Bangkok Hotels

[QUOTE=BigRig2007;1839432]I double booked this hotel for these nights (3/12 and 3/13). I booked the non-cancellation rates so I have two rooms at this hotel. It anyone wants to use it for these two nights, shoot me a PM. I booked a Grande Premier room with breakfast. I'm not sure what the transfer policy is but would be happy to check in and kick down the key to someone. I'm not getting a refund anyway so hate for it to go unused. This will be my first time in Thailand so, I've just learned my first lesson about booking on Agoda. Book the cancelable rates![/QUOTE]Last year I did a similar stupid thing on [URL]www.booking.com[/URL]. I just called their customer care and within an hour my double booking was deleted without any cost.

Doesn't have Agoda a customer care desk you can call?

[QUOTE=Sunlover2;1837521]Sounds like a tip amount for the security guard. I will often give the fellow at the security desk 100 baht and ask him to call me in the room to make sure everything is ok before returning the ladies ID.
SL.[/QUOTE]They should do that for free. That's their job. When I stay at hotels in Bangkok and Pattaya, they always call.

Just to say that I concur with NB's view on the Raddisson Blu. It's modern, very well located but not really a Luxury Hotel.

Also, I am a Carlson Club Member. A short time back I was a concierge level member, which came with all sorts of goodies, but was downgraded a level since not doing so much business travel.

However when in Europe, they always seem manage some sort of upgrade. Not here, on two visits.

On my last trip to this hotel they informed me that I had to book directly via their website or directly with the hotel to get points accrued. Bummer, as I typically find good " package rates" incl flights via the aggregator sites (Expedia, etc). They said that " all Far East hotel loyalty schemes do this".

Kinda subverts the point of a loyalty scheme. To my mind.

[QUOTE=NattyBumpo;1837599].....Note: this hotel likes to think of itself as a luxury hotel in the same league as the Sofitel. Personally I think their rack rate is too high and not justified, but the hotel does offer discounts from time to time. I have seen them offer a rate as low as $85/ night for their grand deluxe room on the Radisson Hotel web site. This is a pretty good deal. After my initial stay in March 2015, they offered me a Carlson Club Credit Card (USA Bank) which included a whole bunch of perks and free nights. As a result I will be back at the Raddisson Blu for 5 free nights very soon. ....
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[QUOTE=TravelLucid;1839631]Just to say that I concur with NB's view on the Raddisson Blu. It's modern, very well located but not really a Luxury Hotel.

Also, I am a Carlson Club Member. A short time back I was a concierge level member, which came with all sorts of goodies, but was downgraded a level since not doing so much business travel.

However when in Europe, they always seem manage some sort of upgrade. Not here, on two visits.

On my last trip to this hotel they informed me that I had to book directly via their website or directly with the hotel to get points accrued. Bummer, as I typically find good " package rates" incl flights via the aggregator sites (Expedia, etc). They said that " all Far East hotel loyalty schemes do this".

Kinda subverts the point of a loyalty scheme. To my mind.[/QUOTE]That policy is rather typical in my experience. For example, Starwood and Hyatt only give points or other perks associated with their frequent guest programs to those who book directly with them. I'm pretty sure that's the case with most other programs.

[QUOTE=LAGuy5;1839686]That policy is rather typical in my experience. For example, Starwood and Hyatt only give points or other perks associated with their frequent guest programs to those who book directly with them. I'm pretty sure that's the case with most other programs.[/QUOTE]Correct. They now all do it.

[QUOTE=BigRig2007;1839432]I double booked this hotel for these nights (3/12 and 3/13). I booked the non-cancellation rates so I have two rooms at this hotel. It anyone wants to use it for these two nights, shoot me a PM. I booked a Grande Premier room with breakfast. I'm not sure what the transfer policy is but would be happy to check in and kick down the key to someone. I'm not getting a refund anyway so hate for it to go unused. This will be my first time in Thailand so, I've just learned my first lesson about booking on Agoda. Book the cancelable rates![/QUOTE]Email to the booking website. They will see it is a double booking.

There is always a 24 hrs grace period to adjust these mistakes.

I once booked a wrong week with a non refundable rate and they kindly adjusted the booking by keeping the initial payment value for the second booking.

[QUOTE=LAGuy5;1839686]That policy is rather typical in my experience. For example, Starwood and Hyatt only give points or other perks associated with their frequent guest programs to those who book directly with them. I'm pretty sure that's the case with most other programs.[/QUOTE]They all have best rate guarantee programs so you can book the same or better rate via the hotels system. For SPG they reward you with a further 20% off the alternate websites rate. These days I rarely pay full rates from the hotel websites.

[QUOTE=BionicMan;1839698]Email to the booking website. They will see it is a double booking.

There is always a 24 hrs grace period to adjust these mistakes.

I once booked a wrong week with a non refundable rate and they kindly adjusted the booking by keeping the initial payment value for the second booking.[/QUOTE]Thanks for the advice. I called Agoda and it looks like they will fix the issue. They told me that they were unable to speak to the hotel reception right now but they will, most likely, allow the cancellation, since the other room I booked is much more $$ than the initial booking. Many thanks for your advice.

[QUOTE=LAGuy5;1839686]That policy is rather typical in my experience. For example, Starwood and Hyatt only give points or other perks associated with their frequent guest programs to those who book directly with them. I'm pretty sure that's the case with most other programs.[/QUOTE]Given that those aggregators (Expedia and such) or websites such as Agoda or Booking charge the hotel up to 20% commission fee, I can understand why the hotel doesn't want to upgrade you and rather limit giving the bonus points to customers that cut out the middle man.

[QUOTE=BigRig2007;1839879]Thanks for the advice. I called Agoda and it looks like they will fix the issue. They told me that they were unable to speak to the hotel reception right now but they will, most likely, allow the cancellation, since the other room I booked is much more $$ than the initial booking. Many thanks for your advice.[/QUOTE]Just got the email from Agoda. They canceled my other booking and refunded me! Thanks again for the advice. Really appreciated!

[QUOTE=GDreams;1839741]They all have best rate guarantee programs so you can book the same or better rate via the hotels system. For SPG they reward you with a further 20% off the alternate websites rate. These days I rarely pay full rates from the hotel websites.[/QUOTE]That was a bit brief. Can you teach us more about how this is done?

[QUOTE=PipeLayer99;1839615]They should do that for free. That's their job. When I stay at hotels in Bangkok and Pattaya, they always call.[/QUOTE]Not sure the point of your post. Hotel maids and bellmen are also doing their job when they provide you a service; and some people tip them and some people don't.

SL.

[QUOTE=Wolvenvacht;1839895]Given that those aggregators (Expedia and such) or websites such as Agoda or Booking charge the hotel up to 20% commission fee, I can understand why the hotel doesn't want to upgrade you and rather limit giving the bonus points to customers that cut out the middle man.[/QUOTE]Also, in some cases, clearly not all, the aggregators enter into agreements with certain hotels to get blocks of less desirable rooms the hotel does not expect to sell without discounting them through aggregators. In such cases, the discounts assume the consumer will not get the full range of benefits (such as upgrades, points, and so forth) one gets when booking directly with the hotel.

As to the hotel price matching guarantees, whether this works I suppose depends on which hotel, season, and so forth. In my own experience, on those occasions when I have compared the prices on the Starwood website to those offered by third-party booking websites, I haven't seen much difference. Then again, a lot of the hotels I stay at have high occupancy rates so likely don't need to offer discounts to the aggregators. But they do have to pay a commission to them which they would not have to pay on bookings made on the hotel website.

I searched for some hotels within the price range of $30 & not quite decisive to final one. Although I kind of made my mind if nothing I find better in next few days will book "Rajah Hotel".

May be someone can suggest me a better place in my price range. Hoping for the best.

[QUOTE=LAGuy5;1841791]. In my own experience, on those occasions when I have compared the prices on the Starwood website to those offered by third-party booking websites, I haven't seen much difference. Then again, a lot of the hotels I stay at have high occupancy rates so likely don't need to offer discounts to the aggregators. But they do have to pay a commission to them which they would not have to pay on bookings made on the hotel website.[/QUOTE]This is because all Starwood properties (and Marriott and Hilton) use "rate parity". The lowest rate available online must be matched by the rate available in the companies official distribution channels. If a Starwood SPG member can find a publicly available rate lower on a website than the official Starwood channel, they can claim compensation etc etc. All Starwood managed properties abide by this.