Directly Booking on Travelodge Website Cheaper than Agoda and Booking.com

h11deo on 18/01/2023 - 10:35

Hi OZB folks,

Just wanted to share this and get some feedback from this community. I've forever been a user of either Agoda or Booking (although I don't travel frequently, maybe once a year and not every year), but recently for my upcoming trip to South Korea, I missed out on some sale from both sites specific to the Travelodge hotel that I wanted to book. I ended up checking Travelodge website direclty and saw the price was better than the now-current non-sale price in Agoda/Booking.

For example:
Superior Queen Room in Travelodge Myeondong City Hall (10 nights):

Agoda = 91x10 = 910 - 45 (from 5% CR cashback) = 865 AUD
Booking = 1,176 - 70.56 (from 6% CR cashback)= 1,105.44 AUD
Travelodge Website = 715 AUD + 21.45 (3% credit card foreign fee NAB) = 736.45 AUD

So I went ahead booked directly on Travelodge website and got reservation number.
So at this point, I'm not yet sure if I will end up with a better deal:

  1. They have not charged my card yet (even though the reservation required submitting my CC number and expiry date) and when I emailed them, they said they will only charge it once I arrive in the hotel. Anyone who has done something similar and have booked directly with the hotel, is this the normal process (get a reservation number and pay for it only when you arrive)?

  2. Since they have not charged my card yet, I cannot see what exchange rate they used, basically my reservation is for 680,000 KRW which is roughly 715AUD in their reservation checkout page, although they do have a disclaimer that the conversion may not be accurate since the exchange rate will be that of the hotel's exchange rate.

Will update this thread once I find out the actual payment made on my credit card, but if anyone can provide feedback on my question above (item #1) with regards to getting a reservation number and yet payment only to be done on-site of arrival

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Comments

  • densmorek on 18/01/2023 - 11:04
    +2

    1 is very normal and is nice if the cancellation policy is generous. See a better price before the trip? Make a new booking and cancel the old one with zero hassle.

    • archieduh on 18/01/2023 - 11:21

      +1

    • h11deo on 18/01/2023 - 11:29

      Thanks for the feedback, yeah they replied via email and asked if I wanted to pay in advance via phone since they say normally the reservation is paid on arrival. I guess I will go with the normal process and pay when I get there. The reservation cannot be cancelled which they explicitly state before you submit the reservation, which I thought at that time is ok given the better price (they had discounted rate if you book more than 7 days)

    • h11deo on 18/01/2023 - 11:50

      Just rereading the T&Cs, just saw this bit:

      Guarantee Policy
      Booking has to be prepaid in full at the time of making reservation

      Can't fully understand what it means and what the impact is, but somehow its making me feel like I should go ahead and pay in advance?

  • Ocker on 18/01/2023 - 11:41

    Save yourself another 20 bucks by using a fee free credit card

  • Geryatric on 18/01/2023 - 11:41
    1. Yes, that is pretty common to pay on check-in
    2. You will be charged in KRW on whatever the exchange rate is on that future date. You bank/credit card will perform the exchange conversion not the hotel. Depending on hotel policy, you may also be able to pay in local cash/currency.
    • h11deo on 18/01/2023 - 11:47
      +1

      Thanks for the feedback, for #2, I guess I am misreading this from their website:
      "The currency conversion is for guidance only. Reservations will be made at the hotel's base currency KRW."

      Does that mean, KRW to AUD and the exchange rate will be driven by the credit card conversion rates (not the hotel's)?

      • GG57 on 18/01/2023 - 15:45

        Yes

      • Save 50 Cent on 22/01/2023 - 09:31

        Get yourself a Macquarie account. Great conversion rates and no fees.

  • kerfuffle on 18/01/2023 - 11:59

    Anyone who has done something similar and have booked directly with the hotel, is this the normal process (get a reservation number and pay for it only when you arrive)?

    Can also confirm this is normal.

  • sonicentropy on 18/01/2023 - 12:06
    +1

    IHG hotels is the same, always cheaper on their site especially if you use a vpn

    • kerfuffle on 18/01/2023 - 12:08

      And sign up to their free membership program

    • ryefig on 19/01/2023 - 10:16

      especially if you use a vpn - what do you mean by this?

    • movieman on 22/01/2023 - 10:50

      Which country is it better to have the VPN in?

  • spackbace on 18/01/2023 - 12:57

    Yep, booking a trip to NZ and have used the hotel sites for every booking. Usually it'll be cheaper, you're probably more likely to get a free upgrade/looked after, and less chance of the booking going missing or having issues

    • ryefig on 19/01/2023 - 10:18

      Hmm, I wouldn't say that reputable third parties would have issues with bookings going missing.

      You will get an email confirmation and your stay will be logged in the "my upcoming trips" section of whatever third party you are using. The third parties have access to the same reservation inventory as the hotel does.

      • GG57 on 19/01/2023 - 11:26
        +2

        I've noticed a few reports recently where:
        - Accommodation booked via Qantas along with flights, for 2-bed apartment in USA. On arrival, no booking in place.
        - Accommodation booked via Qantas along with flights, at hotel. On arrival, hotel closed (had been closed for ~2 years).

        Even 'reputable' bookings can go wrong.

        • ryefig on 20/01/2023 - 10:09

          Don't think I can say Qantas is reputable these days.

      • spackbace on 19/01/2023 - 12:48
        +1

        Hmm, I wouldn't say that reputable third parties would have issues with bookings going missing.

        I did say "less chance", not saying that you won't be perfectly fine with either option

        Some of our accommodation choices weren't even showing availability that far out, or had package deals on their website which were far better than anywhere else.

        Most hotels and accommodation these days are using booking sites for advertising etc, but offer far better prices on their own sites due to no middle-man

        And again, far more likely you'd get an upgrade over another person booking through a 3rd party

        Plus I'd like to say I was doing the right thing by them by booking directly

        • ryefig on 20/01/2023 - 10:17

          I agree, there is a greater chance of being upgraded by booking direct.
          I like to shop around using third parties and then seeing if the price is cheaper by booking direct.

          There are some benefits of booking through third parties. Expedia you earn points which you can redeem later on future hotel stays, hotels dotcom give you one free night for every 10 nights that you book through them and booking dotcom has a Genius membership which unlocks discounts (I assume they just take from the commission that they earn on the booking)

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