Asiatravel.com - Hotel FAQs
BEFORE MAKING A RESERVATION
How do I select a hotel?
How do I tell which room type is on request and which room type is available with instant confirmation?
If a room is on request, how long does it take to get it confirmed? What should I do if I do not receive any response?
Can I make special requests (e.g. non-smoking room / room on high-floor / king-sized bed / early check-in, etc.) Will the hotel accommodate these requests when I check-in?
I am not comfortable furnishing my credit card details over the internet. If I choose to provide credit card details through the fax option instead, would I still be able to get instant confirmation?
Can I reserve a room for check-in either today or tomorrow? What are the complications for last-minute reservations?
I am arriving past midnight. Should I key-in the date of my check-in as the date before midnight or the date after midnight?
What is your billing currency and what currency is the room-rate quoted in?
My child is traveling with me. What is your child reservation policy?
When trying to make a booking through www.asiatravel.com I get redirected to another domain -- www.instantroom.com. Is this site legitimate?
What do these terms mean? (FIT, GIT, FB, HB, BB, Balikbayan)
AFTER MAKING A BOOKING
What is a hotel confirmation voucher?
When will my reservation be at the hotel?
Once I have made my reservation, will I receive any written confirmation from the hotel?
How do I check the status of my hotel booking?
I was making a booking when my PC hung because of a power outage. Do I need to re-book?
CREDIT CARDS & PAYMENT
What type of credit cards do you accept?
My credit card number is correct but why is it not accepted?
Do I need to pay now or pay later? What are your modes of payment?
CLARIFICATIONS ON PRICES
Are there any other charges beside the room rates (such as booking fee, service charges, taxes, etc?)
Is the room rate displayed per-room per-night or per-person per-night?
Are your rates inclusive of breakfast?
Is there any hidden charges when making a booking with us?
CANCELLATION / AMENDMENT POLICY
What are your cancellation policies?
What are your amendment policies?
When and how soon can I expect to receive my credit card refund in the event that I cancel my booking or shorten my stay?
SECURITY AND PRIVACY
Is it safe for me to use my credit card online?
For more details, kindly refer to our Privacy Policy
PENALTY CHARGES
Any penalty charges for no-show? Late cancellation?
ROOM CONFIGURATION
What is the difference between the following room types and occupancy categories? (Single, Twin, Double, Triple, Family, Quad, Suite, Apartments)
What is the difference between Standard, Superior and Deluxe room categories?
BEFORE MAKING A RESERVATION
How do I select a hotel?
You can select a hotel through our individual country link or through our hotel quick search box located on the extreme left of our homepage.
- Our individual country link allows you to preview recommended hotels, which offer the best deals for your travel needs.
- Our Hotel Quick Search enables you to view rooms based on instant availability and best deals. This allows you to get instant confirmation and receive an online hotel voucher.
Our hotel quick search also allows you to search hotels in alphabetical order, which saves you time in searching the hotel you are looking for. Or you can choose to search by location, if you are looking for hotels within a specific location.
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How do I tell which room type is on request and which room type is available with instant confirmation?
We use color schemes to differentiate Room on Request and Room available for Instant Confirmation. Orange color signifies Room is on Request (24-hours response time is needed) and Green color signifies Room is Available for instant online confirmation.
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If a room is on request, how long does it takes to get it confirmed? What should I do if I do not receive any response?
In normal circumstances, you should get an update on the status within 24 hours or less. Should there be a delay, you will be notified via email. If you are in the same time zone with us, you should receive a reply within 6 hours.
In case you do not hear from us for more than 24 hours, you can either email to customerservice@asiatravel.com or click on this link: Check Booking Status Now.
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Can I make special requests (e.g. non-smoking room / room on high-floor / king-sized bed / early check-in, etc.) Will the hotel accommodate these requests when I check-in?
The hotel staff will do their best to accommodate special requests. However, we cannot guarantee that your requests will be 100% be taken cared of because these requests are subject to availability at the point you check-in to the hotel.
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I am not comfortable furnishing my credit card details over the internet. If I choose to provide credit card details through the fax option instead, would I still be able to get instant confirmation?
If you choose a room type (marked Green ) then, YES, you can still enjoy instant confirmation. However, we need you to fax us the Credit Card Authorization Form within 24 hours. We normally give 24 hours grace period for the fax to reach us. Once payment is cleared, a hotel voucher will be sent to you by email. If mode of payment indicates "payment directly to hotel upon check-in", then the fax option is not permitted. You will need to submit your credit card details over the Internet.
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Can I reserve a room for check-in either today or tomorrow? What are the complications for last-minute reservations?
Our greatest strength is allowing guests to make last-minute reservations. However, to avoid the last-minute rush, we suggest that you reserve rooms with instant confirmation if your travel is 3 days or less over weekends or 2 days or less over weekdays.
If you must reserve a room, which is on request, we will try our best to coordinate with the hotel within the timeframe. However, we may run into delay getting confirmation from the hotel and may not be able to process the reservation request.
If reservation is within the same day, Booking on Request should be avoided as it cannot be guaranteed.
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I am arriving past midnight. Should I key-in the date of my check-in as the date before midnight or the date after midnight?
Early check-in and late check-out are subject to the availability of the room and cannot be confirmed until the day of check-in or check-out. We can advise the hotel of your request, and they will try their best to accommodate your needs. If you plan to arrive more than 6 hours prior to the hotel's check-in time and want to guarantee that you would be able to check into your room upon arrival, you would need to book the night prior to the date of arrival.
(Example: If the check-in time for a hotel is 2 PM and you are planning to arrive at 3 AM on December 5, you would need to book your room for December 4 and December 5 as the hotels are not able to organize check-in at such and early hour.)
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What is your billing currency and what currency is the room-rate quoted in?
Billing currency is the currency you will be billed in when you book the hotel room. Billing currency is reflected alongside with room type on our rate table. Room rate is normally quoted in local currency or US$. (Example: a Thailand hotel rate will normally be quoted in Thai Baht, a hotel in Singapore in S$, etc.)
We have included a currency converter, which also allows you to preview rates in your desired currency. However, this conversion is for previewing purpose only . You will still be billed in the billing currency as indicated.
If you are paying by credit card, your card issuance bank will be converting the amount to the currency you are paying on your credit card statement.
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My child is traveling with me. What is your child reservation policy?
Children under 12 years of age normally stay for free with their parent/s using the existing bedding. No breakfast is provided unless otherwise stated. If an extra bed is required for your child, you will need to treat your child as an adult and book at triple occupancy instead.
The age requirement differs depending on the specific hotel's policy, which is reflected on the hotel information page or booking form.
Free cots for babies are only suitable for children under 2 years old.
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When trying to make a booking through www.asiatravel.com I get redirected to another domain -- www.instantroom.com. Is this site legitimate?
Both www.asiatravel.com and www.instantroom.com are legitimate domains owned and operated by Asiatravel.com Holdings Ltd. You are not being redirected to a phishing site.
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What do these terms mean? (FIT, GIT, FB, HB, BB, Balikbayan)
Foreign Independent (Individual) Travel or Free Individual Travel (FIT) - usually describes unescorted, prepaid travel / tour which may include different travel
elements (i.e. accommodation, sightseeing, car rental, etc.)
Group Independent Travel (GIT) - refers to group bookings.
Full-Board (FB) - refers to accomodation inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Half-Board (HB) - refers to accomodation inclusive of either bfast dinner or bfast lunch but usually bfast dinner
Bed and Breakfast (BB)
Balikbayan - refers to Filipinos based overseas travelling to the Philippines for a holiday.
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AFTER MAKING A BOOKING
What is a hotel confirmation voucher?
Once your room is confirmed, we will send you a hotel confirmation voucher reflecting all your booking details through email. You need to print-out this voucher and present it to the hotel reception at the time of your check-in.
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When will my reservation be at the hotel?
Your reservation details are forwarded to the hotel at the same time we confirm your booking. However, most hotels may take up to 48 hours to enter these booking details into their booking system.
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Once I have made my reservation, will I receive any written confirmation from the hotel?
No. The hotel confirmation voucher you receive from us is all you will need. It displays our Confirmation Number, the hotel information, the rate and the hotel's cancellation policy.
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How do I check the status of my hotel booking ?
Upon receiving your booking request, we will send you an email acknowleding that we have received your request as well as information on the status of your booking.
In the email, there will also be a link for you to view the "Real-Time" status of your booking. You can instantly check and see at which stage of the booking process your request is through this "Real-Time Booking Status" module.
Alternatively, you can check directly by through this link: Check Booking Status Now or by sending us an email at customerservice@asiatravel.com with your Reference Number and details of your requirements, and we will respond to you asap.
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I was making a booking when my PC hung because of a power outage. Do I need to re-book?
If booking is at its final stage where you already checked our user agreement and clicked the finalized booking, our system will be able to capture your full booking information even if booking is disrupted. You may write to: customerservice@asiatravel.com to confirm the status of your booking.
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CREDIT CARDS & PAYMENT
What type of credit cards do you accept?
For prepayment - our online payment gateway accepts Visa, MasterCard, and Amex. If you are paying by JCB, you will need to use our fax option where we will assist you to process the payment manually.
For payment direct to hotel / upon check out, we accept Visa, MasterCard, Amex and JCB to guarantee your booking.
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My credit card number is correct but why is it not accepted?
There are a few possibilities why this happens:
- You have reached your credit limit
- System error
- Your credit card is an enrolled card and password entered is wrong
- The card expiration date precedes the reservation date.
For other cases, you may write to: customerservice@asiatravel.com where we will do our best to assist you.
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Do I need to pay now or pay later? What are your modes of payment?
We provide you with 2 modes / options for payment. You have the option to either make Payment direct to the hotel / upon check-out, or choose the Prepayment option.
Payment direct to hotel / upon check out - At the time of booking, we will require you to furnish us your credit card to guarantee your room regardless if it is available or on request.
This guarantee is valid only after we confirm your room -- not before. You will make your payment directly to the hotel using either cash or credit card upon check-out.
Prepayment – When a room is available, we allow payment to be processed and debited instantly through our online payment gateway. Once your payment is successful, your hotel voucher will be displayed instantly online. The same hotel voucher is also sent to your email address.
We also provide you with an option to provide your credit card details via fax should you feel uncomfortable to furnish us your credit card details over the Internet. However, the credit card details must be faxed over to us within 24 hours otherwise failure to do so will result to cancellation of the booking. For the fax option, we will email you the hotel voucher once payment is cleared.
When a room is not available for instant confirmation (i.e. room is on request), we will also provide you the option to furnish us your credit card details via our web form or you can choose to send your card details via fax. We will only debit your card later when your room is confirmed. Please note that since all bookings are on a "First-Come, First-Served" basis, it is advisable that you provide your credit card details so that we can proceed in debiting it once a confirmation is received from the hotel.
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CLARIFICATIONS ON PRICES
Are there any other charges beside the room rates (such as booking fee, service charges, taxes, etc?)
All rates are Nett inclusive of taxes, services charges unless otherwise stated. We do not charge any booking fee.
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Is the room rate displayed per-room per-night or per-person per-night?
Rates are always quoted on a Per-Room Per-Night basis, unless otherwise stated. Rates for apartments are always quoted on a Per-Apartment Per-Night basis, unless otherwise stated.
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Are your rates inclusive of breakfast?
Some rates are inclusive of breakfast while others do not. This information is also displayed when you place your cursor on the room rates. This information will be clearly reflected on the booking form.
Besides breakfast, all inclusions that go along with the rate such as free Internet access, free access to gym, etc. will likewise be reflected accordingly.
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Is there any hidden charges when making a booking with us?
There are no hidden charges. Rates displayed usually reflect the lowest type of room category based on 1 person occupancy, thus the statements "Rates from" or "from" with regards to pricing.
From the point that guests select the room type and number of occupancy, there are a total of 3 screens displaying the correct amount before the finalized page.
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CANCELLATION/ AMENDMENT POLICY
What are your cancellation policies?
Cancellation policies vary from hotel to hotel as well as from season to season.
Cancellation notification period varies from 1-day to 1-month. Penalty for late cancellation or no-show is usually 1-night charge. During peak seasons or convention periods, cancellation may not be permitted at all and penalty for late cancellation or no-show can be 100% of your entire stay.
Apart from the cancellation charges, we will also impose an administrative fee of US$10 for every cancellation made after a booking is confirmed. Cancellation policies and penalty charges are clearly reflected on our booking form.
All cancellations should be made thru http://www.instantroom.com/reservation.
We do not encourage cancellations over the phone unless such is in the nature of emergency or extremely warranted. Penalty charges will be imposed where applicable.
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What are your amendment policies?
We will charge an administrative fee of US$10 for major amendments such as changes in dates, change of guest name, or change of room types. In some cases, amendments may not be permitted especially during peak season.
You will be informed accordingly on our booking page before you finalize your booking. Amendment to change to another hotel will be considered as cancellation of the existing booking.
All amendments should be cancelled via http://www.instantroom.com/reservation.
We do not encourage amendments over phone unless it is absolutely necessary and warranted. Penalty charges will be imposed where applicable.
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When and how soon can I expect to receive my credit csard refund in the event that I cancel my booking or shorten my stay?
Refunds, if any, will be made in the form of a credit to the same credit card that was earlier charged. All credit card refunds will be processed in a timely manner.
The refunds process is dependent on your billing cycle with the credit card company. Once the refund instructions leave our office it can take anywhere from 15 - 45 working days for the proceeds to arrive in your account and will be normally reflected on your credit card statement.
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SECURITY AND PRIVACY
Is it safe for me to use my credit card online?
We give the utmost importance to keeping your data safe and secure. Your credit card details are encrypted through the use of SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology when transmitted online. We have obtained a digital certificate from Thawte, recognized industry leader in providing SGC enabled certificates.
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PENALTY CHARGES
Any penalty charges for no-show? Late cancellation?
Late cancellation or no-show is usually levied a 1-night charge. During peak seasons or convention periods, cancellation may not be permitted at all and penalty for late cancellation or no-show can be 100% of your entire stay.
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ROOM CONFIGURATION
What is the difference between the following room types and occupancy categories? (Single, Twin, Double, Triple, Family, Quad, Suite, Apartments)
Single - Room has 1 single bed, it is good for 1 adult only.
Twin - Room has 2 single beds or 1 large Queen or 1 King sized good for 2 adults. A third person will require an extra bed.
Triple - Room has either 3 single beds, or 1 large Queen or King sized bed with 1 single bed good for 3 adults
Serviced Apartment Types:
1-Bedroom Apartment - 1 Bedroom with a small living room, kitchen and 1 good for 2 adults. A third person will require an extra bed.
2-Bedroom Apartment - 2 Bedrooms with a living room, kitchen and 1 toilet good for 4 adults. A fifth person will require an extra bed.
3-Bedroom Apartment - 3 Bedrooms with a living room, kitchenette and 1 toilet good for 6 adults. A seventh person will require an extra bed.
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What is the difference between Standard, Superior and Deluxe room categories?
These room categories vary from one hotel to another. The main difference is determined by the room size. A typical Standard Room has a smaller floor area compared to a Superior or a Deluxe Room.
Please note that some hotels can only accommodate requests for additional beds in their Superior and Deluxe Rooms.
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