Experience with Asiarooms.com
 

I'm considering using Asiarooms.com for a stay in Singapore. They're offering a good rate (tax and breakfast included) for a hotel I'm interested in. Their price beats both the hotel's online rate and my company's corporate rate.

Too good to be true?

Any good/bad experiences to share?

Hi

I have used it a couple of times and I have not had any trouble. What annoys me on some of these sites is the price that is listed is not the same as you get when you complete the booking. They always add some taxes and charges that brings up the price.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

We were going to use them, but when it came to the actual booking, the price had jumped considerably from the quoted price. I've read many such stories. They are reported to be reliable once the booking ius confirmed. Therefore, you might try booking to see if the price jumps.

Interesting...I'll take another look and see what happens.

i have had very good luck with them...

The issue is that they may reply that no rooms are availale at the advertised rate and quote you a much higher rate. It doesn't hurt to see if they have any rooms at the advertised rate. but if they don't, I'd look elsewhere.

I have had good experience using them for SE Asia hotel bookings.

Bad experience here. No rooms at advertised rate, but a much higher rate charged as a pre-authorisation to my credit card without ever having had me accept the higher rate.

Which is not as bad as the complete run-around and lack of responsiveness I got from them in trying to sort it out. Never again!

Others here seem to have had good experiences with them though, do a board search for more info.

We prefer sawadee.com even though at some hotels their rates are a few dollars more. They are very reliable and they have handled about 12-13 hotels for us in the last 5-6 years in Asia. Used Asiahotels.com a few times and found them pretty good, also.

Well, I booked a one night stay and should be receiving confirmation (or not) within 24-48 hours. Will see if they do a bait and switch on me.

I looked at Sawadee before booking with Asiarooms, but only saw hotels for Thailand. Do they also cover Singapore?

Will take a look at Asiahotels too as I'll also need a hotel on the return leg through Singapore.

Thanks for the comments.

Spoke too soon, just found the Singapore section on the Sawadee site.

For Singapore, asiabesthotel.com had the best rates we could find. They were great to work with, and the Four Seasons in Singapore had no trouble linking a reservation made directly with them to a reservation made with asiabesthotel.com.

I don't think Sawadee do Singapore any more they used to, they seem to concentrate on just Thailand now. For Singapore we have used Hotelclub many times for their Instant Confirmation and for last minute Rates To Go ( but only of use for rooms available within 20 days, but you only pay a deposit and the balance at the hotel and also it's instant confirmation )

I 'booked' a triple room on the site only to be emailed later that no room was available.
My other daughter is still waiting for confirmation of a booking made 4 days ago via the site for a single room at the Allson.
In the end I tried the qantas web site and got instant confirmation on a triple room at the Regent for AU$300 only.

Haven't heard back from Asiarooms.com yet. Sawadee did e-mail me - they no longer deal with the hotel I'm interested in.

Still checking the other sites suggested here.

Well, just got this e-mail from Asiarooms.com:

We apologize, but there are no more rooms available under Internet rates for the period you requested at the hotel you tried to book. We suggest the following alternate hotel(s) that have rooms available for that period AT THIS MOMENT:

Royal at Queens - Executive

Interesting....

I was trying to book for March.

Naturally, their alternative suggestion is more expensive and not in the area I'm interested in.

They obtained my credit card info when I requested the reservation and they've already pre-authorized the original hotel rate.

Not too worried about this, as it's only a pre-authorization, but it certainly seems shady.

Not impressed.

This is the same kind of experience others have reported when the rate they have requested is not available. When they have the room you want at the rate you want, they are fine. When they do not, others feel the way you do about having given them their credit card info. While I've never heard that they have misused the info, it still feels bad. I prefer sites that don't ask for credit card info until they can confirm the room and rate.

Melnq8 - which hotel were you looking at ?
For Singapore I don't know if Hotelclub are that cheap, but the one thing I like is that the rates are clear and on many you can get 'Instant' Confirmation, you put in your dates on the website and it shows whether available intstant, on request, or, not available, in which case they list alternatives in same range, all austomatic, so mostly there is no hanging around waiting for an answer. They are based in Sydney and never had a hitch over many years.
They also do the cash bonus which adds up to be deducted from future bookings.

I have never ever touched A-rooms !

Within Thailand though we have always used local sites and thru R24/Sawadee.

Pity about Allson, I don't know the Regent but have stayed often at Allson and found it good value for money.

JamesA -

I was looking at the Holiday Inn Atrium on Outram Road.

Saw the same hotel on other booking sites, so will do some more looking.