# Alpha rooms



## Ttree (1 Apr 2010)

Hi just wondering did anyone book sun holiday through alpha rooms ?.how did things go?


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## notagardener (1 Apr 2010)

We did last year. The hotel we went to was recommended by our local travel agent - but at a price!!! A friend told us about alpha rooms and we checked it out. We arranged our own flights and saved considerably on the accomodation. Will definately use alpha rooms againg,the service was excellent. Make sure to check out the selected hotel/accomodation with tripadvisor/holiday watchdog before booking. Good luck in your travels


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## Yeager (1 Apr 2010)

Booked several hotel rooms with them over the years and never have had any issues. Payment is charged to the card up front before the stay which some people may not like but I think this is pretty normal for 3rd party bookings on hotels website. I always find them very keen on price usually a few euro better than the other hotlel search engines.

Can't comment on full sun holidays though.


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## justsally (1 Apr 2010)

We used Alpha rooms this year for first time, Arona Gran Hotel Tenerife.  They booked our flights and acommodation.    However, having made the reservation and paid for same I happened to check the hotel site and discovered that had we booked directly with the hotel we would have saved some money.    If we had booked directly we would have received 10% reduction for booking online, plus free Airport/Hotel/Airport transfers, plus free use of safe (we had to pay 15 euros for use of safe for the week and 5 euro insurance on same!!!!), plus free upgrade.   We would also have received tea/coffee facilities in the room, replenished daily.   All of which we had to pay for when booked through Alpha rooms. (we didn't bother with the tea/coffee - but it would have been nice to have).   So if you intend using Alpha rooms perhaps you should compare price booking via Alpharooms as against booking with the hotel  direct.


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## Yeager (1 Apr 2010)

Alway do your own research too as justsally learned i.e. booking directly vs hotel search engine to get the best price and best offers. 

Shop around is the bottom line. Use tripadvisor its one the handiest resources available for hotel ratings and and users experiences. Wouldn't consider booking without checking all the site below.............the list is endless to be honest and there are often considerable differences between them

Directly to the hotel
www.ebookers.com
www.edreams.com
[broken link removed]
www.kayak.com

www.gohop.ie


Flights.......go straight to www.skyscanner.com


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## gipimann (1 Apr 2010)

I've used alpharooms a few times for accommodation and have been happy with price and service.  This year I found 1800hotels prices (for 1 week apartment Lanzarote) were about the same as alpharooms.

This year, I booked the airport-apartment transfer via alpharooms (they offer private transfer or group transfer - i.e. taxi v coach).  I booked the group transfer.....and had the coach to myself both times!  Couldn't fault that!


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## Odea (2 Apr 2010)

I am having a lot of trouble with the Best Western chain at the moment. I booked a nights stay in a hotel in Spain over the phone via Best Western customer service. I understand that they have a LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEE on all of their hotels. After I booked the hotel direct with Best Western I found that I could have booked the same hotel,room etc for considerably cheaper via www.alpharooms.com. I contacted Best Western customer service and completed their claim form wherby they say that they will match the lower price offered plus give another 10% off. They refused to honour their guarantee because I booked by phone and not online.



My advice is to read the terms and conditions of your booking before entering in to any agreement to purchase.



For me the Best Western lowest price guarantee should be about that and nothing else. Whether I booked online or by phone should have nothing to do with it.



Have a look at www.hotelscomparison.com and compare prices, if you can get a lower price online from one of the booking sites you might be able to call on the hotel chains Low Price Guarantee and end up getting a further discount on top of your low price.

I was amazed as to how cheap Alpharooms were compared to the Best Western direct choice. So check to see if there is a Lowest Price Guarantee if booking direct then quote the Alpharooms price. But don't make the mistake I did by booking by phone.


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## joer (2 Apr 2010)

I use Alpharooms all the time and have never got a better price anywhere else.I have never had any problems with them either..


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## Concert (2 Apr 2010)

Have been using Alpha Rooms for years. Their prices are excellent and we travel quite a lot.  Booking.com is also another excellent site and very reliable as well.  I normally check the prices on both sites for the dates I want, sometimes Booking can be cheaper and vice versa.


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## redchariot (3 Apr 2010)

I have used Alpharooms a few times for booking hotels; never any problems. Their prices are quite competitive but do ensure that you check different websites. 

Also using the below websites does a comparison across a lot of other websites so you can easily see where the best deal is coming from.

www.sidestep.com
www.travelsupermarket.com

As a few travellers have already pointed out, ensure that you check Tripadvisor before you book a hotel


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## Bronco Lane (18 Apr 2010)

Just checking their Terms and Conditions. It would appear if you want to cancel hotel rooms booked due to Volcano activity you have to do so 15 days in advance or you will lose 100% of the booking.


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## BOXtheFOX (18 Apr 2010)

*Alpharooms-Can you cancel?*



Bronco Lane said:


> Just checking their Terms and Conditions. It would appear if you want to cancel hotel rooms booked due to Volcano activity you have to do so 15 days in advance or you will lose 100% of the booking.


 
I would have thought that because of the disruption caused by the volcanic activity that companies such as Alpharooms would show some flexibility in their Terms and Conditions?  
I was checking the website of the hotel that I am due to go to later in the week and the hotel will allow cancellations up to 6p.m the previous day before check in, without charge if you have booked direct. Alpharooms are looking for 15 days notice.
I am certain that if I notify Alpharooms today then they will be able to cancel my reservation today/tomorrow without any charge to them. So why should they be allowed to keep the money?


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## BOXtheFOX (18 Apr 2010)

Found the attached on the Alpharooms website.

http://www.alpharooms.com/webpages/cobrand/0/contactus.aspx

If anyone has made a hotel booking through any other website perhaps they might post links.

Box


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## elcato (19 Apr 2010)

My experience of them is good but the cancellation policy is poor. You lose 20% even if you cancel 54 days in advance. They then have a sliding scale of how much you lose. If you are certain you will go then they are a good site but I'd prefer to have the option of cancellation. They also offer a cancellation cover for a few extra euros on booking so I guess you could use that.


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## Petal (19 Apr 2010)

I once used alpharooms and against an extra 11 Euros once could extend the cancellation policy, doesn't seem to be there all the time though.
I've had a very pleasant experience with 1800hotels, who due to the volcano let me cancel the hotel the day before against a credit voucher for a future booking. With them usually one has to cancel at least 3 days beforehand, thereafter it's 100% cancellation fee.


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## SoylentGreen (20 Apr 2010)

Alpharooms have information on their website telling people what to do if they have to cancel because of the volcano problem. However when you go to the part on their website to cancel/amend your booking you get the message "service not available". Very poor.


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## MaryBe (20 Apr 2010)

joer said:


> I use Alpharooms all the time and have never got a better price anywhere else.I have never had any problems with them either..


 
I always used Alpharooms too.  However,  I have found 1800hotels very competative and many times cheaper than Alpharooms.  So now my bookings are mostly with 1800hotels


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## SoylentGreen (20 Apr 2010)

I just phoned Alpharooms because I could not cancel a booking via their website. They were unaware that their website was not working properly. They just said that they would cancel my reservation but didn't say that they would confirm my cancellation by email back to me.
It's at times like this that you see real customer service in action. For me I am going to stick with those companies that have offered good customer service and drop those that didn't.


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## amberchic22 (20 Apr 2010)

I've use Alpharooms all the time and I find them fine!  I have never had any problems and for reasurrance, I always contact the hotel prior to arriving at the hotel to make sure the booking is complete!


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