any exper. using mtbeds
 

there has been a lot of talk about mtbeds.co.za. has anybodt used them.
if so did you book on line or did you contact someone. were any non south african residnts able to get the reduced rates for south african residents?

Yes, I've used them for a couple of bookings at different times, all for our trip to SA last May-June. I did their on-line form. The way it works is that mtbeds forwards your info to the establishment, which then contacts you. This worked fine once, ok once, and not at all once. In the "fine" case, the hotel got back to me right away and the booking was made. In the "ok" case, I e-mailed mtbeds and asked why the delay, and they got right on it. In the "not at all" case, mtbeds just didn't forward the info to the hotel for days and days, and I finally contacted the hotel directly.

I would use them again, but be prepared to follow up if you don't get a reply quickly.

None of the places I booked with them had different rates for SA residents and foreigners, so I can't speak to that part of the question.

Celia:-

I too am thinking of using mtbeds but your response concerns me. If I wait until 7 days (which is often required) and have a lack of response it means I am cutting it very fine. What happened when you contacted the lodge directly ? Was it as simple as quoting what you say on mtbeds ? Obviously leaving things until the last minute means you can take advantage of the available offers but also don't want to be spending too much time on vacation planning next steps.

Oh, well, none of the offers I took required a 7-day thing, so I don't know. I would say that if you don't get a response by the next day, e-mail mtbeds again. That worked for me.

When I contacted the establishment directly, one gave me the mtbeds rate, and the other was only a few rands more than the mtbeds rate, so I took it.

I had a good experience with mtbeds.co.za last June. I dealt with them on line. I was able to get rates for SA residents as a non-resident, but it was off season and I did book within 14 days of our stay. Since it was off season, I felt safe with leaving a few nights open and then checking to see what was available. Mtbeds e-mailed me back promptly and gave me several other options of places to stay when I asked what else might be available for the nights I wanted. I would use them again.
I did sometimes have a problem with the website, but when it did work it was fine.

This issue is also of great interest to me. I am willing to pre-book places like Phinda Forest, that may be booked solid well in advance, but for at least a single three night gap, I would like to roll the dice and see what I am able to come up with during my five nights in Cape Town/Cape Winelands, prior to visiting the Sabi Sand Game Reserve.

I mean just take a look at this:

http://www.mtbeds.co.za/resort.xml?r...amp;specials=1

This is for a special at Exeter Dulini, a very beautiful camp that is usually 5,200 ZAR pppns but with this special is only 1,550 ZAR pppns, a whopping 70% savings! For those that prebooked and paid full rack rate, it will cost $1,560 USD per night. For anybody lucky enough to score a last second room, it is a mere $470 USD per night, a $1,090 USD savings per night!

This special is one of the few that makes no mention of a requirement to be a South African resident.

I guess the best thing to do would be to leave weekday dates open if I decide to attempt this. It sounds reasonable that South Africans have to work during the week and are a lot more likely to grab these packages on weekend dates.

Here is another awesome looking special for Lion Sands Ivory Lodge, usually 7,000 ZAR ($1,050 USD) pppns, but under this special only 2,000 ZAR ($300 USD) pppns.

http://www.mtbeds.co.za/resort.xml?r...amp;specials=1