Are you planning your next vacation and looking for the best deals on hotels, flights, and rental cars? Look no further than Agoda! As an online travel agency and metasearch engine, Agoda is designed to help you find affordable accommodations, flights, airport transfers, and even activities. In this article, we will guide you through using Agoda and provide you with some valuable insights to save money on your bookings.
Agoda Hotels & Homes
Agoda offers a wide range of accommodation options, from hotels and resorts to hostels and vacation rentals. To start your search, simply enter your destination, travel dates, and number of travelers in the main search box on the home page. You can also filter your search results to show just home rentals if that's what you're looking for. While Agoda's filtering options may not be as robust as those of other sites like Airbnb or VRBO, you can still narrow down your results by selecting preferences such as "Homes," "Family Friendly," "I want free breakfast," or "Book without a credit card." You can also sort the results by price, location, or reviews. Remember that the price displayed on the search results page does not include taxes and fees. You'll need to click through and select your room to see the full price. Pay attention to the fine print, as there may be additional fees that are not initially included in the displayed price.
Image Credit: Agoda
Agoda's Best Price Guarantee
Agoda offers a Best Price Guarantee, ensuring that you get the best deal on your hotel room. If you find a better price for the same hotel, room type, dates, and cancellation policies on another website, Agoda will match or beat that price. However, certain conditions apply, such as the rate being viewable and instantly bookable on the other website and not being part of a third-party loyalty program or promotional offer. Make sure to review Agoda's criteria before submitting a Best Price Guarantee claim.
Price Comparisons
To determine if Agoda truly offers the best prices, we conducted some price comparisons. For example, when pricing out a week-long stay at the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston, we found that Agoda had the three lowest prices among various booking websites. Additionally, for a weekend rental of a standard SUV, Agoda offered competitive pricing compared to other websites. However, it's important to note that prices can vary, and it's always wise to shop around and compare prices on multiple sites to ensure you're getting the best deal.
Agoda Flights
Aside from accommodations, Agoda also allows you to search for cheap flights. As a metasearch engine, when you search for flights on Agoda, you'll be redirected to a separate booking website to complete your purchase. To start your flight search, click on "Flights" in the menu at the top of the screen. Enter your departure location, destination, travel dates, number of travelers, and class of service in the main search box. Agoda provides various filtering options to help you narrow down your results. You may encounter flights labeled as "Hacker Fares," which are composed of segments from multiple airlines or booking websites. It's important to verify the availability of all segments before booking a Hacker Fare.
Image Credit: Agoda
Agoda Airport Transfer
For convenient airport transfers, Agoda offers bookings in over 2,000 locations worldwide. To book an airport transfer on Agoda, click on "Airport transfer" in the top menu. Enter your pick-up and drop-off locations, pick-up date, pick-up time, and the number of travelers. If you're being picked up at the airport, you can also input your flight information. The search results will display important information such as price, ride time, number of passengers allowed, and cancellation policy. Once you've found a suitable option, click "Book Ride" to complete your reservation.
Agoda Car Rentals
Agoda allows you to search for rental cars through their partnership with Rentalcars.com. To start your search, click on the three dots in the menu and then select "Car rentals." You will be redirected to Rentalcars.com to continue with your rental car booking. Enter your pick-up location, pick-up and drop-off dates and times, and you'll be presented with options from major car rental companies. Each search result provides information about the car rental company, the final price, and any free cancellation policies. Keep in mind that some results may be labeled as "Wild Card," meaning you won't know all the details of the car until after completing your reservation. Before finalizing your payment, you'll have the option to add extras such as additional drivers, child car seats, or GPS.
Agoda Things to Do
If you're looking for exciting activities to enhance your trip, Agoda has you covered with their "Things to do" feature. Click on the three dots in the top menu and select "Things to do" to get started. Choose your destination country and city from the dropdown menu and enter your travel dates. You can scroll through the search results or filter them by category to find the perfect activities for your itinerary. Once you've selected an activity, you'll be redirected to Viator, a popular website for booking activities, to complete your purchase.
Agoda PointsMAX
With Agoda's PointsMAX program, you can earn points in your favorite loyalty programs when you book accommodations through Agoda. Simply start your hotel search on the PointsMAX page, select your preferred loyalty program, and book your stay. The number of points you'll earn varies depending on the loyalty program and room type. PointsMAX bookings may have different rates than regular bookings, and the Agoda Price Match Guarantee does not apply to PointsMAX bookings. Keep in mind that the loyalty program you choose must belong to the main guest on the hotel reservation.
AgodaCash
AgodaCash is Agoda's loyalty program that allows you to earn credits for future hotel bookings. To access AgodaCash, create a free Agoda account and navigate to the AgodaCash section. You'll earn AgodaCash by booking eligible hotels and homestays, and you can use your earned credits to pay for part or all of an eligible booking. There are no minimums for redeeming AgodaCash, and you can even earn AgodaCash on bookings where you use it as payment.
AgodaVIP
AgodaVIP is Agoda's loyalty program that rewards frequent bookers. There are three membership levels: Member, VIP Silver, and VIP Gold. As a Member, you have access to Insider Deals and the Best Price Guarantee. Once you complete two bookings in two years, you become a Silver VIP member and gain access to VIP deals up to 12% off. After completing five bookings in two years, you reach Gold VIP status, making you eligible for VIP deals with savings of up to 18%.
Agoda Coupon Codes
Agoda occasionally offers coupon codes that can provide additional discounts on your bookings. You can find these coupon codes on the Agoda website itself or on popular coupon and cash-back sites. Make sure to check for any available coupon codes before making your reservation to maximize your savings.
In conclusion, Agoda is a versatile online travel agency and metasearch engine that can help you find affordable hotels, flights, airport transfers, rental cars, and activities. With features like the Best Price Guarantee, PointsMAX, AgodaCash, and AgodaVIP, you can save money or earn rewards on your bookings. However, it's always wise to compare prices across multiple websites to ensure you're getting the best deal for your travel needs. Start exploring Agoda today and make your next trip a memorable and cost-effective one!
Note: All images in this article are credited to Agoda.
