Warning about thaihoteldiscount.com
 

This website offered the Peninsula Bangkok for $203 per night, including tax, service and breakfast. I made a reservation and received a confirmation and was then told the rate was $226 per night. Still thinking this was a good deal, I gave my credit card details to them. I then find out from them that the rate does not include breakfast. Luckily, they have not charged my card yet so I have cancelled the reservation and booked through huahin20 instead. I am particularly angry because they sent me THREE emails stating breakfast was included and only informed me it was not AFTER I gave them my credit card. This, to me, is a classic bait and switch and false advertising. Just thought you should know that this site cannot be trusted.

Laurieco-

Aaack! I'm horrified since I was the one who recommended this site to you. That's completely unacceptable since their website clearly states that ABF is included until Oct 31st! So sorry about that. I'm deleting that site from my bookmarks right now!
Glad you were able to find something else. Did you try emailing the hotel directly as well?

Thanks for the warning, Laurie.

laurie...i find the HH site to be the most reliable....they are slow to refund, but i go into it assuming that....they are not an american business....we are spoiled here i guess..

did you get your refund yet from thai air double booking??
bob

Bob, Thai never charged me twice, only once so all that ended well.

Kristina, it's not your fault that the site is a scam. I didn't bother emailing the Pen directly since I don't expect them to match the low price. Unfortunately breakfast is not included on the huahin20 site either. Gone are the good ole days when you could get the Pen for $150 per night including everything!

I do plan on alerting the Thai authorities about this scam however, as soon as I figure out who the proper authorities are!

Laurie-

Do try emailing the Pen. if you haven't already paid for the other site.

It worked for me. I emailed them with the rate I wanted them to match (including breakfast) and after a couple of emails back and forth, they matched it! I got a Grand Deluxe with breakfast for $190++, so with tax it comes out to $223. And yes, the "gold old days" are gone. I think I paid $220 for a full suite 4 years ago!

Kristina, I've already paid the deposit (one night) and waiting for asiarooms to let me know the charge went through. The problem I have is that I don't have a good price for them to match. What site did you give the Pen?

I didn't. :-)
I just told them I found a rate for $203 per night incl breakfast and tax and could they match it?
They came back with 190++ per night which was the same as their website but with no breakfast.
At that point I realized I couldn't even get $203 all included so I asked if they would include breakfast with the $190 rate and they did.
I confirmed with a credit card by calling the US 800 number off their website after the BKK pen gave me a confirmation number (I didn't want to have to call Thailand to confirm).
I have a confirmation letter emailed from the Pen central reservations so it should be all good.
You might try calling the 800 number and seeing what kind of rate they offer.

Thanks for that kristina. I may just try that since all I've paid for is one night. I don't believe deposits with huahin20 are refunable so I suppose that would be the fist night paid for. I'll let you know how I do.

Kristina,

The 800 number yielded no results but I emailed the Pen directly and they gave me the same offer--Grand Deluxe for 109++, including breakfast! Thank you!!! Now I have to cancel my reservation with huahin20 for the last 4 nights. I'll keep my res for the first night since I already paid the deposit and it would be too much trouble to change that and get a refund but I'm betting that when I check in with both reservations, the Pen will add the breakfast for that one day since I have it for the others.

Make that grand deluxe for $190++ not 109!

Laurie-
That's great! When will you be there?

I'll be there May 30 to June 4 (we actually have a 12:40am flight on June 5 so we'll still be in BKK for the whole day of June 4). How about you?

In reply to laurieco's claim about being taken for a ride I would like to clarify certain points.
The site shows a rate of 8575 baht for a deluxe room for the period apr-oct. The booking sites clearly shows that a 3% charge is added on. This brings the rate to 8832 which converted to US dollars is $226 at the current exchange rate of 39 baht. This is the price that he was asked to pay. However it should have included breakfast and there is no excuse why it did not.

So to say "This, to me, is a classic bait and switch and false advertising" is not correct except for the breakfast.

While I have not used this booking agent in the last year, I previously had no complaints. Their rates even with the 3% charge were the best for many hotels

Scotters, when I went to the site, the rate was in US dollars, not Baht, and it said $203 per night. I do consider this bait and switch. And to clarify, I'm a "she" not a "he".

I think you're kind of going off the deep end here. Based on what you've written, I wouldn't call the website a scam. They made a mistake by posting that breakfast was included, they 'fessed up to it, and they didn't charge your credit card. Sounds like an honest mistake to me, and I don't see why you're trying to ruin a business's reputation just because you lost out on breakfast.

Because they sent me three emails telling me it was included and only told me not after I gave them my credit card details. And, I called the card company today and the charge did show up but, I anticipated this and put a fraud alert on my card prior so the charge can't go through. I guess the reason I'm angry is because I've been using the web to book hotels etc for about 7 years and this is the first time I've run into a site that has done this. If it was an honest mistake, why did they email me three times saying breakfast is included? tht, to me, is unforgiveable.

If it's an "honest mistake", why is ABF still showing as included in the rate on their website? Breakfast is quite good at the Pen, but it's also expensive and that amount really adds up if you have 2 people staying there for 5 days like Laurie is.

Plus, I don't think the 3% charge is that clear. Yes, it's there, but I also did not notice it until I tried to book with them a couple of months ago.

Laurie-I'll be there the second week of April.

Kristina, it looks like we'll miss each other.

Thanks for seeing my side of the story regarding this web site. I didn't complain about the 3%. I gave them my credit card even after I became aware of that. But the breakfast, that would be another $45 per night for the two of us so yes, it is a big deal. Maybe Walter doesn't think so and that's fine, he can pay it.

I'm glad you posted this Laurie - I was about to book the same deal and also have an email from this website that says the price (I was quoted the same as you) includes breakfast.

This is for our honeymoon - and as I am horrendously busy marking exam papers and trying to organise a wedding and reception in Thailand and a reception in the UK at the same time, doubtless I would have missed this detail once I had made the decision to pay the money. So thank you! :)

Bella, I'm glad this saved you the trouble.

Just for a matter of interest I checked several agents websites to see if breakfast was included in the rates. In all but a couple of cases breakfast was included up to March 31. After that date, until October 31 (low season) the rates dropped but no breakfast was included. The drop in price hardly offsets the cost of a breakfast for 2.

So if you can get a rate of 190 ++ with breakfast for a deluxe rooom by dealing directly with the hotel, as Kristina did, you are laughing.

Scotters, indeed I am. And, the Pen is giving me a grand deluxe room for the price. I guess the lesson is, always contact the hotel before dealing with other sites.