Agoda hotel descriptions/prices warning

[Big Boy]

It sounds like my payment set up may be the issue, I tried via credit card and PayPal which are both a foreign source and both work for other purchases. I might set up another account with a different address to see if that is the issue. First I will see what their customer services have to say.

I used my credit card from Krungsri bank and it worked fine

I used my UK Credit Card.

[Big Boy]

I know some may like Agoda, others Booking and Trip - there are plenty out there. Google Maps brings them all together to make substantial savings (in Thailand, at least). The way Google brings them together, I think they are all linked in some way anyway. Regardless of which company you choose, it seems you get routed through Agoda, who then match the cheapest price.

[Bamboo Grove]

I've used both Booking and Trip. In my experience, Booking is good for Europe and Trip for Asia. Just from my experience.

[Bamboo Grove]

Thanks to BigBoy's comment on another thread, I tried the google search for hotels. I'm going to Guangzhou on 9th of December to meet an old friend there. I've checked many websites for the prices and although the google one gave me the prices of the same websites and they were not that much different, there were two advantages. I got the room for about the same price but without taxes so that was around 15€ cheaper and I got the room with breakfast, which made it another 20€ cheaper so all in all it was a big save from a room costing around 90€. Thanks for the hint, BB.

[Big Boy]

Excellent

[buksida]

Just experimented with this for a hotel across the street from us in Seoul for one night later this week.

Google Maps affiliate link to Agoda returned a price of $116 (4,180 THB) for one night at this place on the laptop.

I searched the same hotel for the same night on the Agoda mobile app on my phone and it returned a price of 5,006 THB.

However, when I logged in on the laptop to complete the booking, the price jumped to $140 - the same price as shown on the mobile app.

I don't think Google includes the taxes and 'Agoda extras' when it displays the price but the app does. Unless I'm missing something.

This does need more investigation but I'm reluctant to go near Agoda again in light of previous experiences with it.

[Big Boy]

It has been all inclusive for me in Thailand. As I said on your Japan thread, I will be booking 3 or 4 hotels quite soon. I will try to take screen shots as I go to hopefully prove the point.

LOL, I can't compete with your globe trotting, but will be booking for early December in Chumphon and Nakhon Si Thammarat.

I've saved a fair bit in recent weeks, as have joelle and BG.

[Big Boy]

I've just started looking for Chumphon properties for 5th December. 1 night for 2 people. The very first I looked at was the Netlada Resort (many more to check out yet), but:

Using the Agoda site (with Platinum privileges etc.)

netlada_agoda.png

(337.4 KiB) Downloaded 584 times

Using Google Maps:

netlada_maps.png

(390.61 KiB) Downloaded 584 times

This is the trend I have been noticing for some time. OK, this is a budget property, so the savings aren't quite as large as I usually notice, but savings they are.

Google Maps works for me.

[Edit] This is just an example - I would have to be desperate to book a room measuring 12 square meters.

[buksida]

Now try to book it, logging in with your Agoda account, and see if the price jumps. That's what happened to me when I tried.

[Big Boy]

I don't want to book this room, so I will not follow the booking through. However, I moved it forward a tad:

Maps:

1.png (53.69 KiB) Viewed 1466 times

Agoda:

3.png (38.18 KiB) Viewed 1466 times

However, this is obviously a bad example because the Basket for both transactions then showed:

2.png (75.91 KiB) Viewed 1466 times

This is a very bad example, maybe because it is a budget transaction. I don't know.

What I do know is Maps has given me several recent bookings where the final price was way below the starting price on Agoda.

It will take me several days before I commit to a final hotel(s). I will continue the experiment, and come back in a couple of days with a final conclusion, I'm a tight git, so if I can save 100/200฿ a night, I will. So continuing the analysis of the 2 systems is not a problem.

[Big Boy]

Just reading the first image, it is definitely still giving me the option to book for 513฿ NOW. I don't want this room, so I won't try the option.

[buksida]

So the price jumped when you tried to book it - exactly the same as with me.

I'd love to see how this works so keep trying and post screenshots when you actually get the Google Maps price booked.

However, I still reckon Google doesn't include the taxes and extras which is why it appears cheaper.

[Big Boy]

Yes, that was my suspicion, but I'm sure I've used the 'Book Now for ***฿' option to receive the cheaper rate. However, I wouldn't swear to that, so when I eventually press the button (knowing the way I dither, that will be about Friday) I will post the results.

BTW Chumphon is your part of the world - any recommendations? Recommendations always speed up my decision process (LOL, if recommending, please consider bathroom door height ).

[buksida]

Do you want to be in the city or the beach? Cant recommend a city hotel as haven't stayed there for years but Nana Beach at Tung Wua Laen used to be nice - again haven't stayed there for a few years so things may have changed! I can't account for giants or wheelchairs though so don't shoot the messenger again!

[Big Boy]

HaHa, thank you - it looks very nice. It will only be a transit stop en-route to and from Nakhon Si Thammarat. I might well use on one of the legs. It claims to have an elevator and to be wheelchair friendly, plus the photos show plastic eggs for breakfast - what more can somebody ask for?