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Booking.com in Viet Nam is flooded with fake hotels
- MattGaiser 2y agoPeople who use online travel agencies like Booking, why? I understand the benefit of many middlemen from Uber to Amazon to Airbnb, as they solve a significant discovery or delivery problem. But what does Booking do that Google Hotels does not? As an aside, this explains why Marriott can command such a premium there.
- nicbou 2y agoI travel a lot, mostly long-distance. This means I often sleep in a different accomodation every night for weeks, often across multiple countries. Booking means it takes five minutes to find and compare hotels at my destination for the day. I book it instantly amd carry on. No exchange is needed. I pay with Apple Pay. I have never heard of Google Hotels. Is it only in the US?
- MattGaiser 2y agoThis use case makes sense to me, as the sheer number of bookings makes one platform extra convienent. Google Hotels is not for booking. It is just a search engine.
- mytailorisrich 2y agoMy experience in Europe is that you are better off using other services. Booking.com's customer service and practices are nasty.
- gregjor 2y agoAgoda generally better in Asia, including Vietnam. I have seen the same thing — fake and misleading listings on Agoda for Hanoi and HCMC, then the trick of taking you to an inferior “partner” hotel. I have also experienced aggressive requests to post good reviews. Vietnam tourism booming right now and enforcement weak. I suggest double-checking with Google hotels and even visiting the hotel before booking, ask to see a room. If you can’t do that consider staying one or two nights at a reputable brand name hotel while you look for a cheaper place. Currently in Da Nang and have not seen this problem on Agoda here.