Why won't hotels in Thailand match online prices when asked directly?

Stop asking why in Thailand or your head will explode.

They have to give a certain number of rooms to the booking platform as a condition of using it.

The hotel will get different net rates from the supplier depending how many units they sell per period. With online suppliers now so important to hotels they maximise sales through that route. People "popping in" are irrelevant - mostly - though sometimes you can blag a serious bargain that way. Part of successful guesswork could be distinguishing between between private and very small group hotels and the chain majors, the latter with major head office control.

Just use agoda

Because they no training yet on this. Thai hotels are making more than enough money to have to worry about training staff for this...😂😂

If they give room through an online website, that website is holding all the responsibilities of room and they are also giving them insurance if something happens to room. Secondly its amount of booking they are getting from online websites are much higher than direct booking. So for an individual it may seem like they are not making money, but they do

Actually been advised to leave the desk before when I went to book a room (walk in) and book it online with a certain company, then they can give me cheaper price with breakfast Inc + free upgrade.

The real issue is all the booking companies are owned by the same corporation. To get at the top of the list in a particular town or city, it has to get maximum bookings online in that area. By giving you a discount they may lose their position on the list as well as potential free marketing. As others say they lose both ways

Because its impossible to speak to the boss. He's on the beach.

Nice boobies!

This is true. Our friend used to work for Agoda. They reserve blocks of rooms, so the hotels often will not match the low rates.

There are many hotels from budget to mid-range normally, that offer discounts at the front desk v online. It varies greatly and depends on the season, hotel etc.

Because big sites like AGODA, Booking... are buying thousands of rooms in advance at a steep discount. Same is most industries... 'size matters'

Just walk in and you will get a good price,we never book anywhere,plenty of hotels about,my wife's Thai so she always gets a good deal

It is what it is, and not our problem.

The last time, upon check out, I asked the concierge for a business card with phone and email address, so I could book directly, like I used to do 10 or 15 years ago. He gave me one, but warned me that direct booking would be more expensive and that breakfast would not be included. So 🤷‍♀️

And that's in Malaysia, not Thailand.

The only 2 ways you will get best price is online or when you turn up at the hotel. You are wasting your time if you call the hotel. If they not help you at the hotel, then just book it online while you are at rhe reception desk, then just smile.

You Win.

Good lord, this is an amazing read of how many people are utterly clueless as to how the hotel aggregators actually work. Amazing. Some of you should take up residence in your own basements and never exit.

Just wondering, are you related to Billy B?

Where's my bong?

Try look at this product. Let's say you have 100 hotel rooms. It gives you 3000 potential bookings in 1 month. For each day no one books a room, you lose 100 "items" to sell. Maybe you will get more by selling it day by day, but the risk of losing it is much more likely. Therefore, predictability is key in such business.

Never over the phone they have no idea who you are they have contracts with the apps breaking them has major penalties it's not about you

Just​ book it online in front of them, show them pay slip. In Thailand it is like this.

In Laos totally opposite, you need to come and ask, on agoda the same room is 3-4x more expensive

they have a contact with hotel websites ( Like ( agoda, expedia,hotels,com) that they WILL NOT offer a lower online price>

It is normal that you get a discount by booking online. If they were giving the same price at the counter no one would book online. Online bookings are a great advantage for the hotels.

No other room in entire Hotel will work you except for this one?

All the people who are jumping in and saying TIT should know this is the case in the USA as well. Due to the complex pricing..yield demand dynamic pricing..corporate discounts..bulk booking rates.. and individual Hotel cannot often offer the best price since they have to go with their price list. I had her telling telling me to book online to get the best price. This has happened several times when I booked in the US.

It's because 70-90% of the hotels rooms are pre-booked and paid for by the big online companies at a steep discount thus guaranteeing occupancy, bearing in mind hotel rooms are virtually 100% profit, thereby leaving the hotel with very little inventory to sell for themselves.

Never booked a room online ever and never had any issues finding a place.

This happens the world over from my experience

Pot luck, some do some don't

From my experience they charge you the walk up price even if you call them up to book a room.

Common sense and logic is actually illegal in Thailand, that's why you never see it practiced.

Suggestion - as it was never confirmed to me. Booking agents are contracted to a set number of rooms. Hotel is not. Therefore agents need to lesson liability by offering super cheap deals. If they sell at cost - they still break even.

Same all over the world, there are many different algorithims used to determine the internet price and the person who chooses this is usually in head office in case of chains and has nothing to do with front desk, some also have agreements not to sell for less than list price on the front desk.

Some bit of advice and as you have asked about marriage visas before. You should each open up a booking.com or whatever you use one with your thai other half and one with yourself from your home country and check the prices. One of the preferences hotels can pick is discounts for overseas or domestic rare to find but does happen.

I've ran into the same thing. If you're actually there see if the room or location you want is available, step back from the counter, book that same room type online, show them the reservation and ask for that room.

We have usually been successful in dealing straight with the hotel

TIT, This is Thailand. Not USA, UK, etc.,

Because you're talking to a staff member that not only has no incentive to help you and it will cause them more work to do so, they also don't have any authority and no initiative.

Thais don't see a problem and want to fix it because that's not their job. And if they try to fix it or make a suggestion to their boss they'll probably be reprimanded for not minding their own business and not doing exactly as told.