Wednesday, October 18, 2006 Tips for successful online hotel booking
WITH over 14.1 million Australian web users or 68.4 percent of Australian population, researching and booking travel related products on the Internet is increasing day by day. Over 98,000 users search for the keyword "travel" per day and 14,500 users searching for the key word "hotel" per day. The easy access to information, price comparison, and the good discounts explain why this trend has become popular. Tourism is one of the most popular online commercial sectors, that's why HotelClub gives web users 10 important tips to purchase your travel needs online.
1. Check if there is a digital security certificate on the website.
There are important requirements for any online transaction. To check the confidentiality of the information given, web users are required to check if the site they use for a booking does have a security certificate. Many security agencies like Thawte, Trusted Shops or BBB specialize in online security and check websites' security certificates.
HotelClub possesses such certificates on its website for the protection and management of data transmission and storage. While being transmitted over the
Internet, your credit card details and personal information are protected using SSL encryption.
2. Double check the identity of the Internet company.
Make sure that you check the website before booking, and let web users know about the identity of the company through a specific section. Professional websites should supply users with a presentation of the company, its activities and telephone support. HotelClub features a section called " About Us " so that users of the site can view in-depth information about HotelClub (a Travelport Inc, brand), about the HotelClub team and its commitment to customer service. HotelClub has a worldwide network of offices whose contacts are also available on the website.
3. Make sure you can contact customer service.
It is important for customers to be able to contact a hotel booking engine, should there be a problem with their booking. Besides, telephone support is always a good way to give confidence to the most demanding customers when dealing with Internet.
HotelClub has customer service centers in nine countries. Wherever the customer is, HotelClub endeavors to process each inquiry as quickly as possible. The website offers free phone support to further assist its customers with their bookings: 1300 85 45 85.
4. Check out the "last minute" deals.
"Last minute" deals give you the opportunity to grab a good discount. Many "last minute" service providers offer great service and discounted hotel rates with breakfast included or free museum passes in most cases. Flexibility with traveling dates is the key to make savings.
HotelClub offers 12,500 " last minute " hotels worldwide to book so that web users can access the best deals. In its Last Minute Deals section, the website features a low rates guarantee*. If you find a cheaper rate for the same hotel and check in dates, HotelClub will refund you the difference.
5. A wide range of hotels.
If you want to get a good deal, we recommend that you make a booking through a website offering a big range of hotels worldwide. Generally, the higher the volume, the cheaper the rates offered by the site.
HotelClub provides online reservation services for more than 21, 000 hotels. That way, HotelClub customers can enjoy many discounted hotel rates.
6. Sign up for the Membership Program.
Whether you use a hotel or an airline website, membership or loyalty programs provide unique benefits and savings and are often free to join. Sign up for
Membership Program to enjoy special rates today.
HotelClub offers a Membership Program where users can join for free and enjoy
Member Dollar rewards, prizes, exclusive specials and more! Member Dollars are can be earned and accumulated with every booking that is made and customers save on your future bookings with HotelClub's worldwide network. You can use your Member Dollars at any time to pay for all or part of your future hotel bookings with HotelClub.
7. Check the booking fees.
Some sites like HotelClub offer rates with all taxes included whereas others don't include these taxes into their rates (taxes are often added at the end), which can make a big difference in the final payment. So double check if the site applies booking fees or processing fees for the reservation. Some sites charge a fee for any modification or cancellation. Generally, the cheaper the rate, the more booking conditions. If you don't need to modify your booking, you may get a good deal. If you need to be fully flexible, you should take into account the additional fees.
With HotelClub there are no booking fees charged. The rate you pay is generally
inclusive of taxes and service charges. There are no unpleasant surprises with HotelClub when paying your booking.
8. Check customers' feedback surveys.
Before booking a hotel, we recommend you to get some information from the customers who stayed in this hotel regarding the quality of its services. Please make sure you read carefully web users' comments, reviews and blogs to get better results with your query.
Every hotel description contains a feedback survey section for HotelClub customers who can give the hotel a general mark from 1 to 5. HotelClub indicates how many people have given their feedback for the marked hotel so that you can better assess the comments.
9. Think about the Group Booking option
If customers have to make several reservations for a group booking, we recommend you to check directly with the company if any discount is offered. You may get a discount on what you thought wasn't considered as a group!
HotelClub's home page features a Group Booking section where you can access a
Group Booking Request Form and check if there is sufficient availability of hotel rooms for all participants.
10. Require the rates in home currency.
To avoid any nasty surprises when booking online, you are best to book on a site displaying rates in euros, British pound, Australian dollar, or New Zealand dollar. Watch out with local booking websites overseas.
HotelClub users can convert the cost of their hotel stay into their own currency.
The HotelClub currency converter will show you how much you are actually going to pay in your own currency (excluding your credit card provider fees) and will convert one of 14 different currencies.
HotelClub (www.HotelClub.com) is a global accommodation specialist website offering hotel bookings for up to 12 months in advance. It offers users the choice of over 21,000 hotels - at savings of up to 60 percent - in 109 countries and 2,500 cities worldwide. HotelClub is available in ten languages - Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai. HotelClub is a truly global website offering its customers access through country specific sites in 10 countries including HotelClub.com, HotelClub.com.au, HotelClub.de, HotelClub.fr, HotelClub.it, HotelClub.es and HotelClub.co.uk. HotelClub, is operated by Flairview Travel, a Travelport Inc. brand. Travelport (www.travelport.com) is one of the largest and most geographically diverse travel companies, dedicated to creating the exceptional travel experiences the world demands. Press release
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