Sir, – Having enjoyed a staycation in the west of Ireland in September of last year, I decided to repeat the exercise this year in order to replenish myself, as well as support the much troubled hotel industry. I researched various premises over the last number of weeks, and identified several that appealed to me.
In recent days I decided to make a booking, but was dismayed to find that on my first attempt, the chosen hotel’s booking portal had been suspended on the basis of non-availability for my chosen dates, or indeed any dates within a two-month range. I could, however, register my interest on a “waiting list” tab in case cancellations occurred. Within 24 hours, I received an offer of accommodation for the original dates sought, but at a rate 25 per cent above the original one quoted on the booking portal.
I repeated my booking attempt on an alternative hotels website, only to find the same suspension of the booking portal due to unavailability for my chosen dates and the now ubiquitous “waiting list” tab. Having registered my interest, hey presto, my dates became available almost immediately, but at a rate considerably higher than initially quoted on the original booking page. I have since experienced this phenomenon on two further hotel websites.
I am happy to report that I have now booked four nights’ accommodation in an hotel in the centre of Cologne for October, and combined with the cost of the flights, for a combined cost of roughly half the “quotes” from the Irish hotels. – Yours, etc,
FRANK WALSH,
Coolballow,
Wexford.