Does Agoda have worthy competitors ?

[NanoSpeed]

I called up a hotel in Macau to ask for the price if I was to book directly. They asked me to book through Agoda.

It seems that Agoda is now THE website for hotel booking. What kind of arrangement does Agoda have with hotels that even the hotels themselves recommend Agoda? Surely if a guest pays the hotel directly, the hotel can save on commission that it has to pay Agoda.

 

[chowcheebye]

trivago... u go there puak keow ah?

 

[NanoSpeed]

trivago... u go there puak keow ah?

Go there tackle Stanley Ho's youngest daughters.

 

[zookeeper]

I called up a hotel in Macau to ask for the price if I was to book directly. They asked me to book through Agoda.
It seems that Agoda is now THE website for hotel booking. What kind of arrangement does Agoda have with hotels that even the hotels themselves recommend Agoda? Surely if a guest pays the hotel directly, the hotel can save on commission that it has to pay Agoda.

Unless they can secure your payments or they have too many empty rooms to spare, most hotel will not accept bookings through phone calls.

 

[NanoSpeed]

Unless they can secure your payments or they have too many empty rooms to spare, most hotel will not accept bookings through phone calls.

Yeah, it's not difficult. The last time when I went Hong Kong, I gave them my CC number over the phone. It was a reputable hotel, so I trusted them.

With Macau, some of the hotel websites are not well maintained. I merely called up to clarify on the rates.

This Asia Boutique Inn is quite near to Venetian, even though it's a 2-star hotel. At $129 inclusive of taxes, it's quite expensive for a 2-star. But I can roam around in Taipa/Cotai in the evening and enjoy the night scene and casino hopping.

Not sure how Agoda works, but sometimes if you're nearer to the check in date, it becomes cheaper instead.

 

[zookeeper]

Yeah, it's not difficult. The last time when I went Hong Kong, I gave them my CC number over the phone. It was a reputable hotel, so I trusted them.
With Macau, some of the hotel websites are not well maintained. I merely called up to clarify on the rates.
This Asia Boutique Inn is quite near to Venetian, even though it's a 2-star hotel. At $129 inclusive of taxes, it's quite expensive for a 2-star. But I can roam around in Taipa/Cotai in the evening and enjoy the night scene and casino hopping.
Not sure how Agoda works, but sometimes if you're nearer to the check in date, it becomes cheaper instead.

Had tried booking through emails, hotel websites and third party websites (but not phone call), I find that prices are quite the same.

Note that Agoda sometimes has early booking discount (14 days earlier, but no refund) which is going to help a lot.

Asia Boutique Inn - good location, just "beside" 大利来pork chop bun

 

[NanoSpeed]

Had tried booking through emails, hotel websites and third party websites (but not phone call), I find that prices are quite the same.

Note that Agoda sometimes has early booking discount (14 days earlier, but no refund) which is going to help a lot.

Asia Boutique Inn - good location, just "beside" 大利来pork chop bun

Agoda taxes are quite high. The price that you see and the price that you pay are very different.

Early booking discount ? More like last minute if the rooms are still not sold there will be discount.

As for Pork Chop Bun, I don't eat pork, beef, chicken. Only fish and vegetables. :(

 

[Runifyouhaveto]

Agoda taxes are quite high. The price that you see and the price that you pay are very different.

Early booking discount ? More like last minute if the rooms are still not sold there will be discount.

ya, actually no guarantee u get cheaper price if you book earlier or later, it all depends on the hotel's occupancy as the date gets nearer.

In fact, some online portals have better rates for Hotel A, Hotel B, and others have better rates for Hotel C, Hotel D.

Don't always use the same portal for your hotel booking.

 

[zookeeper]

Agoda taxes are quite high. The price that you see and the price that you pay are very different.
Early booking discount ? More like last minute if the rooms are still not sold there will be discount.
As for Pork Chop Bun, I don't eat pork, beef, chicken. Only fish and vegetables. :(

Agoda is pre-tax price, thus plus tax would be almost the same to sites like Booking..com which is post-tax price.
Most hotel websites are also pre-tax price.

In China during off-peak period, people just walk into hotel and ask. They even get the chance to view the room first. Maybe you can try.

Sorry if you don't take pork chop bun, I'll eat your share if I go Macau again.

btw take note of MERS, the people in Macau are not hygienic.

 

[chowcheebye]

budget airlines also can book hotel, eg airasiago

 

[yinyang]

...seems that Agoda is now THE website for hotel booking. What kind of arrangement does Agoda have with hotels that even the hotels themselves recommend Agoda? Surely if a guest pays the hotel directly, the hotel can save on commission that it has to pay Agoda.

...sometimes if you're nearer to the check in date, it becomes cheaper instead.

depends on the hotel's occupancy as the date gets nearer...some online portals have better rates for Hotel A, Hotel B, and others have better rates for Hotel C, Hotel D.

Agoda's probably the most well known of industry resellers, which explains hotel's "referral". Others are Booking.com, Hotels.com (latter with other "clone" portals). Agoda's coverage span is quite wide, with some loyalty program with redeemable points. Of late, see some prices are nett of taxes/service for some locales

Can always try search engine (like Trivago, TripAdvisor etc) to check best deals availability. And benchmark against hotel's webbie for any promos (you can be pleasantly surprised sometimes). Just remember rates are "live", what's appears attractive today may go poof tomorrow (as I found to my detriment).

As for resellers (vs hotel paying the commission), they are an integral part of the supply chain with network etc. On other side of coin, some hotels even just hold on to your plastic and hit you nearer to or at check-in date (or just a deposit).

As for best time, advance or last minute viability -has to do hotel rooms inventory, low or peak season etc. There's even this clone portal called Last Minute (linked to Hotels.com), with rooms availability/pricing.

And I would add that corporate rates cannot beat resellers (bulk pricing)

 

[Runifyouhaveto]

As for best time, advance or last minute viability -has to do hotel rooms inventory, low or peak season etc. There's even this clone portal called Last Minute (linked to Hotels.com), with rooms availability/pricing.

That business division is called ratestogo.com

 

[NanoSpeed]

Agoda's probably the most well known of industry resellers, which explains hotel's "referral". Others are Booking.com, Hotels.com (latter with other "clone" portals). Agoda's coverage span is quite wide, with some loyalty program with redeemable points. Of late, see some prices are nett of taxes/service for some locales

Can always try search engine (like Trivago, TripAdvisor etc) to check best deals availability. And benchmark against hotel's webbie for any promos (you can be pleasantly surprised sometimes). Just remember rates are "live", what's appears attractive today may go poof tomorrow (as I found to my detriment).

As for resellers (vs hotel paying the commission), they are an integral part of the supply chain with network etc. On other side of coin, some hotels even just hold on to your plastic and hit you nearer to or at check-in date (or just a deposit).

As for best time, advance or last minute viability -has to do hotel rooms inventory, low or peak season etc. There's even this clone portal called Last Minute (linked to Hotels.com), with rooms availability/pricing.

And I would add that corporate rates cannot beat resellers (bulk pricing)

Agoda biggest bullshit is "insider deals". The price is no different from any wild card google search price.

 

[bushtucker]

used booking.com a few times. no issues with them.

 

[NanoSpeed]

used booking.com a few times. no issues with them.

I have no issues with Agoda either. Just that it's not cheap enough.

 

[Froggy]

Always use Agoda only. Just booked for 2 nights in Krabi tomorrow.

 

[zookeeper]

I have no issues with Agoda either. Just that it's not cheap enough.

Stick with Ole London, 3-star hotel around S$95 per night on weekdays (taxes included).
You save S$34. Use half to take taxi from Taipa to Ole London, and another half should be enough to buy nice breakfasts for 2.

 

[NanoSpeed]

Stick with Ole London, 3-star hotel around S$95 per night on weekdays (taxes included).
You save S$34. Use half to take taxi from Taipa to Ole London, and another half should be enough to buy nice breakfasts for 2.

On the day I travel Ole London is $105 before tax compared to $113 before tax for Asia Boutique Inn. The difference is $8.00.

Plan to roam Macau City during the day as I need to take nice shots of St Paul Ruins and Senado Square. Night is when the casinos in Venetian and Galaxy light up, can walk around in Taipa without the burden of having to take a bus or taxi back to hotel. Most importantly, next morning can walk to Venetian and take a bus to Taipa Ferry Terminal.

 

[bobbyleelee]

Agoda and Booking.com belongs to the same group of companies leh...

 

[yinyang]

Agoda biggest bullshit is "insider deals". The price is no different from any wild card google search price.

Resellers (usually) "threaten" last room left, to rush you to commit. Once I extended +1 night directly with resort (same price without problems). Guess it's all hard sell as in any business