Prefer a hotel or Airbnb?

[Terry4]

In the last few years, probaly the last 2 actually,I have been fascinated by using these hotel apps when staying a month or so in Thailand.

 

My last visit of two months I used Hotelscom app,which after 10 bokkings you receive a free night, plus if you find something cheaper they refund the difference.( you need to wait about 30 days though)

 

I am now a Gold member of Hotels app which actually means nothing except they send the generic 50% off emails which all have a catch to them, I am yet to get 50% off.

 

I believe hotels also own Expedia .

 

Many tell me you can call the hotel direct and get a better price?

 

I did that once in the Copa hotel in Boyztown only to be slugged a VAT tax fee which made it more expensive than the app !

 

 

Do any of you use Airbnb ? I did look at the prices qouted but they seem far more expensive a d then some wanted electric etc on top of that !!!

 

I do love Airbnb and have used them but I am not paying over the top in low season.

It actually surprises me with all the competition in accomodation why many owners with Airbnb in Pattaya are expensive.

 

 

 

I am also a member of the Hilton Honours Club which sounds fancy but actually means nothing too as they give little benefits away .

 

What other Hotel discount or loyalty Clubs are around? I find most are actually not giving anything away.

[paulsf]

I have only used Airbnb for the last 5 years. The place I use includes everything. Water, electric, WiFi when staying months at a time having a washing machine in the condo is great. I’m not a breakfast person so don’t miss that part of a hotel.

Much more room than a hotel room. Much more privacy. Like anything else price can be determined by location.

Prices in the Surawong, Silom, Sathorn area are going up for everything. Restaurants, hotels and condos.

Still some great bargains if you look just outside this area. At this point in my life I’ll pay a little extra for convenience.

Can only speak for Bangkok as I never go to Pattaya. But better bargains there.

[fedssocr]

Expedia owns hotels.com, not the other way around.

 

The 1 "night" free after 10 nights can be a good value. It's based on the average you spent for the other 10 nights and essentially it's a discount toward the 11th night so if you book a room that's more expensive than the value they're giving you, you just have to pay the difference.

 

I use Airbnb sometimes. But I try to avoid it in places where it's not legal. I guess the situation changes frequently, but isn't it still illegal in Thailand? In Thailand where hotels tend to be fairly cheap I usually just book via whatever channel is most advantageous...whether that is direct with the hotel (usually) or via a site like agoda or booking.com. Those sites also list apartment rentals in addition to traditional hotels. I agree that I prefer apartments when it is convenient. More room. Feels more like home. I don't really need a full service hotel in most cases. I don't use room service, don't really need daily housekeeping.

 

I belong to most of the hotel loyalty programs just because there are often some perks like free internet, etc. And sometimes they offer rate discounts to members. And you can book rooms with points once you have enough. For those based in the US the hotel brands all have affiliated credit cards that usually give you one free night each year for a relatively small annual fee. The program I use the most is IHG these days. But on a recent trip to Europe I stayed in a couple of Radisson Blu hotels. I also feel like booking direct with the hotel you tend to get a better room than when you book through the online agencies where the hotel has to pay a commission.

[vinapu]

I tend to look for lower end of price scale when choosing hotels , I don't need any luxuries as long as hot water is available and A/C is working / quietly / , if breakfast is not offered I don't see any problem of walking to the nearest venue.

 

What I'm willing to pay premium for is location - I  like to be walking distance of biggest attraction of the place I'm in unless public transport is nearby and very frequent like in most of European  big cities.

 

Since I like to change hotels frequently even if staying in the same city I did not try airbnb yet and definitely I'm not interested in belonging to any hotel loyalty program.

[traveller123]

I have come across a problem trying to book a condo in Jomtien for a week in high season.

The property will show it is vacant but when you try to book the owner/agent won't accept the booking as they want long stays over the peak season.

I can understand this with popular condos so now I just book The Agate Hotel in the Jomtien complex.

[Terry4]

I think some apps have “ long stays “, im sure and maybe someone would know but im sure Hotels.com app have a long stay feature?

[alex303]

I prefer to use AirBNB these days in BKK whenever possible and have had some great stays in the past, some really amazing views of BKK that I might not have experienced otherwise. 

 

But this last trip I had a bad experience with an AirBNB I'd booked @ Silom Suites condo near BTS Chong Nonsi...the place had way too many things wrong with it (was like a bad DIY in progress) for me to stay...very miss-leaded pics & description...plus was next door to a building site which the owner lied about when I asked him before-hand, so moved out after only 1 night (had booked 4 nights originally).

 

Ended up getting a last minute deal at Furama Silom for one of their better rooms that came with quite a few perks at a big discount because it was such a late booking.  Managed to just walk from the condo to Furama with my bags (I travel light) so no great drama and was happy once I'd checked in that it was the right thing to do (my regular Viet guy likes their rooms also judging by the amount he manages to sleep in them...lol).  Should thank Paul SF for his advice to take photo's of the condo and then raise the issues with AirBNB afterwards as I got a full refund eventually which effectively paid for Furama.

 

No issues with trying AirBNB again and will do so at Christmas again for sure, I love the freedom & privacy that having your own condo brings.

[pong]

Warning for airB&B in TH:

some (I repeat some= NOT all) Thai towns are also clamping down on it, as they think this conflicts the law on guesthouses/hotels etc-the minimum stay in B&B should be at least 30 days/1 month. Notably so in ChiangMai (which was overwhelmed by mainland Chines ecoming overland). Its quite possible other towns may also start a clampdown.

I also feel (but its by now quite some time i looked at it for TH) that the offers in Th are quite pricey-most seem to be expats/farang who rent out whilst they are away or have their bought condo, where they only stay a few monthes. Its known that large condo/apartmt buildings in Pattaya take over the rentals for them (at a fee of course).

And; why does noone mention this: there is supposed to be a gay style AirB&B named EBAB. it had quite a few offers in BKk when I last checked.

But low-cost HTLs are so many and so readily available (many do not even appear on any booking type www) about anywhere in TH, that for me its the best choice.

Haggling about HTLK prices is often (still) mentioned, but will-if at all-only work for long time in the slack season and out of the tipical touristy areas.

[paborn]

I use  Airbnb exclusively for my trips to the Dominican Republic. But, I speak Spanish and understand the Cedula zID cards and the age requirements. In Thailand where there are so many Lao, Cambodians, Vietnamese, etc. I would be concerned about getting someone under age through no real fault of my own.

 

There are so many perfectly adequate hotels that have no issues with guests that I would not do so in Thailand. People who are there for months on end and develop a network can go the condo route with no problems. In my situation, I would hesitate.