ThaiHotelDiscounts

[Hugh_Hoy]

Nothing personal, I just never use agents for my hotel bookings. I never pay in advance for hotel stays. I either pay on a daily basis or at the end of my stay. I prefer it that way, more control and flexibility.

Simie.

 

Same here.

 

HH

 

[samak]

i have used thaihoteldiscounts several times. the rates are very good and the service as well!

last time just 2 weeks ago for a full week on Koh Chang. maybe i did not use the link from this board all the time as i bookmarked the link.

sorry about that, Khunsanuk! will in future approach their website only through this board!

[wowser]

I have used THD many times, service is second to none, never thought of using the 1% discount, but will do in future as the site gets a cut.

On more than 1 occasion I have rung when actually on my way to Bangkok from Pattaya and I get sorted within 15 minutes. I tell Tim what I want he calls back within 5 minutes tells me if it is available if not has a suggestion as to here I should go. Never 2nd guessed his choice as everytime he has been spot on.

 

Big thumbs up from W34

 

[hooky]

Used THD to book me in at Town Lodge on my last trip. No problems at all. I didn't get as good a price from Town Lodge when I later just turned up on spec. I can't remember the exact price, but I think THD was about 200 baht a night cheaper. Will be using THD on my visit next month!

[Dumsoda]

This is a "Cut & Paste" (In English...lol)... from my post in the Sponsors thread....

 

............

 

I have just booked my usual abode for early November through Tim at THD

 

Cheaper than the web site, but 120Bt per day more expensive than the "mates rates" the Hotel management personally offer to me as a FV (Frequent Visitor)

 

Why then use THD???

 

1. They accept Amex...my card of choice

1. They support the Board

3. They offer a member rebate of 1% (which I asked to be given to the Board)

4. They provide the best service of any booking agency I have ever used. Full stop!

5. When I check out it will be early morning and by having everything pre paid I save sufficient time to allow for 1 final goodbye...&^%$* .... and that in itself is good enough reason for me!!!

 

 

I am happy to pay a small premium for "Service" and strongly believe in the "Peanuts & Monkeys" princple

 

 

Besides PRICE cannot be the sole issue for the difference in number of bookings via this site c/f another sight.... Can it???????

 

....Are the collective members here such kia neow pricks that a few pennies makes such a difference as against the results from another board????

 

Gotta be another / other reasons....but stuffed if I know...

 

Come on Guys (& Girls) the challange is to find the reason.

 

Why is it so???????????

 

Cheers DC

 

P.S. CTO made an interesting point in the other thread ....that many of the regular posters here are either Locals or very regular visitors that have their own regular accomodation arrangements.

 

I think this maybe right on the money!!!

 

I know I can ring my regular Hotel from Oz and the receptionist knows my voice....lol... Wa dee K DS....you want your normal room???...Beautiful!!!!

 

But, for the reasons listed above, this time I booked through Tim. Mostly I book through Tim for side trips within LOS, when "we" decide to head out of Bkk for a few days

 

No complaints from me....excellent service as per usual

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Rider:

I have no connection with THD. I have never met (or even spoken with) Tim

 

Cheers DC

 

[torrenova]

I have a few reasons.

 

This site, though about Thailand, is very Bangkok biased (geographically). Thus, it is of little interest to Pattaya advertisers.

 

People here tend to know the score, they may know hotels and may have been before, making their own arrangements. Some like the flexibility of post pay as has been mentioned.

 

I don't get the pay more for the service thing. You are not buying the article from the provider, you are booking it through them. Any hotel manager worth their salt should undercut an agent if approached direct and certainly out of high season / high market demand.

 

The crap about instant availability or not is a major hassle. If I know I can book it straight up 100% guauranteed then ok, if I have to wait for a snail mail then I can do better by picking up the phone or emailing the hotel direct.

 

Price sensitivity matters. If THD are not competitive twice or three times, they may be forgotten along with the million other hotel booking agents out there.

 

I had great service from them though could not go ahead with the booking through my own change i circumstances and I was emailing them to clarify cetain things. That alone is a level of service I have yet to receive from a competitor here.

 

I will give them the chance but will not pay over the odds.

[Dumsoda]

Good points you raise.

 

The point I made about not worrying about paying a bit more for "service" was more related to my personal circumstances with this trip.

 

With this trip I will be in & out twice...3 days ...then 4 days....2 early morning check outs...suits me to pre pay...AND suits me to pay via Amex as I can link Ex's to Business (This particular Hotel does not accept Amex) So I pay a little more than I normally would, but LESS than the Hotels regular walk in rate....not the end of the world

 

The Hotel does look after me Very well and offers me their Best rate every time.

 

THD does provide the best and quickest response to booking requests that I have ever experienced in around 20 years of visiting LOS.

I like their service and will support them when I can.

Like any business they need to be competitive or they will not survive....but then again, I'd not go elsewhere for a few hundred baht over a weeks accomodation.

 

Cheers DS

[thaihoteldiscounts]

I think it's great that THD offers the discount to board members but below is the price difference for the Sandy Spring. I will continue to check for bookings in the future if THD gives the best or close to the best deal I will use them.

 

THD Price: Suite Seaview Room Only 3,080 THB

 

Hotel Site: Suite w/Seaview 2,800 Bahts

 

Sanddawg,

 

Thanks. As mentioned before, we will discontinue with The Sandy Spring Hotel. Like most small hotels, they give riduculous prices to agents and prefer to sell direct. Also during Dec/Jan, they have rooms but will only sell direct.

 

Tim

 

[liquidflux]

I think pre-paying for the room is the the main issue for most people. Not a big deal if you're familiar with the place, but most aren't. You're then at the mercy of the hotel. If you get stuck in a crappy room and they can't/won't move you to something better, you're SOL. There's also no real incentive for the hotel to accommodate you since they've already got your money in hand. It would be good business if they did, but TIT. Then if you decide to check out early you're forced to forfeit the money you've paid for the remaining days.

 

[thaihoteldiscounts]

Good points you raise.

 

The point I made about not worrying about paying a bit more for "service" was more related to my personal circumstances with this trip.

 

With this trip I will be in & out twice...3 days ...then 4 days....2 early morning check outs...suits me to pre pay...AND suits me to pay via Amex as I can link Ex's to Business (This particular Hotel does not accept Amex) So I pay a little more than I normally would, but LESS than the Hotels regular walk in rate....not the end of the world

 

The Hotel does look after me Very well and offers me their Best rate every time.

 

THD does provide the best and quickest response to booking requests that I have ever experienced in around 20 years of visiting LOS.

I like their service and will support them when I can.

Like any business they need to be competitive or they will not survive....but then again, I'd not go elsewhere for a few hundred baht over a weeks accomodation.

 

Cheers DS

 

 

On the new site, we will select the hotels which give competitive rates to us and not those whose rates are high.

 

Majestic Suites,Citi Chic, Town Lodge and Majestic Grande for example give us great prices due to the volume we sell. Can be confirmed in 5 minutes during office hours.

 

The Key Bangkok gave me Mickey Mouse rates for October-December, so much that I cannot attempt to sell at these prices. However December onwards, I think all is ok and the prices are competitive.

 

Other hotels, Nov 1st onwards mostly in Bangkok etc our rates are very competitive.

 

I decided not to do the instant confirmation feature. During peak season, sites with this still have the rooms on request at the hotel.

 

Its like 300 agents going for 20 rooms per day at the hotel. Dangerous in reality and overbooking is not uncommon. Had one customer 2 years ago who we booked in this way. Customer turns up at the 4 star hotel after an 18 hour flight, only to realise that he would be shifted to another 4 star hotel in the sam area, of a much lower quality. Never again I vowed!

 

In any case, during office hours, we can usually get all bookings confirmed within 1-2 hours.

 

If you guys do find the hotel cheaper, you do only need to give me the heads up. I will check and if we can beat it, it will done on the spot. No faxing of forms, messing around. There and then.

 

So guys, final testing on the new site today and hopefully will be up asap. Given nearly 200 hotels in Bangkok alone, sure you will appreciate the size and complexity of the new site.

 

Also Majestic Suites, Town Lodge, Baipho Phuket and Baithong Phuket, Citi Chic and Majestic Grande and Swiss Park as well as other smaller hotels will need to be added later on as they are not on the new site yet.

 

If any guys would like to book these, you can send me via email and I can phone you to get the details.

 

Tim