New Travelzoo Offers in Bangkok and Phuket

[Guest fountainhall]

This week Travelzoo has two offers – for the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel (5 minutes from Rajadamri Skytrain station) in Bangkok and the Radisson Blu Resort in Phuket.

 

Bangkok Courtyard by Marriott Hotel

 

The offer for this very centrally located hotel is for A$69 per night which Travelzoo suggests is 55% off regular high season rates. Agoda reviewers give the hotel an “8.4 Fantastic” rating. The offer includes –

 

* Guaranteed Upgrade to Corner Deluxe Room

* Free in-room WiFi and wired internet

* Tax and Service charges

* 20% off all F&B

 

Conditions:

* Validity: November 19 2012 to 31 July 2013

* Vouchers must be purchased by Wednesday 14 November

* Rooms booked not later than 1 July 2013

* Vouchers are non-refundable, but dates can be changed within 7 days of the start of your booking subject to availability.

 

Notes:

* A$1 = approx. US$1.043

* Breakfast is not included, but can be purchased with this offer for an additional A$19 per night for two guests.

* The cheapest non-refundable December agoda rate without breakfast but which can not be changed after the booking is made is US$109.

 

For details of the travelzoo offer and bookings –

http://www.travelzoo...tm_medium=email

 

For more information on the hotel itself –

http://www.marriott....rtyard-bangkok/

 

 

Phuket – 3 nights at 5-star Radisson Blu Plaza Resort on Panwa Beach

 

The offer for this hotel on the east of the island is A$299 for a 3-night stay which Travelzoo suggests is more than 60% off regular high season rates. Agoda reviewers give the hotel an “8.5 Fantastic” rating. The offer includes –

 

* Guaranteed Upgrade to Deluxe Seaview Room featuring large balconies and day beds

* Daily Breakfast for 2 (regular rate is A$22 per person per day)

* Free in-room WiFi

* Late check-out to 4:00pm

* Tax and Service charges

* 20% off all F&B at the Aqua Restaurant

* Free shuttle to shopping and Phuket town

 

Conditions:

* Validity: November 9 2012 to 31 March 2013 (but check the site below for several blackout dates)

* Vouchers must be purchased by Wednesday 14 November

* Rooms booked not later than 1 March 2013

* Rooms can be booked for just 1 or 2 nights, but the maximum on this offer is 3 nights

* Vouchers are non-refundable, but dates can be changed within 7 days of the start of your booking subject to availability.

 

Notes:

* A$1 = approx. US$1.03

* The cheapest non-refundable December agoda rate for a non-ocean-view Deluxe room with breakfast which can not be changed after the booking is made is US$150.

 

For details of the travelzoo offer and bookings –

http://www.travelzoo...tm_medium=email

 

For more information on the hotel itself –

http://www.radissonb...m/resort-phuket

[firecat69]

That Courtyard by Marriott rate would be ok except for the Grande Centre Point being almost the same price with breakfast . The Grande Centre Point is closer to BTS and you get a 750 sq ft suite instead of a room.

 

No Comparison IMHO

[Guest fountainhall]

The Grande Centre Point 70 sq. meter grand suites are double the area of the Courtyard corner rooms and its agoda rating is higher at 8.7. It sounds a great place to stay. However, I think you must have the low season rate. Agoda has the lowest non-refundable rate of various search engines. For mid-December, that rate is US$132 (which includes breakfast). So there's roughly a $40 difference in total price.

 

But for mid-May, agoda quotes that same grand suite at US$275 and in mid-June it's $285. So I guess it's all a matter of preference, budget and when one travels.

 

I have never been inside the Courtyard hotel in Bangkok, but it's the hotel I use most often when I'm in Hong Kong. The brand is certainly not 5-star. More like very good 4 star+.

[firecat69]

I guess it depends on what High Season is. I just stayed there for $107 with breakfast and if I booked my January dates it would be $117.

 

Definitely worth the small difference to me but I understand for some it may be too much .

[Guest fountainhall]

Can I ask where you booked it? Anything in the $107 - $117 range sounds a real bargain. Perhaps agoda does not give the best rates for that property.

[TotallyOz]

FH, I think he booked on Agoda. But, I also know Firecat and he is great at researching the best deals for airlines and hotels.

 

Personally, I don't mind paying a bit extra for a hotel that has direct access to the Skytrain. I had a great place in Bangkok over a year ago for 5 months but it was not adjacent to the Skytrain. Had it been right there, I most likely would have stayed for a much longer time. And, when I book hotels, I like do find them near the train so I can get where I want to go quicker.

[firecat69]

I used Agoda for my recent stay and for the quote in January. However the rate is considerably higher( $157) in June so I guess Summer is High Season in BKK.

[Guest fountainhall]

Firecat69 and I are clearly kindred spirits in that respect. Friends sometimes tell me that I am destined to be a travel adviser in my next life

 

I don't want to split hairs, but that June rate of $157 is only for the smaller 44 sq. meter rooms. At least that is what agoda tells me. And as it does not include taxes, another $25 has to be added.

 

It does seem odd that the rate should be higher in June and July. Most hoteliers have high season rates from around mid-October only to mid- or late-April. June/July rates ought to be similar to October.

 

But it highlights once again the point that, however enticing a deal may look, everyone should always check the fine print about room sizes and locations. As for rates, a quick check with the hotels or serviced apartments themselves is also worthwhile as some may well have special rates from time to time that are not available to the search engine sites. The Four Seasons on Rajadamri often has 3 nights for the price of 2 making the nightly rate cheaper than agoda rates.

[firecat69]

I think sometimes we are confused into thinking high season for everyone is what it is for Gay Businesses..

 

BKK is a very busy city in the summer with visitors and children out of school in the West. I suspect in BKK the rates will go back down in September.