VirtualTourist Member FleurFox
| Page Views: 2,248 | Advice On Booking Accommodation on the Internet by FleurFox - last update: May 2, 2008 |
I live about 45 - 60 minutes south from the centre of Sydney near Cronulla Beach. It is a beautiful place and I love it so much!!!!!
There is such a vibrant atmosphere about Sydney.
The above picture is the view I have from my balcony of the Sydney City Skyline. |
INTRODUCTION TO ACCOMMODATION WEBSITES: I am the Reservations and Sales Manager for a motel in Sydney. We are a part of a chain of hotels/motels around Australia.
I put this page together as a reference point for people wanting to know about websites for Australia.
Please note that I am doing this from my experience only.
Many hotels use different websites, and these are the most respected and most common from all the places I have worked.
I will use the word hotel for all types of accommodation eg, motels, inns etc.
I do not include hostels in this as they are run completely differently and I have never worked in one. |
How Guaranteed Allotted Websites Work: There are two types of websites:
The first is a websites that has an allotted amount of rooms with a hotel.
In general, when you book a room with these types of websites, the following happens:
Your booking is logged and forwarded to the email of one of the websites reservation staff.
They take the money out of your account with the credit card provided.
They then forward the booking to the email of the selected hotel, and send a confirmation email to you.
The confirmation number on this email helps them track your booking through the system.
The hotel receives the email and reserves you a room in their system.
Some internet companies request a confirmation from the hotel, but in general, the hotel only contacts the internet company if there is a problem.
After you check out, the hotel posts an account to the internet company requesting payment.
The internet company then pays the account.
AT NO TIME IS YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBER FORWARDED TO THE HOTEL.
(See the paragraph on Checking in and out further down the page.)
Most hotels regulate these types of sites themselves.
The hotels decide how many rooms to offer and the rate displayed.
Most hotels also write their own descriptions of their properties, so whatever you read in the descriptions are the hotels opinions, not that of an independent person. |
How Request Only Websites Work: The other type of website is on a request only basis.
This is not guaranteed accommodation, although you are lead to believe it is.
These websites generally have discounted rates that seem too good to be true.
In general, when you book through one of these websites the following happens:
Your booking is logged and forwarded to the email of one of the websites reservation staff.
They take the money out of your account with the credit card provided and send you a confirmation email. The confirmation number on this email helps them track your booking through the system.
They then forward the booking to the email of the selected hotel.
The hotel receives the email and checks to see if they have a room available. The availability depends on two things:
1) If they do have rooms available and if so;
2) Do they want to sell it at a discounted price.
The hotel then emails the internet company and either accepts or declines your booking.
If the hotel accepts your booking, no further correspondence is entered into between the internet company and the hotel unless there is a change, or a problem.
After you check out, the hotel posts an account to the internet company requesting payment.
The internet company then pays the account.
AT NO TIME IS YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBER FORWARDED TO THE HOTEL.
(See the paragraph on Checking in and out further down the page.)
However, if the hotel declines the booking (which is usually the case) the internet company sends you an email saying that the hotel you have already had a confirmation email about and even though money is already out of your account, is fully booked and that you do not have a reservation.
They then put the money back in your account.
These websites are generally not regulated by the Hotels.
The descriptions are usually misleading or false.
The rates are decided by the Internet Company and are usually not a rate that the hotel recognizes.
There are a few exceptions to that rule. These are listed further down the page. See Accommodation Websites. |
CHANGING OR CANCELLING AN INTERNET BOOKING: When you have booked over the internet, you must go through the same website whenever you want to change or cancel a reservation.
If you want to cancel a booking, you must get in touch with the Internet Company you booked through originally.
The hotel does not have your money, so they cannot refund it.
The hotel will not cancel or change a reservation until they receive written confirmation from the internet company that booked the reservation.
Hotels always have a cancellation policy.
Some do not accept cancellations at all.
Some require 24-72 hours notice of a cancellation, or you are subject to a penalty.
This cancellation penalty varies.
It can be as low as $20.00 or as high as the entire amount.
Most hotels will charge you for the first nights accommodation if you don't provide adequate time before canceling.
PLEASE NOTE: 24 hours before the booking means:
If you book, for example, a Friday night, you must cancel before Reservations closes Wednesday night. If you cancelled at 1pm Thursday afternoon, you would be charged.
All hotels have different policies, so be aware and adjust the above scenario accordingly. |
ACCOMMODATION WEBSITES: The following is a list of the websites I have dealt with.
I have separated them into the two types of websites I have explained above and I have also commented on them where I felt I should.
Alot of different internet websites have the same parent company.
The parent company will usually have one of each type of website.
GUARANTEED ALLOTMENT WEBSITES:
(All these websites should be prefixed with www.)
Wotif.com (The best website Australia has to offer.)
Needitnow.com
Quickbeds.com
Lastminute.com
Ratestogo.com
REQUEST ONLY WEBSITES:
(All these websites should be prefixed with www.)
Hotelclub.com (The most popular because of it's low rates.)
Hotels.com (Also quite popular)
Stayz.com
Totaltravel.com (This website sends through your request then the hotel
will contact you directly to get your details and book it
with you.)
PLEASE NOTE THAT NEEDTOESCAPE IS NO LONGER IN OPERATION AS OF 25.05.07
*****I am currently researching a few others that I have been asked about, or that I know other hotels use. They will be added to the list when I am certain of their position.***** |
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW: If they absolutely have to, hotels chose who they upgrade based on the following things:
1) How much you are paying,
2) How many nights you are staying
3) How you made your booking
4) How nice you were when you made your booking
5) If you are a regular guest of the establishment.
Most upgrades favour the people who booked directly with the hotel.
*HOW DO I GET A NICE ROOM AND GOOD SERVICE?*
Usually, the nice rooms go to the people paying the most.
If you have booked a room on a discounted rate, do not expect the best room in the house. You can request anything, but ultimately, no requests are guaranteed.
Allocating a room is usually based on the following:
1) How much you are paying
2) How you made your booking.
(Phone calls and emails directly to the hotel and return and regular
guests first, internet sites and travel agents second, discounts and all
others last.)
3) Special celebrations / funerals / Return or Regular Guests
4) How nice you were when making your reservation.
5) Special requests.
The service you get at hotels usually depends on what you are like and how you talk to the staff when you make the booking and check in.
Hotel staff are always leaving notes for each other about guests.
If I looked up a check in, and there was a note on the reservation saying that you sounded nice when you booked, I would try my best to get you a good room and would be very cheerful and helpful with you.
However, if I read that you were awful when making the booking, I would be wary and the person taking the booking would have already allocated you a room that probably wasn't the nicest.
So the next time you want to make a reservation, remember that you are being judged from the minute you make your first phone call or send your first email.
It isn't nice, but that is how hotel staff work, no matter what the star rating is.
*TRAVEL AGENTS*
Most Travel Agents have a set price with the hotel they send you to, which is much less than you are paying the Travel Agent.
If you ask how much you are paying per night, the standard response is:
“I’m sorry sir/madam, but I am unable to access those details,"
or something to that effect.
Usually, you are put in a crappy room because the hotel is getting paid so little.
*DISCOUNTS*
NRMA/RACV/Roadside assistance discounts:
Most hotels and especially motels and inns have a discount rate for people belonging to these groups.
Seniors Card Holders: Are entitled to 10% off the rate, however most hotels just have a standard rate that is a few dollars cheaper than the standard rate.
Entertainment Card Holders: Are entitled to 50% off the RACK RATE.
The Rack Rate is the most amount that a hotel is able to charge for a room.
Alot of hotels have a standard rate that is almost 50% off the rack rate anyway, so always check how much you are actually getting off.
you have to pay for this card, so you may end up spending the same amount anyway.%c* |
CHECKING IN AND OUT: When you check into a hotel, you should have the following:
*Photo Identification*
Usually a driver’s license or a passport.
This is always photocopied and attached to your registration card.
It is needed so that if a person queries a charge on their credit card, the hotel can provide photo proof of the person that stayed.
* A Valid Credit Card*
Your credit card is usually taken as a guarantee for the hotel.
If you have paid through an internet website, the hotel will still require credit card details incase you have any extras such as telephone calls etc.
Most hotels take an imprint of your credit card by taking a pre-authorization.
This means that to guard against people that run up bills for telephone calls, meals etc and for people that steal from the rooms, or damage the room, the hotel freezes an amount in your account. This amount usually is unfrozen within 5 working days.
The amount frozen differs with every hotel and also depends on how long you stay.
Some hotels will take $50.00 per night that you stay.
Be aware that this happens. If you have budgeted down to the last penny, you don't want to find that you cannot access some of your money.
If your money is not accessible after 5 working days, contact your bank.
Many people ring the hotel and the hotel cannot do anything about it.
*WHAT IF I DON'T HAVE A CREDIT CARD?*
If you don't have a credit card, most hotels accept cash deposits.
Again, this depends on how long you stay, and differs with every hotel.
*SIGNATURES*
All hotels require you to fill in a registration card.
This usually means you write down your home address, telephone number, and sometimes your car registration.
Then you sign the document.
This is a legal document. Once you sign it, you are liable for any damages and charges associated with the room.
Remember this when you pick up the key for someone else!
*VOUCHERS*
Always print out the confirmation letter sent to you and take it with you!
Some Internet websites send you a voucher that you need to present to the hotel upon check in. Some also need you to sign and date the voucher.
Some websites such as Wotif.com don't need you to provide a voucher, but it is always good to have the confirmation letter with you just in case! |
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 Comments for FleurFox | | | | |
engeluna Wed Jan 2, 2008 12:07 UTC
Happy New Year! Hope it's filled with fun and good travels! - Josianne | pattypoo Mon Dec 24, 2007 14:13 UTC
Thanks Fleur and have a wonderful Christmas yourself.. Love Patty x | Elodie_Caroline Mon Dec 24, 2007 13:03 UTC
Thank you very much Fleur and the very same sentiments back to you. I know that I will be laughing all over Christms with my siblings lol. I hope that 2008 brings you everything that you could wish for! love Elodie | thedouglas Tue Nov 20, 2007 03:32 UTC
Hmmmm....just wait until your next BIG birthday milestone has a 5 in front! OUCH! |
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