Luxor4u

Unfortunately, my experience with Luxor Hotels has been that it has been cheaper for me to book through booking sites, although I do tend to compare those against each other.

The other advantage that I have found with the some of the sites has been the late cancellation/no fee facility. Very useful when touring and your plans change.

As with most things in life, there are advantages and disadvantages.

BENNU wrote:I was looking for a room in Sweden. I know that tourists to Copenhagen often choose to sleep in Sweden and cross the bridge to expensive Denmark, so I knew that it was affordable, but I was surprised with the good deal I found online. Four stars, perfect location and very positive reviews for no more than I pay in Cairo these days. I went to the hotel's own website and found an even more attractive offer - I wondered it was per night, but it was the price for the two nights I needed, so I have just booked it.

Finding a better deal booking directly was new to me. What I have experienced is booking through an online agent, then cunningly write a polite email with some innocent request to the hotel, letting them know how much I look forward to my stay, only to be upgraded and treated more friendly than other guests, based on my interest in the place. My clever son taught me that.

Booking directly with the hotels means they dont have to pay exorbitant amounts of commission to the booking sites and so can give you a better deal.

I booked direct once Hapzi and was charged 120US Dollars per night, almost double the cost of the package deal.

Double eh ? ruddy Egyptians ripping you off again, dose it never end ?
Perhaps they knew of your history of frivolously giving to those that have less.
Remember! 'Allah smiles on the compassionate....

Major Thom wrote:I booked direct once Hapzi and was charged 120US Dollars per night, almost double the cost of the package deal.

More fool you then for not doing your home work or, worse still, doing your homework and still making the wrong decision. Perhaps you are one of the silly folk that thlnk if something costs more it is bound to be better.

Don't worry I did my homework, we were meeting friends at the Hotel for celebrations, could not get a package deal with only 5 days notice so had to arrange the hotel and the flight direct. What I was pointing out it sometimes is wrong to say book direct and you may well get cheaper prices.
Every time I have booked direct flights and hotels it has cost more. in those days though there was no Skyscanner, Booking Direct and Trivago though.

You cannot compare Package Deals (flight+hotel) as priced by agents, be they instore or online, with booking flights and hotel as seperate items.
Under the topic of discussion, you can only compare booking a hotel through an agent, instore or online, and direct with the hotel.

My main comment was about Hatusu's post where it says hotels can give you a better rate due to not having to pay agents fee's etc. Personally I have not found that. In the UK yes, but not found that in Luxor. Mind you, you going back 10 years, so they may have changed. Presumably you may now be able to gt 10LE off your booking.

I've always found it cheaper to book a package deal to Egypt and then go and do your own thing! I've looked into booking flights and hotels etc. separately and it works out more expensive, especially by the time you add up all the 'extras'. Trouble is getting the travel companies to sell you what you want, and not what's in the brochure.

Channel 5 recently did a slot on all inclusive holidays and realised it's not really worth trying to book seperate parts of the holiday.

https://www.channel5.com/show/all-inclu ... -worth-it/

P.S. Egyptair seem to be giving 30% off fares from London to anywhere on their network bookable by March 1st.

Fly from London to all EGYPTAIR network and enjoy up to 30% off on economy class.
Book your ticket before 1 March and travel till 18 December 2019

Terms & conditions apply

I think a lot of booking a holiday depends on your initial budget to start with. I haven't looked for a long time, but I never managed to find package holidays to Luxor that were not way over my budget.

I have been known to book a few days or a week in a hotel, leaving my options open to change hotels or book to remain longer. When choosing to remain, I have asked to book direct with the hotel but given a much higher price. When I have pointed out that they have the same standard rooms advertised on booking sites for considerably less they have not even offered.a comparative offer. I have then simply gone to my room and booked again through a booking site online.

The other issue being that many holidays are advertised at what initially looks a good price, but when you look closer it is 'based on two sharing'. When single travellers try to book the single rate is often disproportionally more.

crewmeal wrote:Channel 5 recently did a slot on all inclusive holidays and realised it's not really worth trying to book seperate parts of the holiday.

https://www.channel5.com/show/all-inclu ... -worth-it/

P.S. Egyptair seem to be giving 30% off fares from London to anywhere on their network bookable by March 1st.

Fly from London to all EGYPTAIR network and enjoy up to 30% off on economy class.
Book your ticket before 1 March and travel till 18 December 2019

Terms & conditions apply

Terms & Conditions apply.......aaaah

Funny how the day you want to travel is unavailable, fully booked or available only to one-legged, black lesbians.

newcastle wrote:

crewmeal wrote:Channel 5 recently did a slot on all inclusive holidays and realised it's not really worth trying to book seperate parts of the holiday.

https://www.channel5.com/show/all-inclu ... -worth-it/

P.S. Egyptair seem to be giving 30% off fares from London to anywhere on their network bookable by March 1st.

Fly from London to all EGYPTAIR network and enjoy up to 30% off on economy class.
Book your ticket before 1 March and travel till 18 December 2019

Terms & conditions apply

Terms & Conditions apply.......aaaah

Funny how the day you want to travel is unavailable, fully booked or available only to one-legged, black lesbians.

I've not had time to look at this yet, although when I have in the past the site hasn't been working properly or the 'offer' has not given an actual reduction on recent previous prices.

I took the liberty of writing on Egyptair's facebook page the other day, pointing out to them that their prices were stupidly high when compared in travel distance with other companies. Needless to say, I've not had a reply.

newcastle wrote:

crewmeal wrote:Channel 5 recently did a slot on all inclusive holidays and realised it's not really worth trying to book seperate parts of the holiday.

https://www.channel5.com/show/all-inclu ... -worth-it/

P.S. Egyptair seem to be giving 30% off fares from London to anywhere on their network bookable by March 1st.

Fly from London to all EGYPTAIR network and enjoy up to 30% off on economy class.
Book your ticket before 1 March and travel till 18 December 2019

Terms & conditions apply

Terms & Conditions apply.......aaaah

Funny how the day you want to travel is unavailable, fully booked or available only to one-legged, black lesbians.

Lesbians come in all shades, not just black.

crewmeal wrote:Channel 5 recently did a slot on all inclusive holidays and realised it's not really worth trying to book seperate parts of the holiday.

Yer, I also watched that program, but crewmeal, like it said, when you are catering for that amount of people, you certainly got your wholesale usual u.k. crap food sausage and bacon at a very low price, plus was the vodka, really vodka .

The other issue being that many holidays are advertised at what initially looks a good price, but when you look closer it is 'based on two sharing'. When single travellers try to book the single rate is often disproportionally more.

Ahh that old chestnut of screwing single travellers. It still prevails big time when booking a hotel room and especially all types of cruises. I've googled single holidays and see that there are a number of sites that specialise. I've not yet put any to the test but will do and report back in due course.

crewmeal wrote: P.S. Egyptair seem to be giving 30% off fares from London to anywhere on their network bookable by March 1st.

Fly from London to all EGYPTAIR network and enjoy up to 30% off on economy class.
Book your ticket before 1 March and travel till 18 December 2019

Terms & conditions apply

By the way crewmeal, many thanks for your info re- Egytair, though there are usual storage conditions that apply especially when you request a certain date, they sorry fully booked,......yes, with those prepared to pay the full stupid price,.......but then again thanks for this info.

Ruby Slippers wrote:I've always found it cheaper to book a package deal to Egypt and then go and do your own thing! I've looked into booking flights and hotels etc. separately and it works out more expensive, especially by the time you add up all the 'extras'. Trouble is getting the travel companies to sell you what you want, and not what's in the brochure.

This was true Ruby years ago, when some may remember that on Boxing Day, instead as we find now the usual 50% off sales, we found holidays advertised. This was when the likes of Thomson and Airtours, etc purchased a certain amount of hotel rooms, at a set price. I understand that such companies guaranteed certain hotels in Luxor as set price, whether they were occupied or no, some being more than 20 room or more. This is why they were sold off at bargain price very near the departure date. The hotels that gave such special deals, SO I UNDERSTAND, were the Pharon in Karnck, the Emillio and St Joseph, though after the year 2000, the rest joined.

The Jolie Ville was always 120$ per night when we used to book 12 yers ago with the Hotel. I have been looking just now and the cheapest room rate averages 62$ and booking with the Hotel is around 70$, I have to presume the cheaper rooms are non Nile View.

We would not stay at another Hotel because it suited our needs, peaceful and quiet, away from Taxis and Carriage drivers shouting at you every time you exited the Hotel and all the amenities we required. To us staying in the middle of Luxor would have been a nightmare. Again and rightly so not everyone has the same budget as we had in them days, so I understand why people look around, since we both retired we do ourselves. A lot of the Hotels I realise may do deals, but for us not other Hotel matched our requirements.

I think though what the price of the Jolie Ville has dropped to is more than reasonable, and I hope it starts to pick up and does well for itself. The regular clients there think the same as us.

When we lived in Luxor we would often call in for coffee and meet old friends and guests we had met there over the years we had been going. I don't think many thought that it's distance from the City made any difference at all, but also appreciate that some liked to be in the hib of everything going on. At the time we were both working and required a relaxing peaceful holiday, and the Jolie Ville met the bill.

Stayed at the Jollie Ville many many times and never have I paid 120$ a night, It was an escape from the hustle and bustle of Luxor yet convenient with the boats going into town and of course the bus. I remember the captain of the boat was an expert on the wildlife to be found along the river bank and used to make those 10 minute sails very interesting.Those I believe have disappeared. The boats and transfers I mean hopefully not the wildlife.