Things you need to know before you book a hotel online
Date: Sunday, February 06, 2005 @ 03:44 PM EST
Topic: Tool Box
Does it seem as if every time you look around on the internet
for a hotel room, you find more web sites that say you can get a hotel
room for less?
Though it may sound enticing, online hotel booking has
its own set of challenges. An online discount hotel booking web site should
provide the following basic things:
• Offer real time hotel room booking
• Allow date amendments and cancellations online
• Rates should clearly indicate what currency is
being quoted, whether the rate is per person or per room, and what is
and what is not included in the rate, and, if taxes are not included,
how much they will be
• The location information of the hotel should
be listed on the hotel description page. This can help identify the distance
from the hotel to certain landmarks or the airport
• All the information regarding the hotel (such
as facilities and rates) should be located on each hotel's web page
• Pictures of the hotel
• Star quality rating, consumer ratings with consumer
reviews
• Does the online hotel booking site have a membership
program (like http://www.ratestogo.com/membership)
that offers reward points and privileges
Checklist before and after you book a hotel room
online
If you follow this checklist, you're less likely to have nasty surprises
in store for you:
• Have you seen the hotel on a map, and do you
understand the exact location?
• Do you know what the rate is, which currency
it is quoted in, whether this rate is per person or per room, per night
or per complete stay?
• Do you understand the standard/quality of the
hotel?
• Does the rate include everything or are taxes,
surcharges, gratuities, service fees, etc, extra? How much are such extra
costs if they exist? Are there any other mandatory costs that you might
have to pay?
• Are there any extra inclusions such as breakfast,
and, if so, is it a cooked or continental breakfast?
• Do you understand what room type and bedding
configuration you will be getting?
• Is your reservation guaranteed? Will it be held
for late arrival?
• What is the change, cancellation and refund policy
if you need to change or cancel your booking?
• Did the credit card number you gave to the internet
booking service merely guarantee your room, or did they charge a deposit
(or even the full stay) at the time you made your booking to the credit
card?
• You may contact the hotel directly 24 hours after
you’ve made your online booking, to confirm that the booking has
appeared in their local computer system. You may also check with them
to see if the booking is the same as you have made in terms of room type,
room rate, dates, etc.
• If you have any special needs or requirements
or expectations, you should double check with the hotel directly that
these special service requests have been received by them and are understood
and will be provided.
• Most importantly, if you prepaid any amounts
to the internet website, confirm that you won't be billed again by the
hotel directly. Remember that most internet websites are completely independent
of the hotels they service, and could be located anywhere in the world;
once they get your money; there is no guarantee that they will pass it
on to the hotel in time for your stay.
www.ratestogo.com
is a website that has answers to all these questions. Visit http://www.ratestogo.com/Hotels-Last-Minute/EN
for last minute deals for over 5,500 global properties through a real
time booking engine.
Author Bio
Chloe Lim is a photographer and avid traveler. She travels extensively
for work and family vacations. She is always on the lookout for bargain
travel deals and discount luxury vacations.
This article is courtesy of http://www.ratestogo.com.
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