What are the things you have to consider when booking online or directly?
- Availability Options
- Collection of Information
- Convenience
The world is advancing towards a more technology-based process of doing things. Student and employer portals, food and grocery delivery, as well as booking of hotel accommodations online have helped people access their wants and needs just by sitting down and researching. If you want to book a stay in one of the hotels in Alabang, you have to know the considerations when getting a room.
Although doing things online has its perks, the traditional way of personally walking up to the front desk and inquiring about a hotel also has its plus points. The next time you decide to go on a vacation, should you opt for online booking or a personal approach? Here are the pros and cons to guide you better which approach to take:
Availability Options
They say that you could type anything on the internet, and it is bound to yield millions of results. That’s true. Search for a specific place for exploring and vacationing, and it will produce exciting destinations, as well as the nearby accommodations where you can spend your time relaxing. There you can also find the different features and inclusions which come with the accommodation or party venue in Alabang you have in mind to suit your needs.
Click on an accommodation booking site, and suddenly you’ll find yourself with a complete, narrowed down, but detailed facilities of a hotel. This includes special events occurring within the period of your stay—especially during holidays—as well as the schedule of when these events will happen. When you do it online, chances are you will get a fair idea of the tourist destinations near the accommodation areas/structure because the website will be providing it along with transportation services and packages.
On the other hand, when you approach a hotel directly, details that are left out from searching online may only be confirmed through speaking with those in-charge of the accommodation directly. There may be cases where the website is not yet updated so chances are you’re looking at information from long ago or inaccurate details. Just like what they say: don’t trust everything you see on the internet. Given this, you should know that it would be better to book the hotel personally rather than through an online travel agent.
Collection of Information
It’s only a matter of point-and-click. If you want to book an accommodation, say a hotel in Alabang, just search for one that will provide you with what you are looking for in an accommodation, and provide the personal information they ask of you. Information is usually given once and is normally done when the website/application catering the online searching and booking for accommodation asks for new users to sign up. Exchange of information is easier too in cases where they do have a dedicated social media handler who can reply to inquiries by different customers.
However, the disadvantage lies in one of the internet’s most feared crime: cyber stealing. There are those who use technology to cut through the private domains of websites, especially those who cater to the public, and steal information gathered as personal data and transactions are established. Fake websites may also be a trap to lure first-timers who have recently started booking online.
Convenience
You can download applications which solely focus on helping you find accommodations via your smartphone. Once you’ve gone through the booking process and have an accommodation or party venue in Alabang reserved (ready for check in when you arrive at their place), all the information should be saved on your phone as an online receipt and/or ticket for proof which both you and the hotel have a copy.
The disadvantage in this is found in circumstances when you accidentally delete the app or it doesn’t save for some technical reasons. The possibility of forgetting or losing your account lies there too. It’s better to have a printed copy of the receipts and vouchers, or a screen shot to ensure you do not lose any information. This is further ensured if you book your hotel personally.
Key Takeaway
If you feel like approaching the accommodation area to get a good look of the surroundings and speak with the right people properly, booking the hotel directly is the way. Understanding both approaches will help you to explore options, but ultimately you would have better chances of connecting with the hotel accommodations and staff if you book it directly.
