# Alpharooms First Time Bookings.



## Sunny Days (7 Jan 2010)

Hi
I am using Alpharooms for the first time, and I am a bit concerned.
Last weekend I sent two emails, and I did not receive a reply to either.
Today I phoned them from Dublin and, after a lengthy wait, failed to get talking to anyone.
All I wanted to know is if we will have to pay additional credit card charges for booking the airport transfers through them.
We have already paid charges on booking the holiday (Hotel).
The lack of response from Alpharooms is a worry, and I would like to hear from others who have used this company, and how they found it.


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## Sue Ellen (7 Jan 2010)

There are many previous threads  with reference to AlphaRooms.


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## Sunny Days (8 Jan 2010)

Thanks.


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## Sunny Days (8 Jan 2010)

I have finally managed to make contact with Alpharooms.
I explained that I had sent two emails last weekend, to which I received no reply, and that I had sent one during the week, which went unanswered.
Although my phone call from Dublin yesterday failed to elicit a human response, I did manage to make contact today.
The gentleman who replied was very helpful and apologetic.
He answered my queries, and he also sent me vouchers by email which I need for the trip, and have now received.
I would not have known that vouchers were needed except for contributors to the Askaboutmoney.com site, in particular this thread, and to them I am grateful.
It is approaching time to book the summer holidays now and I am completely open to suggestions from other contributors.
Who do you recommend for online bookings, who do you find the best?
It would appear that Alpharooms are highly rated but I did not find any consolation in that when I could not make any contact with them, or get any response.
I want to be with the best, for customer service and for prices and, as I say, I would welcome hearing about your experience and recommendations.
Thanks.


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## joer (8 Jan 2010)

I have been using Alpharooms all the time without any problems.Having said that i have never had any reason to contact them.Hope everything works out for you.


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## helllohello (8 Jan 2010)

i have used alpharooms a few times and have had no problems.  I have often emailed the hotel direct to get their price for airport transfer. 
to get the best price, i use tripadvisor to choose the hotel i want and then spend time going through the various booking agents.  sometimes dealing directly with the hotel is cheapest.


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## Sunny Days (9 Jan 2010)

joer said:


> I have been using Alpharooms all the time without any problems.Having said that i have never had any reason to contact them.Hope everything works out for you.



Many thanks.


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## Sunny Days (9 Jan 2010)

helllohello said:


> i have used alpharooms a few times and have had no problems.  I have often emailed the hotel direct to get their price for airport transfer.
> to get the best price, i use tripadvisor to choose the hotel i want and then spend time going through the various booking agents.  sometimes dealing directly with the hotel is cheapest.



Good to hear that you had no problems with Alpharooms.
Reports are strongly favourable.
I have not yet booked the transfers so it gives me the opportunity to try your idea of contacting the hotel directly.
I do use your method of checking Tripadvisor to find the hotel and I then check out the various booking agents.
This time round dealing directly with the hotel did not give the best deal, as Alpharooms were best of all offers.
Good to get your views.
Sincere thanks.


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## redwood park (9 Jan 2010)

Hi.  I always book flights and hotel separately.  I like to give 1800hotels.ie  (because they are Irish) a chance to quote first. They say they have lowest price guaranee. I have got lower price on alpharooms and  when I phoned 1800 they matched it a few times but not always. I also look at travelsupermarket.com which does price comparison for all hotels.  If I can I like to book directly with hotel as you don't have to pay until check out and you can cancel up to a few days beforehand without penalties. This option may cost little more but in the current climate you have peace of mind. The likes of alpharooms etc are fine if you don't have a problem. You need to look at T & C's with a magnifying glass. They can change bookings but you just try to change anything you will pay a hefty price. I find the forums for places you are going to on tripadvisor.com very usefull for info on transfers,restaurants etc.Have a good holiday.


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## Sunny Days (9 Jan 2010)

redwood park said:


> Hi.  I always book flights and hotel separately.  I like to give 1800hotels.ie  (because they are Irish) a chance to quote first. They say they have lowest price guaranee. I have got lower price on alpharooms and  when I phoned 1800 they matched it a few times but not always. I also look at travelsupermarket.com which does price comparison for all hotels.  If I can I like to book directly with hotel as you don't have to pay until check out and you can cancel up to a few days beforehand without penalties. This option may cost little more but in the current climate you have peace of mind. The likes of alpharooms etc are fine if you don't have a problem. You need to look at T & C's with a magnifying glass. They can change bookings but you just try to change anything you will pay a hefty price. I find the forums for places you are going to on tripadvisor.com very usefull for info on transfers,restaurants etc.Have a good holiday.



Thanks for letting me have your very interesting views, and also for good wishes.
Must say I never found 1800 hotel.ie deals to be exceptional, or even above average.
The fact that they are Irish, which I hadn't realised, would not, of it's own, sway me towards booking with them.
They would need to be competitive as well.
As you say, the best option of all is to book with the hotel, but only if they happen to offer the best deal, or close to it.
Peace of mind, as you mention, is very important, and is worth paying a little extra for.
Would have to agree with you that Tripadvisor is a very useful site.
That is where I first came across Alpharooms.
Thanks again.


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## coleen (9 Jan 2010)

I like using bookings.com and venere.com as you do not pay until you check out. Also I always try to book a place with a very short cancellation time ie you can cancel up to 6pm on day of arrival, I feel this gives you a chance to change your booking if you have to or if you need to cancel your holiday for any reason then it cost you nothing.


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## Sunny Days (9 Jan 2010)

coleen said:


> I like using bookings.com and venere.com as you do not pay until you check out. Also I always try to book a place with a very short cancellation time ie you can cancel up to 6pm on day of arrival, I feel this gives you a chance to change your booking if you have to or if you need to cancel your holiday for any reason then it cost you nothing.



Thanks for suggestions.
Will check out recommended sites.


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## Marie M (12 Aug 2010)

Avoid alpharooms at all costs.  They took our money for a two week break in Lanzarote which they knew weeks beforehand did not exist, and left us stranded like fools ringing the customer helpline that never gets answered. The customer service is a joke.  3 weeks after our return and although we hound them, we still have heard not an apology or an explanation, and are still waiting for our credit card to be refunded.
We were on honeymoon with three small children and although the mix up was completly on their end,  they couldn't care less if we slept on the streets for those two weeks, while they sat on our money.

Avoid Avoid Avoid


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## oldnick (12 Aug 2010)

ah, so wonderful to read how people will spend lots of time and effort on the internet to get that cheap travel deal -even though ,as is often reported, there can be problems. 
And when these problems occur there is no human to easily talk to- certainly not face-to-face.
The website provider can be based in a foreign country - but that's no barrier for those wanting that cheap deal.
And the fact that even with credit card payments there can be great delays getting one's money back when that website owner goes bust is not a barrier to booking with website companies based abroad.
 "Peace of mind" , consumer protection policies mean nothing to most people.

So, why, why, why is the government forcing me as a travel agent to go through all sorts of financial hoops in order to sell travel products. I must have  suitable cash reserves, a financial bond, audited accounts, forms to fill in -and staff of course must be legally employed -just so you , the public is "protected".

We could give much cheaper prices if we didnt have all this to pay for..

..and thats why I'm giving up my bricks-and-mortar establishment and heading for cheaper to run website territory.
Bye bye personal service and consumer protection !


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## Marie M (12 Aug 2010)

Well I wouldn't call it wonderful, but I do agree with you, there is no protection from these establishments.  I don't understand how airlines can have a compensation proceedure for over bookings but accomdation providers have no responsibility for their paying customers


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## SlugBreath (13 Aug 2010)

Alpharooms, refunded me my hotel costs during the April volcano event when I had to cancel. Although every contact from them had a "do not reply" to this email message attached.


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## Blossom (13 Aug 2010)

I've also used Alpharooms on many occasions and have had no problems. I do find that when you get to the hotel they put you in the worst room (not renovated, dark, down a long corridor, noisy etc) but now when this happens I ask for a room change and it has worked out well so far.


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