how to bargain with hotel VIA E-MAIL ???

[potmehut 0]

based on hotel reviews i acquired pretty much info regarding certain hotels and i have two or three that seem to meet the expectations.

how am i supposed to bargain with hotels through e-mail ???

 

based on posts i discovered, that although hotel web pages or some hotel portals show price for standard room in low season lets say 1.000,- , non of the guys who post reviews didnt pay that much and their charge was in the range of 600-700,-

 

is it usual to e-mail the hotel and suggest them price u want to pay based on what your "friends" paid last time ???

or ???

 

thanks for any advice...!!!

[FunIsAll 0]

I normally state in my mails:

 

"you have been recommended by a friend who stayed in your hotel...."

 

Experience is, they hardly quoted the internet prices but more the prices mentioned in reviews - of course taking into account the part of the year. I cannot expect a low season price between Xmas and New Year!

[SunnyValentine 173]

I mention personal recommendation and always ask expicitly for their best possible offer, stating the Arrival Date as well as the planned duration of stay.

Usually I get quite reasonable price quotes, might still be chaeper for 100 Bt when I just show up, but you could as well hear they are fully booked.

 

Sunny

[irishman 0]

When I was staying in the various hotels and trying to book over the internet, I can't say that I had much luck bargaining. I had one fellow write back and tell me to go someplace else. And even logic didn't work. It seemed that if I could stay at Flipper house for 628 baht a night on their 14 day special during the summer, I should be able to stay the rest of the month at that rate also. Not so. Rate increased to 700 baht a night for the rest of the month. Pissed me off for a while until I remembered:

 

1) TIT

 

2) We were haggling about less than $2 a night. Less than a bridge toll in the San Francisco area.

 

So, in conclusion, If the price is OK with you don't get your blood pressure up worrying about it. Especially if it is high season.

 

Cheers

[Emil 0]

If your concerned about getting the best deal, I would get a hotel for the first day and then check out some other places that intersts me in person. Do this around late morning or afternoon when the manager is working. This is the person who will decide whether they will give you a lower rate based on their occupancy and your length of stay.

 

Emil

[Guest Fatboyfat]

I know it shouldn't make any difference, but I find that better offers are made (especially by Flippers and Eastinys) when using the old FAX means of dialogue, or actually phone them up (as long as your Thai is OK, or have no ploblems understanding the Thaiglish )

[BigDUSA 71]

I try and find out the hotel manager's name. I send out 5 emails to different hotels on the same day. I'm a long stay guest usually 15 or more days in low season. I end up with a nice discount.

[KhaoBoy 0]

I don't bargain any more.....Patong, Thara Patong, Pattaya and BKK its the Marriott using there best non employee price (they tell me) I.E. 106 ++ for the exec floor at the J.W. in a end room with big windows.

 

Others tell me that surfing the discount boards will give you a good price and then just cut and paste that to the hotel and they meet that plus a discount for long stays! I lump my annual visits and get a price point working off that!

[jnr 0]

I usually find the best rate I can online, and then I email the hotels directly, and ask them a direct rate, knowing that the agency rate should be bettered.

 

When I get a reply, I then go back, and then ask them if the price they quote is their best internet rate, or do they reccommend booking through a travel agency to get the best rate. Sometimes this will shave off a couple of hundren baht, as they would always prefer to avoid paying a fee to a travel agency.

 

This time I got a price from the Lek hotel which was cheaper than anything I had seen published, but when I asked on this site, I was told by a few they had got better rates, so I went back to them and asked if I could get the same rate which they agreed.

 

I'll be checking into the hotel in 5 days, so if there is a problem I be posting on this board.

[bouncer 2]

I e-mailed sabaii inn and asked what the price would be if i stayd for 21 nights and ther reply was 800 bath a night for a superiar room,qwoted price on ther web site was hig season prise 1130 bath,and low season 1030 bath and thats for a twin room i booked for feb 2005 still high season,good or not but still a decent cut from web price,bouncer

[potmehut 0]

hey guys,

looks like there is no reasonable way how to deal with hotels via email.

i guess the only way how to get a good price is to physically appear in the hotel and thats it.

i just received answer from one hotel, offering me the same prices as they have on home web page, no matter that u can buy the same room for 200-300 thb less through internet hotel portals...

i guess this is thailand...

they will earn e.g. 400,- and give comission of 400-500,- to travel agent, rather than give u room directly for lets say 600-650,-

good luck !!!

[aardvark 3]

I always tell the hotel the rate that I want. They can say yes, no or make me a different offer. I always refer to someone who has gotten that rate from them or refer to when I stayed there before at that rate. I nearly always get a yes.

[aussie_franko 0]

i negotiated with the RG for a long term rate very easily by email.

The manager is both email savvy and very responsive to email bookings.

I would reccomend them for email/net bookings

franko

[cybers1b 8]

i negotiated with the RG for a long term rate very easily by email.

The manager is both email savvy and very responsive to email bookings.

I would reccomend them for email/net bookings

franko

That is very true, you usually get a response within a few hours, same goes for the Roof Garden Inn - I made some not so good experiences with other places.

 

cheers

cyber

[SunnyValentine 173]

Cyber, I remember last Year, I wanted to stay at Sunshine Hotel; they had some promotion on their Website so I sent them an Email. No answer. One more mail a few Days later. No answer.

Then I came to Pattaya, went there, asked for rooms. "Have rooms flee!"

Asked about price, was much higher (200 or 300 Bt) than their Web Offer.

Itold them about this. Lady at reception said "Yes, but only for Web reservation, this price." So I told them, I have sent them 2 Mails. She said "Yes, we know, we have problems with Email."

Well, I finally sorted it out, and got a good deal. But the Thai Logic implied in this story still catches me!

 

Sunny

[cybers1b 8]

Cyber, I remember last Year, I wanted to stay at Sunshine Hotel; they had some promotion on their Website so I sent them an Email. No answer. One more mail a few Days later. No answer.

Then I came to Pattaya, went there, asked for rooms. "Have rooms flee!"

Asked about price, was much higher (200 or 300 Bt) than their Web Offer.

Itold them about this. Lady at reception said "Yes, but only for Web reservation, this price." So I told them, I have sent them 2 Mails. She said "Yes, we know, we have problems with Email."

Well, I finally sorted it out, and got a good deal. But the Thai Logic implied in this story still catches me!

 

Sunny

Yes, that is one of the things that the thais have to learn, i came across similar things at many places, one example was the pinewood just behind Bangkok Bank. They have a website that looks rather nice http://www.pinewoodresidences.com - they had a price on there and I wanted to confirm that price, by email. After 3 days of silence, I friendly reminded them (by email) about my question. Another 5 days later I called and asked why they did not answer their emails, the girl said the manager is not here and only he can answer email. When she told me a price that was 300 Baht more then the website stated, I asked her what the price at the website is for then? her answer: I don't know about website, only manager know. Now, I like the pinewood, but they also have to learn that it is useless to do a website if you are not willing to use it as a communications platform as well.

 

cheers

cyber

[Emil 0]

You will get some of the best deals if you contact a hotel that has just opened. They will have special rates for awhile until their hotel has become established. Not only will you get a good price but you will be staying in a new hotel. On potential drawback if it has just opened is that they will still be working some of the bugs out.

 

Emil