Have doubts about Agoda’s security, validity, and reliability? You’ve come to the right place! Booking accommodations or flights through Agoda is usually cheaper than booking them straight from the source. But does this mean that they’re less safe? It can’t hurt to take a look at it for yourself!
- Is Agoda legit?
- Is it safe and reliable?
- Why is it cheaper than booking direct?
- Should I book through them or stay away?
If you are looking for some more insight into how to go about finding answers to these questions (and many others), then this article might be just what you need. Let’s answer the question at hand now, shall we?
Is Agoda Legit?
It has been confirmed that Agoda is legitimate because it is owned by Booking Holdings which provides services for travelers all over the world. There are certain risks involved with this service, however, as they are a middleman company who does not offer direct booking to travelers.
Before going into the details of explaining how you can reduce the risks for potential problems with Agoda, let me clear up something first:
How can I say that Agoda is legit platform?
Well, I speak from personal experience and statistics provided by the hotel booking website. Though I may not be a frequent traveler because of my busy work schedule, when I do travel, Agoda is always my go-to place for finding hotels. With more than 16 years of online existence and so many loyal followers who use their services regularly – there is no doubt that they are legitimate!
Apart from that, Agoda is known for its convenient customer service and integrity thanks to the parent company behind it – Booking Holdings that includes such popular services like OpenTable or Priceline.
Furthermore, there are over 2.3 million people using it for booking their travel arrangements and this company ranks among the top 10 website booking agencies worldwide.
To sum up the question, is Agoda legit? I would say:
A platform that is part of the world’s leading online travel company, has been in business for so long, attracting millions of users, and ranking among the top booking websites is undoubtedly a legitimate platform. It may be legitimate but it doesn’t mean its 100% safe or reliable – because there are always certain flaws we see today such as customer service issues.
But it’s essential to understand how they work before trusting them with all your travel needs. Agoda works as an Online Travel Agency (OTA), acting as a middle man between potential customers and property owners/airline companies alike.
They are partnered with several popular airlines and hotel sites around the world, allowing any individual to list their property on Agoda for a small portion of commission when tourists book those listed hotels or airline tickets. The travelers who use these services do so because they want access to the large number of unique listings that can’t be found anywhere else. Since Agoda has billions of monthly page views coming from all over the globe, it makes sense for both tourists and hotel/airline employees to join this network – even if it just means adding an easy-to-add link under ‘find a room’ or ‘find flights’.
To put it simply, here’s how it works:
- Property owners and airlines post listings on Agoda to reach billions of customers.
- Agoda collects commissions from hotels when a traveler makes reservations.
- Travelers frequently book through Agoda because it is often less expensive than booking directly with the hotel or airline company.
While it may seem like an irresistible offer for all involved, from the property owners and airlines up until the traveler themselves – there is one major downside for travelers in particular.
Booking through Agoda contains higher risks as compared to booking directly.
Though there may still be some difficulties no matter how you book, the risks involved when booking through Agoda are higher due to third party involvement. If anything goes wrong, you will not receive assistance from the staff at either hotels or airlines because this relationship is handled by Agoda rather than directly with them.
To resolve any conflict you may have with your hotel or airline company, you need to:
- First, contact the customer support of Agoda and explain the situation.
- Agoda will get back to you and may ask for further details.
- Then, Agoda will forward your inquiry to the host and handle the rest of the situation between both parties.
This makes the whole process a bit of a hassle and your issue usually takes longer to resolve compared to booking directly. However, I’ve seen some people complaining about Agoda’s refunds and cancellation but it’s not always their fault. Sometimes, it’s the customer’s fault as well when they fail to follow these safety tips below which can lead to issues if things go wrong. Therefore, it’s crucial for you to follow these tips I am about to share with you and get familiar with Agoda’s refund/cancellation policies so that you can minimize your risk of encountering an issue. To begin, let me share my personal experience.
6 Tips For Travelers To Stay Safe
The following are some of my top tips for staying safe and avoiding scams when booking through Agoda:
1. Research Before Booking
As I mentioned at the start of this article, a successful booking depends largely on the property or airline you choose. The more research you do before choosing what company to book with, the safer you will be. Researching first is an essential step when booking anything- which is why it is so important to look into different options before making your final decision.
Here are some things you might want to look out for before booking:
- Reviews
- Amenities and facilities with your room
- Carefully read property policies and their cancellation and refund policies
- Check room photos
- For flights, check cancellation and changing policy, seat choice, baggage details, and restrictions.
Before you book your next stay with Agoda, make sure to check out the reviews for that specific hotel/accommodation. Look out for feedback on things such as cleanliness, facilities and customer service – just one bad review would have me heading in another direction! Reviews submitted on Agoda are usually very reliable, which makes them worth reading.
It’s also possible to see when visitors have been there before and why; this way you can pick somewhere appropriate depending on what you’re looking for (i.e., if it was a weekend break away). Trust my advice; always try to choose properties with at least 100+ reviews. This should ensure you get a good understanding of what the place is really like by delving into every detail from someone who has actually stayed there firsthand themselves. Make sure the average star rating is at least 9 or higher too!
Furthermore, make sure you know what the requirements are for your room. Check your room amenities and facilities so you will know whether or not they offer Breakfast, Wi-Fi or Telephone service before booking it.
One of the most important things to check out when looking at properties is their room cancellation and refund policies. Each hotel or hotel chain has different policies for specific rooms, so it’s best to always double-check. Cancellations are sometimes allowed before a certain time in order to receive a full or partial refund – but some will never give refunds even if canceled before time.
Furthermore, when booking flights it is important to ensure you have looked over the photos for all areas of the property thoroughly and checked for any listings that may have few pictures of areas such as bathrooms or bedding. This will ensure there are no surprises upon arrival. Cancelation policies need to be fully reviewed before signing anything so there are no issues if things change later down the line. Not only this but also how much luggage one can take with them during travel needs to be determined beforehand because different airlines allow different weight limits depending on flight length.
It may be good practice to select where you want to sit when booking your flight ticket on the Agoda website so that you can travel alongside those with whom you are planning to spend time. If for some reason you change your mind about a pickup service or decide against using one at all, it’s possible to cancel online before arriving at the pick-up location.
Personally, I don’t recommend buying plane tickets through the Agoda website instead of direct from an airline company; but I do highly recommend purchasing hotel accommodations through this site. Be mindful of the safety tips and policies mentioned below which are pertinent information if booked within this company.
2. Confirm Your Booking
One other thing to note about Agoda bookings is that you should always verify with the property too. Though you’ll receive an email confirmation from Agoda once your booking has been confirmed, it might be worth contacting them as well just to make sure everything is okay before arriving at the hotel or guesthouse. You can either use the chat function, send an email through your account, or call their toll-free number – which will be given to you by Agoda. To verify a booking with them, go back to My Bookings on your profile page and click on whichever trip it is you’re wanting to confirm.
3. Never Deal Outside of Agoda
Never take a chance on another type of website than Agoda. They give off full-proof guarantees when booking and after purchase, even hotel hosts work with me! My previous reservations are perfect proof of this – every time I go in to pay for my stay at the hotel or talk about my stay so far- I’m asked Book now? Yes please! Beyond protection from fake suppliers, using Agoda’s chat interface has saved me time and money.
Not only does Agoda take care of the payment for my stay without fuss but they also offer 24/7 customer service which sets them ahead from other vacation providers who charge an additional fee per call (and you’ll be lucky if they’re available). Overall I highly recommend this platform because no matter where you are traveling around the world – they cover it all!
4. Choose A Safe Destination
Agoda provides vacations across more than 2 million properties worldwide. It’s hard to tell what kind of place it is until you know firsthand, but researching the destination will prepare you well. Find out about any potential scams, political problems or security issues, and make sure they don’t apply to your destination before going. Stay near populated cities; while they may not always seem entirely safe, there are lots of people around who can help you in case anything happens.
If a listing has many amenities listed like Wi-Fi, airport pickup or breakfast included – these may mean its worth considering even if its further away from tourist attractions. Make sure that where you stay doesn’t look sketchy and feels comfortable enough for guests like yourself by taking a look at photos uploaded by other travelers who’ve stayed here themselves.
5. Print Out Your Itineraries
After successfully completing your booking through Agoda, you will receive a confirmation email detailing all the details about your stay – what’s included in it, cancellation and refund policies, etc.
Although you may present an electronic copy of your reservation information upon check-in, there are many benefits to printing off a hardcopy beforehand. The most important benefit is that this will prevent any possible hassles once you reach your destination because now you will have the necessary evidence on hand in case anything goes wrong or questions arise.
6. Beware of Phone Calls And Emails Scams
Scams are unfortunately common in today’s digital world, especially within the travel industry. When you sign up for Agoda once you’ve confirmed your account has been verified, ensure that whenever you receive an email or call from someone claiming to be associated with them – whether they’re a fake customer service representative or not – verify their identity beforehand before giving them any personal information such as your bank account number. Scammers will often try to take advantage of travelers by pretending they work with this company and would need access to sensitive financial data such as credit card numbers.
Be wary of attachments that come with e-mails claiming to be from Agoda. Scammers will attach malicious files and trick you into downloading them by saying your reservation has been cancelled or your account has been banned. Whenever this happens, follow these steps: first check the sender’s address against the company’s email address and make sure it is accurate; then open up the attachment without downloading so that only a temporary copy remains on your hard drive (this protects you against other malware); finally delete the attachment after verifying its contents.
You may have noticed a small mistake made in my email address – Agoda might sometimes come out as AAgoda or agodA, which can easily lead to unsafe purchases. Let’s move on and see the policies for booking on our site so you’re always safe when booking here!
Agoda’s Policies You Should Know Before Booking
Often, consumers neglect to read the cancellation or refund policies of Agoda, which ends up resulting in unsuccessful cancellations and refunds. If you are also unfamiliar with these policies then please allow me to explain them for you so that you don’t experience any future mishaps.
Agoda Cancellation Policy
First of all, you should know that each property or airline company has their own cancellation and refund policies, which should always be looked up before you make any bookings. Some offer a completely free cancellation at anytime and are fully-refundable; whereas some don’t. Unless your booking states otherwise sent by the vendor, Agoda does not charge any processing fees for cancellations.
When canceling your order through Agoda however, they will send you an email detailing what this process entails – if applicable to your specific order – such as how long after payment can you cancel it; whether there is a fee charged depending on where in the world the order was made; etcetera.
If you fail to arrive or cancel your reservation after the due date specified in your confirmation email, either you’ll need to pay a cancellation fee or no refund will be given depending on policies set by the property. Furthermore, any changes to reservations or cancellations need to be made through Agoda. This means you can’t simply call the hotel and ask for a modification of any kind – even if it’s something as simple as changing your departure time or checking out later than originally planned.
Agoda Refund Policy
Similar to cancellations, refunds must be made through Agoda. To make a request, please contact the company via the Agoda help center. Though some accommodations do not offer refunds – if you shorten your stay or cancel it completely during times of high occupancy, periods of conventions, and periods where rooms are highly sought after (i.e., holidays), failure to request a cancellation before the due date given in your confirmation email will result in penalties being deducted from the amount refunded. If you would like more information on when these dates are so that you may avoid this charge entirely, simply read over your confirmation email which provides specific cancellation deadlines that should be adhered to carefully.
The cancellation deadline for hotels is generally about two weeks from the date of arrival. If you cancel past this point, there may be an additional fee which can vary depending on the location or booking agency. When contacting them and making your request, it’s best to submit it at least two weeks before in order for them to process it in time.
If you cancel your reservation before the cancellation deadline, we will process the cancellation within 10 business days. For short-term stays where only one night has been reserved, please allow for up to 15 business days for processing a refund. If you notify Agoda about canceling your stay prior to shortening it and make sure that there are no penalties applicable as a result of this cancellation (such as when canceling less than 24 hours before arrival), then refunds can be processed much quicker.
You may experience delayed refunds if canceling an extended reservation just before leaving an area because we need time to confirm the accurate length of your stay with the host. Keep in mind, even if you are trying to end an agreement amicably with the other party, Agoda has an obligation under its policies to enforce these policies equally on both parties – so make sure you understand what penalties might apply beforehand when deciding how long to book your reservation!
Guests are expected to abide by these policies upon making a reservation, while Hosts are required to read through this list of terms before creating their advertisement. In the event that an agreed-upon policy is violated, Agoda will issue penalties against both the host and guest – depending on who was at fault.
That’s it!
To minimize the risk of anything going wrong while you book with Agoda, follow these precautions and keep this information in mind. But before we go over those topics, there is one other important thing that needs to be discussed first: Why are accommodations booked through Agoda cheaper than if they were booked straight from the hotel or airline?
Why Is Agoda So Cheap?
Often, when things seem too good to be true, they are. One of the reasons people question if Agoda is legit, safe and reliable due to their surprisingly low rates compared to booking directly with the hotel or airline company; so let me talk about why this is the case.Agoda typically goes for a lower price than booking straight from an official host since it deals wholesale; which means buying tickets in high quantities at once before reselling them one by one through its website. Now while we don’t know how they got these discounted rates at such great values–all we know that you’re benefitting!
Because the company buys in bulk, pay upfront, and gets discounts from different partners, such as hotels (both online through Agoda or offline), they can purchase items at a cheaper price. They then resell these products to other consumers at an average price ($100 per night for example) minus what it cost them to purchase it. For example, the hotel may sell their product for $150 but then because of one or two partners who bought 100 nights each at discounted rates, Agoda might only have paid $50 per night -$900 total- so now they’re selling it to us consumers for an average of just $110/night; thus making some profit too!
This system works both ways though since while we are still getting a great deal on an amazing hotel room when we compare it with what it normally costs elsewhere; the hotel is also benefiting by being able to clear out unused rooms before Agoda takes possession of them so that the owners don’t needlessly lose money.
Agoda employs the same model (the Merchant Model) with airline tickets and transfers from airports, to help you get the best possible deals. In addition, many partners are more willing to offer Agoda cheaper rates, because they know it gets them exposure to a wider range of potential customers. This benefits us by making us their marketing arm; we market the hotels for the vendors and make it easier to fill rooms throughout multiple seasons. Not only that but we have our own marketplace/ecosystem where sellers can list their items at a reduced cost in order to gain traction within this particular environment – which means even lower prices!
So that’s how Agoda is able to offer cheaper rates than booking directly.
However, it’s worth noting that Agoda’s prices won’t always be the cheapest. It’s definitely worth checking the price from Agoda and with the vendor directly to ensure getting the best rate possible.
Common Safety Concerns By Guests
Here are the common safety concerns you might also have:
- Is My Payment & Personal Information Secure?
- Are Guests Safe At The Property?
- Can I Get Scammed on Agoda?
Let me clear your concerns.
1. Is My Payment & Personal Information Secure?
Agoda takes a number of preventive steps to make sure your personal payment data remains secure while you are booking online. They use encryption in the form of SSL certificates, so any information you submit through the website will be protected by layers of encryptions. Additionally, Agoda follows applicable guidelines for data protection, so they do not hold on to information that is unnecessary.
After scouring reviews left by users who have booked with Agoda before, I could not find one complaint concerning the safety and security measures taken by the company. Generally speaking, you should feel confident about submitting your payment information because it will most likely remain safe and secure after all these precautions.
Is My Personal Information Passed Onto Hosts?
It is important to know that by using Agoda, your personal information will not be shared with other third parties. Agoda processes payments instead of hosting companies and only shares minimal personal data (such as name) with the hosts in order to make reservations. Hosts cannot request any sensitive information from guests beyond what is shared through Agoda. If you are contacted by a host outside of the platform or within an Agoda chat box but they request personal information such as an account number or bank details – do not share this type of data under any circumstances because it can put you at risk for identity theft or fraud.
2. Are Guests Safe At The Property?
Whether for leisure or for business, anytime you go on a trip – always feel as safe as possible. At first glance it may seem daunting to travel outside of your country but thankfully there are many sites such as Agoda that can aid in providing safety and security no matter where you’re headed. With thousands of properties across the globe, this website provides an array of choices if you want to explore another part of the world.
Plus, they provide detailed descriptions so you know what exactly you’re going into before booking anything! Just remember – always take heed to any negative reviews and inspect what locals think about certain places if given the chance. Overall though, I’m confident this service will give you everything needed for an incredible vacation!
3. Can I Get Scammed on Agoda?
Yes, there are definite possibilities of being scammed when making reservations on Agoda. However, Agoda has mechanisms in place to prevent booking scams from occurring. For one thing, they hold on to the first check-out fee for up to thirty days after a person’s stay finishes (and payment will only be sent if everything went smoothly). As a guest too – it’s your responsibility – whether you’re staying long term or just passing through town – to review their policies before making any bookings so that nothing goes wrong during your stay and you can avoid any potential problems or scams! Plus let me tell you about the customer service at Agoda;
How’s Agoda Customer Support?
Agoda customer service seems reliable at first glance. There is a help center available to answer common queries, such as what kind of restrictions there are for COVID travel and how you can change your reservation. However, if you require genuine assistance from a specialized team – or even just general information about certain subjects- then it’s best to look elsewhere.
Based on my research, though there is a toll-free number for queries and complaints and a live chat feature, responses are often slow or unhelpful. Users on Agoda were dissatisfied with the level of support provided by this company. They also complained about how difficult it was to book rooms online and had no one they could contact when they needed help at night. The team told me they were available 24 hours a day if I had an issue but sometimes did not reply quickly enough.
Do I Recommend Agoda For Booking?
As long as you follow the safety tips and know the policies, I definitely recommend Agoda for booking accommodation unless there are significant differences in prices between booking directly and through them. However, I don’t recommend Agoda for booking flights. Typically, Flights are expensive so I recommend booking directly with the airline company rather than through Agoda to avoid any sort of risks. Although issues can occur with booking directly with the airline company as well – again due to third-party involution; but my experience with doing this has been minimal – it is still less likely when compared to using online services such as agoda.
As there may be some difficulties with your travel plans such as customer service issues and problems with cancellation or refunding tickets, it would be best to spend a little more money when purchasing flights because of the greater risks involved. On the other hand, getting accommodation can sometimes not cost much at all and you don’t have to worry about risking much since cancelling may lead to no charge at all; but only if you go for something relatively cheap in price.
It will also save time, so I suggest going through Agoda before anything else – though always make sure you compare rates first before making any decisions. These are merely my suggestions but ultimately it’s up to you where and what company do decide on booking through!
FAQs About Is Agoda Legit
WHY IS AGODA SO CHEAP?
For those looking for a budget-friendly option to find hotels, Agoda usually offers the best deal. But what makes them so much cheaper than most other online travel websites? Maybe it has something to do with their business model.
IS AGODA RELIABLE?
Planning a vacation can be an exhaustive task of getting everything ready – from making sure you have the right flight and lodging arrangements, to reading reviews and comparing prices. With this many options out there, it’s hard to know where to start!
IS AGODA LEGIT?
There are many different options when it comes to booking a hotel room today. One way for travelers to compare costs and find the perfect option is with online travel agencies, like Agoda. These sites make it easy for people seeking hotels to see all of the available prices and choose from many different options. For those looking for just about any type of accommodations- from budget motels to luxury resorts – this resource offers them all at an affordable price point.
Conclusion
Agoda is owned by Booking Holdings, one of the leading providers in this industry. Though they are legitimate, there may be more risks than if you were to book directly with a travel agency. This might seem like bad news at first glance but when looking at all factors: booking through Agoda can save travelers money and offers convenience when arranging trips in advance.
There are two things which I recommend everyone know before they decide to use Agoda; firstly, due diligence when it comes to their policy agreements – these need to be thoroughly examined beforehand so there isn’t an issue later on- and secondly, keep track of every detail about your trip including where you will stay and how long you plan on being there for just in case! After doing these precautions then you can proceed without fear because there should never be an issue after finding out about these safety tips that come along with using Agoda as well as knowing what needs to be done beforehand.
