Re: Cheap hostel accommodation - be very careful!On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:55:02 -0700 (PDT), the renowned
hostelman@yahoo,com wrote:
>On Jul 11, 7:39 pm, "Gerald Oliver Swift" <gosw...@hotmail,com > wrote:
>> To all Budget Travellers
>>
>> Please remember that when you pre-book accommodation on webswites such as:-
>>
>> www .HostelBeds,com www .hostelbookers,com www .cheaphostel,com www .hostels247,com www .Hostels,com www .hostelbookers,com /www .hostelworld,com
>>
>> that these companies have ABSOLUTELY NO DIRECT COMMUNICATION WHATSOEVER with
>> the hostel / hotel you are making a booking with.
>>
>> In other words.........when you think you have a confirmed booking made
>> through them.........and then when you arrive at your accommodation you find
>> that no room is available ..............problems!!!!!!!!!!!
>>
>> These booking sites will gadly take your 10% deposit and then leave you in
>> the "lurch" when things go badly wrong - as they quite often do !!
And keep your deposit to boot!
>> This post is merely to forewarn fellow travellers of a potential pitfall
>> when booking budget accommodation online.
>>
>> Happy travelling to all !
>> Gerry
>
>I'm not sure if you have ever used any of these Online Hostels and
>Budget Accommodation Booking Websites, or if you understand their
>Business, for the Business to work, they must have some commincation
>with the Hostels and Hotels, otherwise their business would never
>work. The point you made that these websites you listed, have no
>direct communication with the hostels and Hotels is far from the
>truth.
>
>The hostel and hotel owners will never allow some company to setup and
>just use their name to decieve customers and just take their money,
>without actually intending to help budget traveller to find
>accommodation. Most of these businesses are well established
>organisations, and between them have millions of customers, I'm one of
>them. So if Millions of people that booked accommodation with these
>companies, never actually got any accommodation, which they paid for,
>I'm sure there would be a Worldwide uproar.
>
>Usually, I would be the one pointing out to Budget Travellers and
>friends, to beware of pitfalls and lack of good customer care by some
>online booking websites, not just the Hostel booking sites but travel
>sites in general. But when I saw this post by you, I couldn't help but
>to get involved.
>
>I have booked some accommodation in the past with some of these
>websites, in different cities, Amsterdam, New York, Ibiza and Berlin,
>just to name a few. When my Booking was confirmed I recieved an email
>confirming my booking, the full contact details of the Hostel or Hotel
>were on the email. All these places I have been and booked my
>accommodation online, I got the room, I never turned up to a hostel or
>hotel and was told ther was no booking for me.
>
>I have heard about hostels and hotels over booking themselves, but its
>never happened to me.
>
>I'm not sure if you have had a bad experience booking accommodation
>with one of these companies, but my last travel to New York I booked
>with www .hostels247,com and I stayed in Candy Hostel New York, I had
>No problems. I have used Hostels247,com before my New York trip and I
>think they are very good, you can call them also if you don't want to
>book online and speak to someone.
>
>I also booked with www .hostelbookers,com a couple of years ago, and I
>had no problems with the accommodation I booked.
>
>The 10% I paid on each booking, was taken off the total booking
>amount, the remaining 90% I paid when I got to the Hostel or Hotel.
>
>I can understand if you said, that some of these companies don't have
>the best customer care, or some hostels or hotels are not up to
>standard, but to say that hostel booking website don't have any direct
>contact with the hostels and hotels is an unfair statement.
>
>I think the best way to make a valid critism, is not to exagerate, in
>that way you will be helping other travellers to gain an insight.
>
>Truth Be Told
Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
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