I have learnt several simple lessons through my ordeal with Asiarooms:
1) NEVER DEAL WITH A COMPANY THAT ASKS TO BE PAID BEFORE THEY CAN CONFIRM YOUR RESERVATIONS.
(Just read Tom's and Sue's posts above.)
2) NEVER DEAL WITH A COMPANY THAT DOES NOT REVEAL THEIR ADVERTISED RATES ARE FOR VERY LIMITED ROOMS ONLY.
(I had initially made reservations for Hotel X with AsiaRooms , only to be told that there were no available rooms. When I called to check with Hotel X personally, the hotel reservations immediately offered me their entire range of rooms and at their "hot deal" rates too. )
3) NEVER DEAL WITH A COMPANY THAT HAVE LITTLE RESPECT FOR ITS CUSTOMERS
(When I detected that I had been billed for an executive (expensive) room but issued with a voucher for a superior (cheaper) room, I tried to communicate to them the error by referring to the rates advertised on their website.
3 emails later I received a curt reply with an attachment - a document stating that I had authorised payment and was not entitled to any refunds. Adamant, I called their Bangkok office only to have their operator repeating the same curt reply. When I asked to speak to a manager, I was told "they are all out for lunch". It was only after much verbal arm twisting that she finally divulged a complain channel clientservices@asiarooms.com - which by the way cannot be found anywhere on their official website. While they finally admitted their mistake " We have checked with the person who handled your booking, and found that she made a mistake by amending this booking to Superior room instead of Executive, but inputting executive's rate in the system" , you can forget about a sincere apology as I was still subject to cancellation charges .)
