Book hotel direct, or through agent?

photome

stephb34 wrote: »

The main problem would be if we had something like the ash cloud again, you would have to pay for the extra nights accommodation until the airline could get you home, if it was a package you would stay for free. The other thing is if your airline goes bust are you stuck with the hotel paid for and not able to get there or do you pay for the hotel when you get there?

typical travel agents response

Wammer

stephb34 wrote: »

The main problem would be if we had something like the ash cloud again, you would have to pay for the extra nights accommodation until the airline could get you home, if it was a package you would stay for free. The other thing is if your airline goes bust are you stuck with the hotel paid for and not able to get there or do you pay for the hotel when you get there?

You rarely have to pay a hotel in full if you book direct. You normally pay one night's deposit which is fully refundable if you cancel between 24-72 hours before arrival.

stephb34

photome wrote: »

typical travel agents response

Maybe, but its true I was in the Dominican when the ash cloud struck and some people were stranded for a full week, those on a package stayed for free, those with TC flight only and hotel purchased elsewhere had their hotel paid for by TC, those with Thomson flight only weren't even given a free phone call to the insurance companies. It all boils down to how confident you are at doing it yourself and how much spare cash you have should it go wrong. Some people haven't got a pot to pee in and go on holiday with no reserve funds in case of any mishap.
As I keep saying not all of us TA's are young brainless bimbos never having been as far as the garden gate wearing a !!!!!! turpin mask.

ferf1223

stephb34 wrote: »

As I keep saying not all of us TA's are young brainless bimbos never having been as far as the garden gate wearing a !!!!!! turpin mask.

I completely believe that is true and I think those who aren't in the above category can be a good resource for those who aren't confident enough to DIY...unfortunately there are so many out there that will sell whatever they're being paid the most commission on regardless of whether it suits the customer...and it's a shame that TAs get tarred with the same brush but you can see why it could happen.

I do think in our years of DYIing we've saved quite a lot more than we might spend if there was ever an ash cloud sort of catastrophe so we consider that a self-insurance of sorts..and the rest is either covered by CC, insurance or limitation of risk in booking direct and being able to cancel if necessary...plus we get exactly what we want. But your point about some travellers having limited or no reserves for emergencies is taken.

Doshwaster

stephb34 wrote: »

Maybe, but its true I was in the Dominican when the ash cloud struck and some people were stranded for a full week, those on a package stayed for free, those with TC flight only and hotel purchased elsewhere had their hotel paid for by TC, those with Thomson flight only weren't even given a free phone call to the insurance companies. It all boils down to how confident you are at doing it yourself and how much spare cash you have should it go wrong. Some people haven't got a pot to pee in and go on holiday with no reserve funds in case of any mishap.
As I keep saying not all of us TA's are young brainless bimbos never having been as far as the garden gate wearing a !!!!!! turpin mask.

I love it when people say they are "stranded" on holiday as if they have been dumped in the middle of nowhere. They are in the holiday destination of their choice for an extra few days. If it happened to me I'd think "oh well" and head back to the beach.

rustyboy21

OP is only going to Fuerteventura Steph !


If the flight is cancelled, he can easily get another one . He could get a ferry and sail to Lanzarote and get one of the daily flights. He could get one of the Binter canarias flights to Tenerife daily and then a daily flight back home.


I agree, if I was going to somewhere very far flung, then I would look at a package holiday, or certainly an organised one, but anywhere in Europe, book direct.

Savvy_Sue

Thanks again for all your thoughts.

stephb34 wrote: »

The main problem would be if we had something like the ash cloud again, you would have to pay for the extra nights accommodation until the airline could get you home, if it was a package you would stay for free. The other thing is if your airline goes bust are you stuck with the hotel paid for and not able to get there or do you pay for the hotel when you get there?

It's unlikely we'd ever do a package again, plus this hotel is not offered as a package. We have to pay in advance, which I accept is a bit of a risk but I do know someone who's been there so at least I know it's not a building site!

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

ATOL protection is provided if you book flights and hotels (or flights and car hire) together with a UK supplier.

Sometimes the package holiday is cheaper than DIY.

If you book direct via credit card you will have Section 75 protection (unless total cost is less than £100).

I tend to book my hotels via Top Cashback and Hotels.com. That way I get around 8% commission on every stay and a free night for every 10 nights booked. I suspect this breaks the chain that gives S75 cover but feel adept enough to recover if it hits the fan on arrival (it never has).

A half decent travel insurance policy is probably a no brainer too.

I do book through TCP and Hotels.com in the UK, and if this hotel were on their site, I'd do it that way, but it's not. Have used my credit card and have travel insurance so am probably as well protected as it's possible to be ...

Doshwaster wrote: »

I love it when people say they are "stranded" on holiday as if they have been dumped in the middle of nowhere. They are in the holiday destination of the choice for an extra few days. If it happened to me I'd think "oh well" and head back to the beach.

A colleague of mine was in Thailand with two pre-teenage children at the time. They were sent from pillar to post and country to country, she felt VERY unsafe much of the time. Heading back to the beach wasn't an option.

Of course I don't know how she'd booked or what her options should have been, but I do know it was a nightmare she wouldn't wish to repeat ...

stephb34

I haven't learnt how to do multi quotes so will reply individually.
Doshwasher people who go on holiday with no spare money are stranded, seriously so many people have no spare money. Personally I would love extra days like you.
Rustyboy again no spare cash it doesn't matter its "only" Fuerteventura"
Savvy sue if its not an option as a package, then of course you have to do it independent.
I'm not saying people should always use a TA, you should do what you're comfortable with and can afford.

mandragora_2

Hi Sue - I saw your post just as I was in the midst of doing exactly the same thing - though on the other side of the water, to Lanzarote as opposed to Fue.

I've done both packages and separates for many years now, and will go for whichever one gives me the best options. Spookily, today was the first time I'd thought 'I wonder if this gets Atol protection', though as that was about 45 seconds after I'd booked the hotel, it was a bit too late by then!! As the last package deal we bought was with Lowcost, who now aren't Abta/atol, as they're not UK based, that wouldn't be an advantage anyway, I don't think in their particular case.

This time, by combining it myself, I think I've saved a couple of hundred pounds on the costs of the flights and hotel combined, when I've compared it with the offers from travel agents online. Add to that, of course, I've got the flexibilty of booking flights from a local airport rather than a larger, more distant airport; a somewhat 'swishier' hotel than I'd have been prepared to pay for (TC's was offering the same place at £200 more for the same week/level) and a private taxi transfer for just us two, rather than a bus transfer that can take all sorts of strange routes and have you hanging around all hours at the airport, while you wait for another flight to come in, or for someone else whose bags are the last ones off the plane.

On any occasion where there has been an issue with the accommodation, I've always resolved it myself anyway, by speaking direct to reception staff. I'm sure some of the reps are fine, but they can seem indifferent at times, and I know I'm just as capable of explaining things to a manager as anyone else, and more promptly than having to wait for a rep's appointed time. Also, being 'invited' to a 'Welcome' meeting, which is nothing more than a sales pitch for excursions on the first morning of my holiday always irritates me - as my husband is a much more polite person than me, he always used to go to them, and chide me for being ignorant. After about five times, though, he's learned now - though he still wriggles with embarrassment when the reps mention it....

landsberger64

ferf1223 wrote: »

We would always book direct with the hotel...I can't really see any benefit in going via an agent (particularly if doing so is more expensive)...we have been known to pay more to book direct...just prefer our relationship to be with the hotel and not have to worry about any communication issues we are not a party to.

How many posts here have there been about booking via an agent/3rd party where at some point the poster receives notice that the hotel is oversold and they're being moved or out of luck?

How many of those posts have there been when the booking has been with the hotel directly?

I USUALLY book with the hotel direct, but this can occasionally be more expensive. Recently booked the Novotel in Luxembourg via getaroom and it was about €25 a night cheaper and included breakfast (normally a whopping €20 each). I'd read a few negative (and some positive reviews) of the company, but when we got there, they had the booking.