What am I really getting?
This really is the big question. What am I getting for my hard earned money? Well that depends who you ask and if you are ready to do lots of reading.
If you decide to book on line get ready for lots of research. But how do you know if it is correct? Just because the web sites says it is so is it really? Are you reading an opinion written by someone from another country? When was that picture taken? How does it look after the storm or after the staff just had a strike?
Let's start by looking at the star system. This resort or hotel gets a 3 our of 5 stars. What does that mean? Some sites will give you their definition of their ratings but most are so board it is easy to see why not all 5 stars are 5 stars.
Looking closer almost all web sites have some resorts and or hotels with no ratings. How can that be? Some are the biggest names in the world. Why? Just this one item should make all would be users question the ratings. How can you rate resorts but not rate some of them? Don't you think the web site would want you to have all of their information?
If you can't trust this rating system who can you trust? How about your local travel agent?
How about the reviews some sites post. Every notice that some of the same names post something about the same resorts in the same family. How can some of those post be believed since anyone and that means anyone can post. We once had a client that wanted to book a room at a resort that was reviewed on a big travel site. It had 2 reviews and both were great. We had never been to this resort and did some checking with others who had been. We ended up not sending our clients to that resort.
Once you work your way through the maze of ratings and reviews next comes the different parts of your trip. Do you need airfare, room for how many days, transfers, activities, spa, etc. Most sites throw all of this together in a nice package with not many options or give you so many options you have a had time picking the correct one for you.
There is not a 14 day period that either Angel or myself talks to someone who got a great deal on line and wants us to see what we can do.
The first thing I see is that they have got a quote for an over night flight. First of all why would the web sites post those first. They make you think your saving $$ but unless you have a friend or cousin that lives in San Juan you will spend just as much for a hotel room for the night and taxi to and from the airport.
Second, where are the transfers or what kind did you get. Unless you get a rental car how do you plan to get from the airport to the resort or hotel? If they did not select a transfer or the resort does not give them a transfer this becomes an extra expense. Also how far away is the hotel or resort? Is the transfer on a huge bus with 40 others and will stop and 10 other stops before they get to your stop? What if you could go non stop for just a few dollars more, would you pay the difference?
Third, room categories are not all the same. There are better rooms in every category. All rooms on the second floor may have an ocean view but two of them or located next to an elevator. What kind of bedding will you get? King or a double. Many times this is not listed on the final copy of your receipt from some sites.
Fourth if you have to cancel before you travel what are the fees and penalties? What are the rules that you will be held to if something does happen. Who will you call if something goes wrong and you are out of the country? Did they offer several different kinds of trip insurance? You may not need some or most of the coverage they are trying to sell to you.
I could go on and on but I think you get the point.
We suggest you find a travel agent and talk with them. Plan to use them since almost always they will have the same or lower prices that you see on line. But how do you guys get paid is what we hear a lot. The same way the big on line travel agents get paid, from the resorts and airlines. The difference is we live near you and need your ongoing business. A good agent is looking for a long term client . A good agent will do the work for you and make sure to answer all of your questions while taking the guess work out of your travel plans.
If you decide to book on line get ready for lots of research. But how do you know if it is correct? Just because the web sites says it is so is it really? Are you reading an opinion written by someone from another country? When was that picture taken? How does it look after the storm or after the staff just had a strike?
Let's start by looking at the star system. This resort or hotel gets a 3 our of 5 stars. What does that mean? Some sites will give you their definition of their ratings but most are so board it is easy to see why not all 5 stars are 5 stars.
Looking closer almost all web sites have some resorts and or hotels with no ratings. How can that be? Some are the biggest names in the world. Why? Just this one item should make all would be users question the ratings. How can you rate resorts but not rate some of them? Don't you think the web site would want you to have all of their information?
If you can't trust this rating system who can you trust? How about your local travel agent?
How about the reviews some sites post. Every notice that some of the same names post something about the same resorts in the same family. How can some of those post be believed since anyone and that means anyone can post. We once had a client that wanted to book a room at a resort that was reviewed on a big travel site. It had 2 reviews and both were great. We had never been to this resort and did some checking with others who had been. We ended up not sending our clients to that resort.
Once you work your way through the maze of ratings and reviews next comes the different parts of your trip. Do you need airfare, room for how many days, transfers, activities, spa, etc. Most sites throw all of this together in a nice package with not many options or give you so many options you have a had time picking the correct one for you.
There is not a 14 day period that either Angel or myself talks to someone who got a great deal on line and wants us to see what we can do.
The first thing I see is that they have got a quote for an over night flight. First of all why would the web sites post those first. They make you think your saving $$ but unless you have a friend or cousin that lives in San Juan you will spend just as much for a hotel room for the night and taxi to and from the airport.
Second, where are the transfers or what kind did you get. Unless you get a rental car how do you plan to get from the airport to the resort or hotel? If they did not select a transfer or the resort does not give them a transfer this becomes an extra expense. Also how far away is the hotel or resort? Is the transfer on a huge bus with 40 others and will stop and 10 other stops before they get to your stop? What if you could go non stop for just a few dollars more, would you pay the difference?
Third, room categories are not all the same. There are better rooms in every category. All rooms on the second floor may have an ocean view but two of them or located next to an elevator. What kind of bedding will you get? King or a double. Many times this is not listed on the final copy of your receipt from some sites.
Fourth if you have to cancel before you travel what are the fees and penalties? What are the rules that you will be held to if something does happen. Who will you call if something goes wrong and you are out of the country? Did they offer several different kinds of trip insurance? You may not need some or most of the coverage they are trying to sell to you.
I could go on and on but I think you get the point.
We suggest you find a travel agent and talk with them. Plan to use them since almost always they will have the same or lower prices that you see on line. But how do you guys get paid is what we hear a lot. The same way the big on line travel agents get paid, from the resorts and airlines. The difference is we live near you and need your ongoing business. A good agent is looking for a long term client . A good agent will do the work for you and make sure to answer all of your questions while taking the guess work out of your travel plans.
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