I saw this website mentioned in the Wall St Journal.
I found a link directly to the owner of the site and they maintain an inventory of special room rates. I was interested in the LAX Marriott for a night in September that I want to stay at the airport.
Contacted them and they want a $25 donation to become a supporter of the website.
In order for me to get the $60 reservation, I need to provide a cc number and then they'll contact Marriott and place me on the reservation and Marriott will contact me with the confirmation.
Has anyone else used this company? Frankly, I don't think I'll be giving my cc info to a stranger.
MSP2000
Aug 12, 06, 12:04 pm
Sounds extremely fishy to me.
Fraser
Aug 12, 06, 12:47 pm
If you have to ask....
;)
mikeintopeka
Aug 12, 06, 1:09 pm
If you have to ask....
;)
It appears this guy is a favorite of members over on the budget travel forum. He tips them off of savings he's going to post and some members have received some great discounts on 'mistakes' posted to the web and honored by Travelocity or the hotel.
I need to do some more research and will post back here.
WindFlyer
Aug 12, 06, 3:00 pm
I need to do some more research and will post back here....maybe post somewhere else; this is the Trip Reports forum ;)
ContinentalFan
Aug 12, 06, 3:04 pm
Yep, it does sound very suspicious! I wouldn't bite. Why would Marriott allow a for-profit site sell rooms at a lower price than they can!
B747-437B
Aug 12, 06, 3:23 pm
It appears this guy is a favorite of members over on the budget travel forum.
In line with the above, I think it is best that I relocate this thread to that forum to enable you to get the best feedback.
Regards,
Sean (B747-437B)
Moderator
Trip Reports
FourWheels
Aug 12, 06, 6:24 pm
It's FreeTraveling. Started up by FTer "lex". At one point it was for sale. Don't know if it's changed hands or not. That Marriott thing is new to me. Sorry, OP, can't say if I'd do it.
emailkid
Aug 12, 06, 9:13 pm
It appears this guy is a favorite of members over on the budget travel forum. He tips them off of savings he's going to post ...
Certainly don't recall any great hotel or other savings being posted here in this forum :rolleyes:
EmailKid
gleff
Aug 13, 06, 6:26 am
The site was started by lemex, not lex. And the posts of hotel deals (usually for a night or three on specific dates) have been in the Mileage Run forum and then the Hotel Deals subforum when it was later created.
I am curious about the cheap rates at Marriott LAX listed on the site.
Kagehitokiri
Aug 13, 06, 4:55 pm
It's probably same as that airfare company right?
If it was mentioned in WSJ.
I forget, most here know I'm sure. That guy with "Best Flights" or whatever. He's always showing up on network news as a talking head.
They might get you an occasional good deal, but its nothing the good FTers can't do, and I'm sure the ones like Randy's pay service, forget the name, are better as well.
fredman
Aug 13, 06, 7:03 pm
Yep, it does sound very suspicious! I wouldn't bite. Why would Marriott allow a for-profit site sell rooms at a lower price than they can!
Yeah, especially at LAX - not your typical hotel for giving away cheap rooms.
ScottC
Aug 13, 06, 7:06 pm
The site was started by lemex, not lex. And the posts of hotel deals (usually for a night or three on specific dates) have been in the Mileage Run forum and then the Hotel Deals subforum when it was later created.
I am curious about the cheap rates at Marriott LAX listed on the site.
It is done thanks to their best value guarantee, by using some "tools" to scan travel websites they find a lower rate and present that to Marriott asking for the the lower price - 25%. All in all tricks like this will be the death of the BVG. The same stuff is also being SOLD on Ebay...
gleff
Aug 13, 06, 7:10 pm
It's probably same as that airfare company right?
If it was mentioned in WSJ.
I forget, most here know I'm sure. That guy with "Best Flights" or whatever. He's always showing up on network news as a talking head.
They might get you an occasional good deal, but its nothing the good FTers can't do, and I'm sure the ones like Randy's pay service, forget the name, are better as well.
What makes you think the website is Tom Parsons/BestFares?
MapleLeaf
Aug 13, 06, 8:03 pm
It is done thanks to their best value guarantee, by using some "tools" to scan travel websites they find a lower rate and present that to Marriott asking for the the lower price - 25%. All in all tricks like this will be the death of the BVG. The same stuff is also being SOLD on Ebay...
What is the BVG?
N830MH
Aug 24, 06, 12:57 am
In line with the above, I think it is best that I relocate this thread to that forum to enable you to get the best feedback.
Regards,
Sean (B747-437B)
Moderator
Trip Reports
Thanks, Sean! I am really appreciated that for members is doing. Do search for tell them next time when the thread is moved to other forum. ok? :) You haven't hear from me for long time. Now, I am using on the FlyerTalk for while and I am been done well for me for communication skills is doing much better.
humanoid94
Aug 29, 06, 8:41 pm
What is the BVG?
Best Value Gauranteed
JBlaine
Aug 29, 06, 10:30 pm
Remember that for any website you can do a quick "whois" to find out the registration information.
Here are the details for travelingfree.com:
Domain Services Provided By:
Top List Ads,
http://www.15domains.com
Registrant:
Free Small Bear
1535 Juanita Way
Berkeley, CA 94702
US
Registrar: DOTSTER
Domain Name: TRAVELINGFREE.COM
Created on: 21-JUL-00
Expires on: 21-JUL-07
Last Updated on: 17-JUL-06
Administrative, Technical Contact:
Small Bear, Free travelingfree@yahoo.com
1535 Juanita Way
Berkeley, CA 94702
US
5105588013
Domain servers in listed order:
NS3.POWWEB.COM
NS2.POWWEB.COM
End of Whois Information
As well as some other info:
Current Registrar: DOTSTER, INC.
IP Address: 65.254.250.102 (ARIN & RIPE IP search)
IP Location: US(UNITED STATES)-MASSACHUSETTS-BURLINGTON
Record Type: Domain Name
Server Type: Apache 1
Lock Status: ACTIVE
Web Site Status: Active
DMOZ no listings
Y! Directory: see listings
Secure: No
E-commerce: No
Traffic Ranking: Not available
Data as of: 14-Jun-2005
Obtained via http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/index.jsp
jumpdogjump
Sep 13, 06, 4:29 pm
Remember that for any website you can do a quick "whois" to find out the registration information.
Here are the details for travelingfree.com:
Umm, that's a pretty site, too, but its freetraveling.com
Registrant:
Domains by Proxy, Inc.
DomainsByProxy.com
15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
United States
Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: FREETRAVELING.COM
Created on: 31-Oct-99
Expires on: 31-Oct-06
Last Updated on: 31-Oct-05
Administrative Contact:
Private, Registration FREETRAVELING.COM@domainsbyproxy.com
Domains by Proxy, Inc.
DomainsByProxy.com
15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
United States
(480) 624-2599
SchmutzigMSP
Sep 20, 06, 7:44 am
Umm, that's a pretty site, too, but its freetraveling.com
Registrant:
Domains by Proxy, Inc.
DomainsByProxy.com
15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
United States
Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: FREETRAVELING.COM
Created on: 31-Oct-99
Expires on: 31-Oct-06
Last Updated on: 31-Oct-05
Administrative Contact:
Private, Registration FREETRAVELING.COM@domainsbyproxy.com
Domains by Proxy, Inc.
DomainsByProxy.com
15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
United States
(480) 624-2599
And as you can see, it's a masked reservation. ;)
Back on topic though, I think that using Priceline is your best bet. I agree, I wouldn't feel comfortable sending my CC info to that site.