I am sorry to have a booked a hotel via Expedia.
Just to learn after it, that they trick the VAT system and don’t provide a valid invoice with VAT.
So the trip is now 7% more expensive as I can’t reclaim VAT and I could have booked through other websites or hotel for same rate probably.
I am disappointed and now block their websites here to prevent me from booking through them ever again!
Yup.
Use them when someone else is picking up the bill!
I hate sites like Hotels.com and avoid using them. Every hotel publishes contact details, so you can go straight., which in fact they like more since these sites cost them a lot of margin.
The number you need for the conference: +49 221 48567-444
Not talking about Events as the Event Planners (like @Dana Brown for XDC) have worked out great pricing. Otherwise I go to Marriott’s website direct to get the best prices (for Marriott Hotels). As they guarantee to have the lowest prices on their hotel rooms. Once (only once), my room rate changed when I checked in. It was lower by a few dollars as they discounted the room after I booked the room. It was a pleasant shock and I probably would have never noticed but my expenses where less than projected and I had to explain the differences. I am pretty sure the other big hotel chains do the lowest price guarantees too. not sure.
As for VAT related issues, Booking.com is a EU based company (not sure which country). And I would guess that they dont play those games. Don’t know for sure.
And @Christian Schmitz thank you for the heads up.
Things may be different in US.
But in Europe a business usually reclaims VAT and if a hotel advertises a price without VAT, they get a better rank in a comparison list than a serious business included VAT in the prices.
Thanks Scott, we try to get the best deal possible. For meetings like XDC, for example, we definitely prefer you to book through the hotel link we provide, rather than a site like Expedia or Hotels.com. In order to get the event space, an event host has to guarantee the hotel a certain # of rooms/hotel room revenue. If you book outside the room block, it does not get credited to the group’s guarantee. If the room revenue guarantee is not met, the event host has to pay the difference. So if you are ever planning to attend a meeting that has a room block that’s a good thing to keep in mind.
Dana, I tried to use your link a month or more ago and it said there were no rooms available. It may have been because I wanted some days before and after as well. I called the Marriott directly and had to make three separate bookings!
Im sorry it was so complicated! Booking through the hotel via phone or website is fine. Youre in my rooming list so you must have mentioned you were coming for the conference 