Hi-

Anyone have any experience with www.thaihoteldiscount.com?

I'm looking for the best rate for the Peninsula for a Grand Deluxe room for April including breakfast.

They have the best rate I can find by far at $203 per night including breakfast and all taxes.

This is $42 a night less than the Peninsula's website and at least $20 a night less than any other hotel discount site I've found.

We're staying 4 nights, 2 at the start of the trip, 2 at the end, so the price difference adds up!

Thanks!

assume that you have looked at www.haahin.20m.com

not a bad rate....rates might slide after march 31 however...

Of course! But they come in at $222 per night all included which is $80 more over the 4 nights than the other website.

Unfortunately, I can't really wait for March 31 to see if rates drop. We leave the first week of April.

Have used their services quite a few times and never had a problem. For many hotels their rates are the best.

Thanks.
I contacted them with a booking request and got a reply this morning.

The price they quoted me was not the same as on their website, it was much higher. But then when I looked at the website I realized they quoted me the nov-march price, not the april-october price.
Hopefully, it was just an error on their part.
They also said there was 3% charge added to pre-pay the booking (but there is no other option) and this 3% is not listed anywhere on their website.

So, I've emailed them back and am waiting to see what they have to say.

With the increased price and the 3% added, it's higher than the Pen's own website for April!

Hopefully they will match the price on their site. If not, I'm back to searching...

Just for the heck of it, I went through the process of checking availability for a Grand Deluxe room for 4 nights in April at the Penn on thaihoteldiscount.com. The first thing I noticed is that pricing is in Thai Baht so you are not locking in the pricing - that is you will pay whatever the exchange rate is in April. It says that the booking agent requires first night prepayment + the 3% (of the first night only). Note that if you cancel, you will be charged a nominal fee.

Have you looked at asiarooms.com? The asiarooms price is $209 (US dollars, not Thai Baht). There is no service charge but full prepayment is required. They are reliable but some on this board have had some problems getting refunds when they cancelled.

Craig-
Thanks for looking at that for me. For some reason, I'm not seeing the mention of the 3% anywhere on their site. I must be missing it. Maybe it's because I did the "booking enquiry" and not the "booking request" form.

I'm not so much worried about the fluctuation of the Baht, it hasn't be more than +/- 5 baht in the last couple of years.

As for Asiarooms.com I did look at them. With breakfast, the rate goes to $233 a night. I'm also wary of them because I've read the about the same problems people have had with changes/refunds.

I'll report back if I hear from Thaihoteldiscount.com

Correct me if I am wrong but when you get your hotel bill when checking out it is in Thai baht. This is charged to your credit card (if using one) and the credit card company coverts this to US dollars, if an american card or to the currency of your country. Thus you pay the going exchange rate at the time of the transaction. At least that is how it worked at the hotels I stayed at (they all quoted rates in baht). The only way to look in a US dollar rate is to prepay the entire hotel stay.

Hmmmm....well, yes, you have a point. I just did the math and a 5 baht spread does make a bit of a difference.

On Thaihoteldiscount's side their conversion must be based on 42 baht to the dollar so the room comes in at $203 per night.

However, on www.oanda.com, the current, "official" rate as of today is 39 baht puts it at $219 a night.

I have no idea what it will cost using my bank credit card (and how much of a fee they will impose).

Who knows where the baht will be in April? Sigh. Back to square one...

When I reserved on asiarooms.com, there were no currency exchange surcharges (the charge was in $$) or any other surcharges on my credit card.

Well I didn't put in the $)...but it looks cool anyway.

Today it is 39.81, it moves up around 40 but that's about it.

Well, I just heard back from them.
They said "Thank you for your response and sorry for the mistake.

Confirmed rates for the time of your stay;
Grand Deluxe THB 8,575. -/Room incl . Breakfast, Vat & Serv.
AMOUNT + 3% = THB 35329"

So, the 3% is on the total, not a single day and it looks like the entire amount has to be paid up front.
At 40baht/dollar this is working out to be about $221 per night so not to far off from some of the other booking sites.

I'd love not to have to pay it all up front.

Anyone know which sites don't ask for total pre-payment?

Thanks!

They must have changed their policy. Last time I booked was in late 2004 and I only had to pay for the 1st night plus the service charge. Paid the rest to the hotel when checking out in thai baht.

Asiahotels.com typically has prepay rates and rates you pay at the hotel. Also the Pen's website won't require full payment up front. And the huahuin website Bob likes I think just requires a one night deposit.

PS - your credit card will charge a premium on foreign exchange, so you may pay another 3% on top of the 3% you website wants to charge you...

The rate is USD 222 I think and you should only have to pay 1 night and then you pay the rest a couple of weeks before you arrive. That is available on R24, you can try www.beachsiam.com ( or www.huahin.20m.com, )and just put Peninsula Bangkok into the search and it takes you to the link for everything.

Yes, I just heard back from them and the 3% is the "bank service charge" on their end and they DO require full payment up front.

And yes, I believe my credit card (Citibank) does charge and additonal fee for foreign transactions. Sigh.

Four years ago when we last stayed at the Peninsula the rate was $135 a night. It's now edging out of our price range...

Just an idea, but what about something like a deluxe river view at the Orchid Sheraton, should be around 150, or a deluxe river view at the Marriott should be about 125, or Junior suite about 155, I know they are not the Pen but but if you can save about $ 300-400 might be worth a thought, the Hilton Millenium opens March, 115 for a river view, 180 for a river view suite. If you save several hundred dollars that's enough for a weekend away somewhere later, just a thought, but I know what it's like when you set your heart on a place/flight and the prices edge up. Good luck anyway

James-
I think I might split it- 2 night in one place at beginning, 2 nights at the other at the end. Just have to convince Hubby who has his heart set on the Pen.
I'm also thinking we might go for a "deluxe" room instead of "grand deluxe". The only difference is how high the floor is, I think. Last time we upgraded to a full suite (fantastic!) but it was "only" on the 4th floor and that was fine.

The new Hilton is looking pretty good. A King Executive room might be a good option for us at $145 a night all incl.

I emailed the Pen. to see if they would match the discounter's rates and they emailed me back an offer that's no different than their website rates. I don't know why they wouldn't be willing to match the discounters; I'm sure they pay them a fee on top of the discounted rate, so you would think they'd at least match it.

Just an update: got an email back from the Pen which offered me the rate (190++ for a grand deluxe), inlcuding breakfast. I think I may take them up on this for the last two nights and hold off on the first two. I'm now intrigued by the new Hilton that's opening.