In Reply to: hotel haggling posted by surferboy on Friday, 5. May 2006 at 20:57 Bali Time:
we always have a limited budget when we go to Bali. We get the best rates we can negotiate via the internet, or direct with the hotel (they tell us the price, not the other way around - I don't believe they'll let you stay for less than their own set minimum). We then use any money we've saved to tip the hotel staff, hire drivers, buy food & gifts for the staff, etc. I'd rather be spending more of our budget directly on the people who work in the hotel than handing it to people who can afford to own a hotel. I'm not naiive enough to believe that us paying higher rates will mean more money or job security for the staff. The staff aren't going to lose their jobs because we get the best rate the owners are willing to give, but they may well if the rates are beyond our means & we're forced to stay somewhere else. Cheers, Sue.