Are Rooms as Good Booking Through an Online Discount Service?
 

Looking at hotels in Bali, I am noticing the prices on some hotels are at least $50/night less if I book through an online service rather than directly through the hotel website. I am also reading that one doesn't want to be on the ground floor of some of these hotels; that the higher level floors have better views, more of a breeze and fewer mosquitos. Am I more likely to get rooms at the lower levels by booking through agoda, priceline or booking.com? Also is there a way to contact the hotel directly with my room request if I have booked through a discount online service? The difference is over $50/night for what appears to be the same room.... Anyone have experience with this?

We used balidiscovery.com and it worked out well. We have also used some of the sites you mentioned but sometimes booking directly got us the best deal. Most of the on-line agencies offer room choices where you might pay more for a room with a better view, etc. I have never been disappointed by booking through an agency. Often times your reservation will be in the name of the agency and you will be given a voucher for your reservation - when that is the case, contacting the hotel will not work.

Only once (and not in Asia) have I been very dissatisfied with a room I got on priceline. It was several years ago in Hilton Head, and the room was over the garbage pickup, which meant loud noise starting at 6 a.m. every morning. I was certain we were given that room because we had booked on priceline. But, it hasn't happened elsewhere or any other time, especially since the online discount booking sites have become part of the "travel landscape".

You can book throough an Internet service and then 2-3 weeks before arrival contact the hotel directly with a reasonable request such as second floor vs, floor. But do not expect though you can request things like aeway from elevator, not in a building far from front desk.i.e. Hyatt Sanur has a building that is almost 1/4 mile from main entrance. But they will not becessarily put you there because you made an Internet reservation you just likely cannot request special treatment. I must admit in Bali and elsewhere in Indonesia I found competitive rates especially when I mentioned that Agoda has a certain rate.

I have used booking.com and agoda.com right around the world and it gives you plenty of reviews and different options to book whether you want free cancellation or breakfast. Worth a look and the prices are very reasonable!!

The rooms are almost always the same. You get what you pay for, and what's available when you get there. As other posters have said, you can request a high floor, etc. through some of the sites, although usually if there are rooms with better views, etc. the hotel will charge more for those.

The main difference in booking through the discount sites is that many big hotel chains won't give you points or perks associated with their member clubs if you don't book through them.

Interesting! Thank you all for the info. I have noticed that the discounters have their own point system, so they must be trying to compete with the chains.

I've found it very easy to book online and also to cancel online. I have noticed some hotels that have no vacancies one day, have opennings the next, probably due to people booking and cancelling. We decided what we wanted so we are now sitting on only one reservation... We are very happy with our choice. :-) Stay tuned for a trip report at the end of summer, God willing and the Creek don't rise, as they say.

Which of the online discount sites tends to come up with the best deals on hotels in Indonesia? asiarooms.com? agoga.com? Is there one that is a preference over the others, like ctrip for China?

As Craig says, balidiscovery is a good one. But as everywhere else, you need to check many booking sites to see which one has the best deals for the properties you are interested in.