Beware discount booking agencies
Jul 17th, 2006, 08:16 AM
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Beware discount booking agencies
My travel agent recently booked me a hotel room in Vancouver using something called "Travel Bound", some sort of discount booking firm. I have heard you need to be careful using Priceline and Hotels.com, unless you really want cheap, awful rooms. I add Travel Bound to that group.
I wanted to stay in an upper floor, front, beach-facing room at the Best Western Sands, in the west end, near English Bay. Instead I was placed in a second floor, very, very tiny room, overlooking the parking lot and above an exhaust fume for the restaurant. I asked to be moved but nothing was available. They said that they kept this sort of room for the discount agencies like Travel Bound.
So, if you want a specific room or location in the hotel and your primary concern is not saving a few bucks, use these discount companies with caution and ask questions before you go!
I wanted to stay in an upper floor, front, beach-facing room at the Best Western Sands, in the west end, near English Bay. Instead I was placed in a second floor, very, very tiny room, overlooking the parking lot and above an exhaust fume for the restaurant. I asked to be moved but nothing was available. They said that they kept this sort of room for the discount agencies like Travel Bound.
So, if you want a specific room or location in the hotel and your primary concern is not saving a few bucks, use these discount companies with caution and ask questions before you go!
Jul 17th, 2006, 11:59 AM
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It appears to me you are misplacing the blame here. If you had made it clear to the travel agent the kind of room that you wanted and your willingness to pay its value, it is the travel agent that failed you. If you didn't do that, and were hoping to get a premium room at a discount price during high season, then the blame falls on you.
Jul 17th, 2006, 04:02 PM
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Why wouldn't hotel give its best rooms to guests paying the highest rates and the worst rooms to those paying the lowest? On the other hand I have often been pleasantly surprised by the quality of rooms that I have obtained at discount rates.
Jul 17th, 2006, 06:19 PM
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Ron, I think your analysis is a good one. I asked my travel agent if she specified the floor, view, etc and she said yes. But, how can I be sure she did? I think she was rather surprised to learn that this agency, or any agency, would get really inferior rooms. The room was over $200 a night, for a room about 12 feet by 10 feet, under an exhaust fan from the restaurant, and with a back view of a parking lot. I don't call $200 cheap, but I am not familiar with Vancouver hotel rates. I won't use her, or a discount agency again.
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