling just flight. (and sometimes upscale hotels).

I have never tried pricing the identical itinerary through airline direct and hotel direct.

P.S. Booking direct also works for flights, usually as good or better than the travel sites.

Bottom line, it pays to check around a little, how much depends on your own trade off for convenience and cost factors.

I've got a memory like a sieve and regularly change plans. Having all my bookings in one spot and one point of contact for changes is a godsend for me.

[PedroMorales]

I can't understand why so many guys use booking sites for hotels instead of going direct to the hotel site and asking straight up for the best deal they have. I guess the cheap charlies worry about the cost of

If you use a booking site, you end up paying the tax. Phone or show up and no taxx= cheaper.

Yours.

Pedro Cheap Carlos Morales.

[Kabul Guy]

I can't understand why so many guys use booking sites for hotels instead of going direct to the hotel site and asking straight up for the best deal they have.

.....

Generally I'd agree with this approach but sometimes Expedia et al offer flight plus hotels for less than they are selling just flight. (and sometimes upscale hotels).

I have never tried pricing the identical itinerary through airline direct and hotel direct.

P.S. Booking direct also works for flights, usually as good or better than the travel sites.

Bottom line, it pays to check around a little, how much depends on your own trade off for convenience and cost factors.

[Red Kilt]

I can't understand why so many guys use booking sites for hotels instead of going direct to the hotel site and asking straight up for the best deal they have.

I guess the cheap charlies worry about the cost of the international phone call. You can make that up in numerous ways by phoning direct.

Ask for the sales manager. Tell him / her what the booking site is offering (check first with Agoda, Expedia etc) and they will always at least match it because they don't then have to pay their percentage to the site so they always come out in front. Sometimes you will get even better deals. It's important that you talk to a manager though or someone authorised to make you an offer for a price.

My last trip to Vientiane Laos I was not only upgraded but they threw in my laundry costs for my 15 day stay. Same for the last time I stayed in Cebu at Waterfront. I was also upgraded to a higher standard room and was offered free merienda for the afternoon of my first 2 days stay.

The booking sites are large multi-nationals and they rip cash out of the country's economy. Most hotels will jump at the chance to book you direct, especially if you are staying longer than a week.

[Wicked Roger]

Yes Robinson's is walkabe distance with sweat.

I left this hotel for different reason. A hottie lady guard make me stand in one leg. Making a false excuse I made a little chat with her and left my number quietly; she hide the number very quickly. With a grin I left the place and waiting her call and she did. She told me if I stay another hotel she can meet me. So I did.

Happy hunting.

Good MT. I did same with 2 cute waitresses from the Tiara Oriental. I moved the next day and had some great threesomes.

[Mua Tur]

I normally stay at the Diamond Hotel in Ermita, but they wanted $500/ night for this weekend because of some event. It's not a $500/ night hotel, so looked around on Bookings.com and found a deal for the Manila Hotel, near Rizal Park. The deal included breakfast for $105/ night.

The hotel is very old school, traditional Manila. It's really to cater for the Filipino elite and for middle class locals pretending to be Hi-So. It's not a tourist hotel for foreigners and definitely not a place to party with a bunch of hookers. It's too formal for that.

Rooms are very tired looking and need a complete refurbishment. The distance to LAC and Robinson is easily walkable, but you need to factor in the heat and humidity.

The locals who were staying here found it to be selfie heaven with the Christmas decorations. The place was also overrun with noisy, rich, fat spoilt kids who thought it was a joke to press everyone's door bell at 7. 00 am!!

I wouldn't stay here again.

Yes Robinson's is walkabe distance with sweat.

I left this hotel for different reason. A hottie lady guard make me stand in one leg. Making a false excuse I made a little chat with her and left my number quietly; she hide the number very quickly. With a grin I left the place and waiting her call and she did. She told me if I stay another hotel she can meet me. So I did.

Happy hunting.

[AfAsia]

Not as good or anywhere near since Terry sold several years back. All the sexy fun girls running the food and bar have gone, so too has the standard of the food. However the same old problems like no hot water still persist. The only positives are location and girl friendly.

[Cali Scorpio]

After RTFF and a couple of other sites, I booked the Executive room at the City Garden Hotel. Great location and it seems to very guest friendly so shouldn't have any probs bringing one or more girls up. I read they've updated the rooms. The mirror opposite the bed is a nice touch! I'll post a review after my stay.

[Engine Driver]

I normally stay at the Diamond Hotel in Ermita, but they wanted $500/ night for this weekend because of some event. It's not a $500/ night hotel, so looked around on Bookings.com and found a deal for the Manila Hotel, near Rizal Park. The deal included breakfast for $105/ night.

The hotel is very old school, traditional Manila. It's really to cater for the Filipino elite and for middle class locals pretending to be Hi-So. It's not a tourist hotel for foreigners and definitely not a place to party with a bunch of hookers. It's too formal for that.

Rooms are very tired looking and need a complete refurbishment. The distance to LAC and Robinson is easily walkable, but you need to factor in the heat and humidity.

The locals who were staying here found it to be selfie heaven with the Christmas decorations. The place was also overrun with noisy, rich, fat spoilt kids who thought it was a joke to press everyone's door bell at 7. 00 am!!

I wouldn't stay here again.

[Dg8787]

Nobody will dispute the stories from such highly respected and informative websites CM about hard-core SoKor mongers, but I think you deftly avoided the more general question that most guys, and ESPECIALLY those of us who work and live in this culture, do not wish to publicize our peccadillos either in print or by example.

In my case, it is not wise for me to even visit Burgos Street to sample the haute cuisine at Filling Station lest I will be labelled as a "dirty, rotten scoundrel" (if seen) even if I don't go to a bar.

My mongering is very much low key, out of sight, under the table stuff. I know some guys are very up-front with no reservations (with a nod to Anthony B).

You expected real life actual work, live and fuxk experience from CM!