Working in Foreign Countries
 

I was just wanting to know how many of you allow your customers to book hotel rooms for you when you are travelling to a country that you have never been to before?

I am in South Africa this week and have had mixed results on hotels here.

I have done it alot - espectially in a country like south africa - 3rd world. in a few places it has worked out really well, in a few not so well.

Not sure I would consider South Africa a 3rd world country.

Can I inquire about where you are staying in SA?

I usually let the locals set me up, assuming they know best in terms of location, value for money, arrangements with hotels etc. Problems only arise when your and locals' standards and/or expectations do not parallel each other perfectly... but I have not had any problems so far, so maybe others have more concrete advice. If things are not perfect, usually the benefits of the local knowledge have cancelled any negative expectations on my part.

Agree SA is not really third world... there is certainly a third world element, but certainly not where tourists and business types go. Places like Sandton put many places in the first world to shame (in terms of wealth).

I let them, but I have a clause that says I can move at will for any reason whatsoever. In some places it's best to let them make the arrangements. As an example, when I am in Luanda, Angola I stay at either the Alvalade or Tropico hotels. I never see the bill. The client pays for it. Similar when I go to Nigeria, and even Indonesia.

If a client puts me in a dump. I move at my own discretion. If they give me a hard time about it, then I drop them as a client. I let them know that I will drop a gig if accomodations are not to my liking. If they don't like, Tango Sierra.

M8

Give it time. It is getting there.

To give a reply to the actual question; yes I do. Normally, the customer gets a good locally negotiated rate at a chain hotel so this works to our advantage. There will always be bad hotels IMO so it just comes down to what you're prepared to put up with (years of business travel has turned me into a complete snob when it comes to my accomodation though).

I was just outside of Durban last week and now in Johannesburg until Tuesday. Maybe it is just may "Western" way of thinking/living. But the first hotel(and I use the term lightly) was just totally unacceptable, nothing clean, windows did not close, no heat, etc. I met the customer the next morning with bags in hand and told him I didnt care what it cost him, he was to find me someplace suitable to stay.
The hotel I am in now is not anywhere close to even a Holiday Inn, but at least I think I am cleaner when I get out of the shower than what I was before I went into it.

I'd tend to view that as unnacceptable. In SA, you need a hotel that you feel safe in because the country has a bit of a crime problem.

Generally, there should be plenty of quality options anywhere in South Africa. If you are driving (take advice on avoiding problems if you do), then you may also find that there are some very clean, quality B&Bs that you can stay in very cheaply.

Drive?? Here??

The damn steering wheel is on the wrong side of the car. How am I supposed to drive like that.

Sorry to hear about the bad hotel experience in SA.

My own experience has always been nothing but positive. Even youth hostels I have found clean and offering comfortable accomodation (compared to Europe especially), with usually friendly staff. Outside the chain hotels, it is one of things I really enjoy about SA: the very friendly and amiable staff and generally always being guaranteed of getting a clean and comfortable place, it not always luxurious and grand (that's for home, IMHO).

Sandton north of Joburg has some excellent properties. Some very expensive (i.e. Michelangelo), but there is also a Holiday Inn that supposedly is pretty decent and has an excellent central location.

So you think it will be a Rhodesia re-do? :confused:

I book my own hotels when travelling and always offer to book our clients staying.