Budget options for those who hate package holidays (room-service.co.uk)

Member Name: chinnyli

Product:	room-service.co.uk
Date:	19/05/01 (275 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Affordable selection of hotels, Prompt and friendly service

Disadvantages: Paying in advance, Hotels only available in a few countries

I usually book rooms direct with hotels, but after scouring the internet fruitlessly for an affordable and non-corporate looking hotel in Bilbao, and which would have explanations in English, I resorted to using Room-service through desperation

It's probably best suited for couples, families and small groups of people travelling together (they have a few quad-bedrooms), but anyone travelling alone will as usual, find the choices more expensive for them.

Anyway, I found the service and site content they provided excellent. If you don't mind searching through the slightly clumsily designed hotels section (nowhere near as well presented as the homepage), they provide information and pictures of all the hotels they have available, with prices in sterling so you don't have to worry about converting prices.

They provide some budget 'room only' options, where at most of the hotels you can pay extra for breakfast, or go elsewhere if you prefer. However they haven't included breakfast prices, but they're quite helpful over the phone and seem willing to find things out for you (emailing them doesn't seem very reliable though). The majority of their hotels do include breakfast in the price already though.

They also provide some pricier hotel options for those that like their creature comforts (air conditioning in the summer!), plus a few apartments for those that like their own space.

You don't necessarily have to book online, they offer you the choice of phoning and faxing as well, or if you're in London you can visit their office near Oxford Circus and while you're there, pick up a hard copy of their brochures and price lists.

I decided to book over the phone, and despite the fact I was quite vague over the phone about possibly wanting a quiet room, with a view, they took my opinion seriously and informed the hotel of what I wanted. Promptly on arrival at Hotel Arana in Bilbao,
the receptionist surprised us by telling us we could look at and choose between two rooms to see which would suit us most. The first on the fourth floor of the building, gorgeously bright and airy if a bit small, and with a view over a pedestrianised area and out towards the hills. The other was very quiet, larger, no view and not as pleasant! So we went for the first room.

When you book, they'll expect you to give your card details on the expectation that if there's a room available, they'll book and pay for it straight away. As soon as they've finished doing this, they phone to let you know. The one time I've used them, they confirmed my booking the next day, and didn't seem too fussed they were phoning a mobile number either!

Word of warning though, they charge a 1.9% fee for using credit cards (but not on debit cards), and you have to stay at least two nights at the hotel.

After they've confirmed everything, they'll post you a bill receipt, the accommodation voucher which you'll have to hand in when you arrive at your hotel, maps, and pictures of the hotel (so that you recognise it when you get there I suppose!)

The good thing about the service, is once everything's booked you don't have to worry about anything until you get there, as everything is paid for in advance. So you don't have to worry about currency fluctuations, explaining in broken Spanish, French etc that you've already booked a room, or the hassle of paying the bill when you leave. The bad things are, well, being prepared to fork out the money in advance! And they only seem to provide hotels in Italy, Spain, France, Portugal and London - a shame, because I could do with finding a budget option for whenever I decide to visit Reykjavik!

However, I think they have much to offer in the countries where they already provide a service, and I've already decided which hotel I'd like to stay in.

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