Booking Hotel rooms

[NoTrespassing]

I thought I would relate an observation we made recently. We were in the process of booking hotel rooms in 2 different cities in The Philippines. By chance, we asked my wife's sister who lives there to check prices for us online. Imagine our surprise when we realized that it was about 30% cheaper to book a hotel room when logging onto the internet in The Philippines rather than booking from the good 'Ol USA. Lesson learned. Now I'm wondering if that holds true for other countries.

 

[Snobdds]

LOL...you must not travel overseas a lot.

When we travel, we always say we are Spanish or Dutch, depending on the situation.

There is a very clear American Tax levied on Ameicans...

 

[Cycledude]

I thought I would relate an observation we made recently. We were in the process of booking hotel rooms in 2 different cities in The Philippines. By chance, we asked my wife's sister who lives there to check prices for us online. Imagine our surprise when we realized that it was about 30% cheaper to book a hotel room when logging onto the internet in The Philippines rather than booking from the good 'Ol USA. Lesson learned. Now I'm wondering if that holds true for other countries.

were you attempting to book online or over the phone ?
If you book over the phone you often get stuck going through a booking agent and wind up not getting the lowest rate and they usually also charge a extra booking fee, my experience they are pretty much ripoff agents and you can’t believe much of anything they say.

 

[NoTrespassing]

LOL...you must not travel overseas a lot.

When we travel, we always say we are Spanish or Dutch, depending on the situation.

There is a very clear American Tax levied on Ameicans...

When you log on from the USA it automatically sets the prices higher than if you log on locally. I guess I need to start using a VPN but I wonder what price you would get using one. Probably the higher one.

 

[NoTrespassing]

were you attempting to book online or over the phone ?
If you book over the phone you often get stuck going through a booking agent and wind up not getting the lowest rate and they usually also charge a extra booking fee, my experience they are pretty much ripoff agents and you can’t believe much of anything they say.

Online directly on the hotel website.

 

[kenmbz]

We try to book in country where available.
Usually saves a lot of money, but watch conversion rates.

Our South Africa trip booked through my companies local travel agent saves us close to 50% over US booking.

Watch also for different taxes on rooms local vs. remote.

Right now dealing with the stupid California room taxes and resort fees.

In Europe, with a VPN you can usually bring up the sites local to your destination.

Like in Switzerland, we booked "local" but did not save much.

In Italy, it saved us a bunch.

Booking flats/apartments local can also save. We had a flat on the Champs in Paris for less than a hotel room outside the city.

The thing that's been a killer lately is airfare.
Airlines reducing number of flights to keep them more fully booked and few discounts.

 

[NoTrespassing]

We try to book in country where available.
Usually saves a lot of money, but watch conversion rates.

Our South Africa trip booked through my companies local travel agent saves us close to 50% over US booking.

Watch also for different taxes on rooms local vs. remote.

Right now dealing with the stupid California room taxes and resort fees.

In Europe, with a VPN you can usually bring up the sites local to your destination.

Like in Switzerland, we booked "local" but did not save much.

In Italy, it saved us a bunch.

Booking flats/apartments local can also save. We had a flat on the Champs in Paris for less than a hotel room outside the city.

The thing that's been a killer lately is airfare.
Airlines reducing number of flights to keep them more fully booked and few discounts.

Tell me about it, our airfare is double what our trip was 7 years ago. We procrastinated, partly not our fault, but ended up paying $8500 for 3 of us to get to Manila.

 

[gsganzer]

It's the same for booking hunts. Americans are charged significantly more.

 

[gsganzer]

It would be interesting if that also holds true if you're a loyalty member. I travel a lot and I'm a Hilton Honors Diamond member. I've used the points to stay in Rome, Madrid, Barcelona etc.

I do know that airline prices will change, the longer you linger or return.

I have that new Starlink E-net. I wonder if there's a way to mask where you connect from?

 

[ultrarunner]

Tell me about it, our airfare is double what our trip was 7 years ago. We procrastinated, partly not our fault, but ended up paying $8500 for 3 of us to get to Manila.

I’m checking fares right now… there is a new non stop SF to Taipei and of course PAL SF to Manila to Davao…

I have lots of offers to visit from co workers and the only way for me to know if I can take the climate is to make a test run…

Pacific North West is ideal for me as I’m not a beach and hot climate person…

Of course I will be on the lookout for tractors should I go.

 

[ultrarunner]

I always try to book rooms using vpn, same with the flights, cars etc. Even vignette for upcoming trip to Slovenia https://vignetteslovenia.eu i ordered , using vpn services. I just think it is so much easier and sometimes also cheaper.

Spent delightful time in and around Bled… it was at a time when tourism was just starting and few tourists or at least western tourists.

 

[Vashophy]

When booking hotel rooms, I’ve found a few tricks that make the process smoother. First off, always check multiple sites before making a reservation. Sometimes, the exact hotel has different prices on different platforms. I’ve also had good luck using apps that let you compare prices easily. Another tip is to book directly through the hotel’s website when possible. They sometimes offer perks like complimentary breakfast or room upgrades if you do.
Also, don’t forget to read reviews before you book. It helps to know what others have experienced. If you want a more homey feel, consider looking into vacation rentals as an alternative. They can be cozy and offer a unique experience. For a great selection of options, I recommend checking out ManagedBnbs.

 

[episodeofgeorge]

Booking from outside the country can mean paying a lot more. A VPN set to the destination country sometimes helps; I’ve tried it a few times, and you can actually get the local price. Worth a shot if you’re looking to save a bit! And if you’re ever flying out that way, I’ve found that Business Class Flights to Asia can be more affordable than you’d think, depending on where you’re booking from.

 

[KennyG]

In general we've found that booking directly with the hotel gets the best price in the US and Europe. Lower income countries my upcharge people from the US but we haven't looked into that.

Pricing is always based on what the market will bear. In Korea, after a few beers, my tailor explained how his suits were priced. He had a Korean price, an American price that was a little higher, a European price that was double and a Japanese price that was 3 to 4 times the base.

 

[Workeminu]

I ran into the same issue a while back when booking overseas. If you’re looking specifically for a Mercure Singapore on Stevens | Singapore Orchard Road Hotel, for example, I’ve found that going directly to the hotel’s website gave me better prices and more flexible check-in options than third-party sites. Also helped when I needed to make changes without extra fees. Some even toss in free breakfast if you book direct.