HAGGLE
Read
on TimesOnline.co.uk
It’s cheap, it’s tawdry — and it works. Hotels are the obvious target here, but you have to
play hardball. Ask for their best offer at 8pm and they’ll know they’ve got you over a
barrel. Try the same trick at 3pm, when you could still haul your brazen hide elsewhere, and
the discounts can come rolling in. The more outrageous the rack rate, the more they’ll be
willing to discount. There are two obvious drawbacks: one, it’s a stressful game on the
actual day you need the room; two, frankly, it’s embarrassing.
Step forward
www.roomauction.com, where you can post discreet offers direct to more than 160
hoteliers in the UK, with bids in the region of 30%-40% below the list price regularly successful.
26th February 2006 |
