Hi,

We just decided we want to go to Phuket, we need some break...
The agency that I always used quoted too much...around 30.000rmb for 10 nights/2 adults 1 child.
we went to the same hotel 2 years ago and payed for everything around 19.000rmb
So, is this the price now? it really increased so much?
any ideas about a good agency?

thanks a lot!

Iara

What property and what dates?
Airline ticket surcharges have definately gone up.

But I assume the 30,000 is just hotel? Or is that airfare also?
Hotel prices vary widely with the season/dates...but seems a bit steep

Mrs P1ATL10 is Thai....and anytime we go anywhere in Thailand we still use:

www.hotelthailand.com

Book it yourself. We have never had a single issue on any of the 20+ bookings we have made over the years.

Tickets...we use Ctrip.
(find the Air india or China Eastern flights that are actually a codeshare with Thai Airlines planes. Cheapest price...better equipment!)

2 years ago...probably a 6 months to a year after the tsunami. There were tons of great deals after they cleaned up after the tsunami that may not be there now. Also depends on what is included.. high season or low season. 3 or so years ago we did 3 full weeks split between phuket, phiphi, bangkok and chiang mai - including airfare between all the cities and reasonable hotels for a total of 1500 US for two of us. We pieced it altogether ourselves.. hotel through precision reservations.. got the Air Asia flight out of Macao for 400 HKD after fling to SZ and taking the ferry over... so we worked for our discounts a little.. but it was pretty good.

we went to Centara villas phuket, karon beach - it was high season then.
now we want to go to the same place, it was wonderful, from june 12 to 22th.
p1atl10, I checked hotelthailand, and the price for this hotel, 10 nights in a triple villa is around 10.000rmb, this price is ok.
I'll check airlines to see about flights, but I doubt 3 tickets will cost rmb20.000!
I just don't trust internet booking, don't like to give our credit card number...and also our bank in Brazil change our cards for new ones, with a chip, and I'm not sure our old ones are still valid!

Michael, we went to Samui after tsunami, in may/2005
For phuket, it was april/may/2006, so, no tsunamis issues...

now, we want to go in june, so is low season there, I thought it would be cheaper...
but I'll keep trying to see what we get.

thanks!

I just don't trust internet booking, don't like to give our credit card number...and also our bank in Brazil change our cards for new ones, with a chip, and I'm not sure our old ones are still valid!

iara...I to share your concern with credit cards and the internet. Been a victim of identity theft and crdit card net abuse several times.

I guess all I can say is every time we have booked with HotelThailand we have used a credit card. And never an issue. A track record of maybe 8 years...


Good Luck. Hope it works out!

at least ctrip has a better deal for the hotel: 588rmb with bf
lest see if their flights are also good!

If you rely on a travel agency,you do not need to do everything by yourself such as booking tickets and hotels. However, If you go there by yourself, you can save st least 30% of the cost. Because you have been there before, you are familiar to everything. Additionally, your family go there for relax not for traveling, so you'd better go there by yourself. then you can have your free time and do whatever you want to do.

But there I can do by myself...
just prefer to book everything by an agent here, i.e., flight tickets and hotel.
no tours guide or any package!

Iara,
I just booked a trip to Phuket. Flying Thai air through Bang. RT flight for 2 adult and 1 child is rmb14,500. Staying at JW Marriott for $105/ night.

Iara,

With c-trip you can book on-line or over the phone (what i do). They confirm everything. I have them come to my office and give them cash or my credit card in person. I have had no poblems with them. Prices are always very good.

good luck. Let me know where you stay we will go in Oct.

thanks,

Thanks all!

I'm just waiting for one detail than I can book it!
I will let you kinow what I get!

ok I'm trying Ctrip...
why they don't give us more choices?
I asked for one specific hotel, the dates I gave them, they told me were sold out.
ok, I asked for another option, she gave just one, almost double the price.
It was still ok, then I asked for flying tickets. She gave another operator, this one gave prices, only having China Eastern, still ok. She needed to confirm child's price.
Then I asked her to call me back, I would like to check the hotel option they gave me.
I checked in the internet for their hotel, didn't like it so much, but then they called me back, gave me a good flight ticket price, then I asked for the hotel booking operator.
then she suggested me the package booking operator...
ok, I told this other woman what I need, hotel style I like, blah,blah...
then she asked me to log on ctrip website and check hotels online.
then I saw they had the one I was asking for, not same days, but instead to start my trip on a thursday, I can also start it on a saturday, no problem!
I want to book 10 nights, then she told me that their package was just for 4 nights/6days...
again, she gave me the hotel booking operator
ok, here I'm again, asking for the same hotel, different days.SHE HAS IT!
great
before I book it, I need to check if they have flight tickets for that specific days.
Now they gave me a boy...
different prices, more expensive, of course, and the timetable is crazy!
arriving there 2am, when the hotel chek-in is 2pm!
to come back is also 2am in Phuket airport!
why they don't have the same person doing hotel and flights? so they would know what we need!

Ok, I just want too much, it seems...

but, I'll try again today...
wish me luck!

Scoojay, thanks, I tried e-long, but they couldn't help me!