Anyone ever used it? Good/bad?
Trying to find a cheap vacation I could take with friends who by-and-large can't afford much. Some of the deals look extremely reasonable. Almost too reasonable.
Travelzoo?
Anyone ever used it? Good/bad?
Trying to find a cheap vacation I could take with friends who by-and-large can't afford much. Some of the deals look extremely reasonable. Almost too reasonable.
I've never used it. But I rarely travel anywhere anyway.
Hotel switching is a common practice among these low budget sites. Its not usually done by the site, but by the hotels, and its written into the EULA.
When you make your reservation, you are actually making a request, not a true reservation. Hotels usually pull 1 and/or 2 tricks. The hotel is part of a chain, and the one you requested is over booked, but their sister site down the road is "comparable" so you get that instead. Comparable in quotations for obvious reasons. The second, and more common practice has to do with bed counts. Hotels will simply ignore that part and give you whatever they have to in order to legally reach the number of people you booked for; 1 king instead of 2 twins, a pullout instead of a bed, etc.
Hear stories about these things all the time because of the tourist industry down here, but they end up on consumerist often enough.
"In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."
Haven't heard of travelzoo, so I wiki'd it: LOL, this had to be written by the marketing department. It's like reading an ad!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travelzoo
Anyway, sorry I'm of no help. I always either call the hotels themselves or use AAA to reserve rooms. Same for airfare; though my parents use expedia.com often and haven't had trouble (the airlines themselves of course are douchebags no matter where you get the tickets from).
Why don't you wait until the "poorest" among your social circle tells you what they can afford? If they find some great internet deal within their budget, then you'll most likely be able to afford it, too. In other words, stand back and don't try to be the planner. Don't flaunt your wealth. Don't let your friends feel like they're trying to keep up with you. Let them lead the way, with a bit of dignity.Originally Posted by Dreadnaught
What a condescending post. My friends and I are looking at trips together that are in everyone's budget. So we are hunting on bargain sites and checking for credibility.
And then you roll in and say I'm flaunting "wealth" because we're all looking at bargain trips to Costa Rica that fit within everyone's budget? Is it not obvious that we're looking for bargain trips because we all have a per-person budget in mind that we've already discussed?
It's frustrating how you quietly steam at me whenever I mention taking any kind of trip.
Why are you so paranoid? Jeeze! I was trying to be helpful, because I've been in your spot before. As the higher earner among a group of friends trying to plan a trip, I understand the dynamics. Years later, I understood the dynamics even better.
But go ahead and plan your trip, as if Travelzoo has any fricking thing to do with it. It doesn't and you know it. If it makes you feel better to call me condescending, then knock yer socks off. If you really want travel advice, then accept the advice offered.
I've had the opposite experience. The airline was happy to freeze the ticket, despite it not being refundable (for $150). Expedia said to either use the ticket or lose it.
Hope is the denial of reality
I was asking for advice about a travel site and it's reliability. I wasn't asking how to manage the expectations and budgets of my friends. I wasn't asking how to not "flaunt" the copious wealth you insist I have by hunting for discount trips on fracking Travelzoo.
You could go couch surfingI don't think I have ever booked hotels/hostels through a website like that, only directly. Do they have reviews?
What, if you go on vacation with friends you can't look for options now?Why don't you wait until the "poorest" among your social circle tells you what they can afford? If they find some great internet deal within their budget, then you'll most likely be able to afford it, too. In other words, stand back and don't try to be the planner. Don't flaunt your wealth. Don't let your friends feel like they're trying to keep up with you. Let them lead the way, with a bit of dignity.I don't know about Dread of course, but if I go with friends I roughly know their budgets and mine, and we all go looking for deals. How is looking for a cheap vacation 'flaunting your wealth'?
Keep on keepin' the beat alive!
They haven't had to deal with that problem. I personally don't use it; just going by my parents' experience. Sorry that happened to you.I've had the opposite experience. The airline was happy to freeze the ticket, despite it not being refundable (for $150). Expedia said to either use the ticket or lose it.
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