Is Nectar’s hotel booking site a good way of earning Avios?

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• Martin says:

  22 Jul22 July 04:16

  Along with all Nectar redemptions..
  Nothing to see her, move along..!!!

• Chris says:

  22 Jul22 July 05:52

  Ironically, the Nectar App currently has an offer for booking direct with Booking of 1000 bonus Nectar points plus the standard rate of 8 Nectar points per pound. This might be account specific.

• David S says:

  22 Jul22 July 06:55

  Might be worth pointing out that, in my experience, a search on Nectar hotels can return cheaper options than the same search on the main Rocketmiles site (where it seems the minimum price is set slightly higher)

• BJ says:

  22 Jul22 July 07:01

  Anybody here seen, or better still tried a 140 Baht hostel in Bangkok? I’m guessing the cheapest are now about double that. I’ve stayed in some remarkably good ‘Room 500 Baht’ in the past but in recent years the signs have gone unoticedvto me so I’m not sure if they’re still a common thing or if they’ve gone up in price to 700-800 Baht.

  • mvcvz says:

    22 Jul22 July 07:10

    Each to their own obviously, but I would rather stick pins in my eyes and set fire to my head than even contemplate staying in one of those places.

    • BJ says:

      22 Jul22 July 08:09

      Not sure if you’re referring to hostels or 500 Baht rooms or both but just as an example I’ve stayed in 500 Bahy rooms that were better than the Hilton Metropole, Marriott Austin and even a famed IC in a major European capital. A spacious but spotlessly clean basic but functional room with decent bedding and towels beats small shabby dated rooms that are so dirty they’d challenge the best crime scene units every day of the week.

      • Gordon says:

        22 Jul22 July 15:06

        I’m only just starting to cast a lazy eye over accommodation, for my 4 to 5 month tour of SEA, next year, and obviously 4 and 5 star hotels would not be viable long term, just an example of what I am looking for when I fly into BKK, the ibis Bangkok riverside, good reviews around 1,400 Baht pn, that price suits me for November dates. As I say I’m only just looking loosely as I’ve got plenty of time.

        I’ve also looked at hostels, but some reviews are off putting, re late night lounge music, parties etc, so need to filter them out, I’m sure there are very competitively priced hostels now. Especially as the Thai king has promised residents around 10,000 Baht, costing billions, to help kick start the economy, he has also extended the 60 day visa to many more countries as tourism is still nowhere near what it was pre pandemic.

        • BJ says:

          22 Jul22 July 20:11

          1400 for the Ibis Riverside is good. I ‘ve never stayed there but in past rates have been a lot higher than that. I’ve bever stayed in a hostel there and unless I was a broke youngster again I wouldn’t. Depending how long you plan to stay in Bangkok you might want to consider a serviced apartment or room to rent longer term. For this I’d suggest alomg Asoke-Dindaeng Road linking Sukhumvit to Ratchada, someplarce within walking distance of both BTS and MRT, around corner of Rama 9 to walk to both or even behind Fortune Tower as there are pkenty of motorbike taxi there to speed you past the traffic jams. Lots of amazing authentuc food in that area too.

        • Gordon says:

          22 Jul22 July 21:15

          @BJ – I would have looked into apartments, but we’ve been to Thailand many times, and seen the sites, so we are only in Bangkok for a week max, to adjust and to look at a few areas we likes again, then move up north, through Laos, into Vietnam move south, along the coast, then into Cambodia, then Manila, island hopping through the Philippines, from there it’s not 100% but, Bali, Jakarta and Surabaya, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, then back up to Krabi and Phuket. So we are not going to be anywhere for too long, but may look at an apartment for a week at some destinations. The logistics are a bit intense, but it’s just putting the pieces together.

    • Carole says:

      22 Jul22 July 23:33

      I much prefer staying in hostels than hotels. I am a life member of the YHA and have stayed in some amazing YHA hostels both in the UK and abroad. There are now some first class independent hostels too.

      My favourite hostel in the world is YHA Sydney Harbour. I have stayed at the hostel many times and have always had a wonderful time. The private rooms overlooking the Opera House can be expensive but are worth every penny.

      This is from the YHA Sydney Harbour website:

      All standard private rooms include:
      Ensuites | Free Wi-Fi | Linen and towels | Air conditioning & hairdryers | Tea & coffee | Access to kitchen & terrace

      *Newly Refurbished* Opera Harbour View Rooms include:
      Partial city and harbour views | Wide-screen TVs

      Optional Extras:

      Continental breakfast

  • ChrisA says:

    22 Jul22 July 11:09

    I once stayed in a $5 private room in a hostel in Cambodia. It was called ‘OK Hostel’. But it was not ok.

    • BJ says:

      22 Jul22 July 20:15

      Brave 🙂 once very late at nigbt in Kanchanaburi I ended up in a short-time room by mistake, they’ re probably still baffled why I spent the night in such a place alone 🙂

      • Mayfair Mike says:

        25 Jul25 July 08:53

        Looking at your username I suspect you didn’t 😀

• Scott says:

  22 Jul22 July 07:24

  I’ve had a couple of bonus points offers in the app recently. Something like 1250 bonus Nectar points for a booking.

  If you’ve time to check a few sites, there’s nothing to say that Nectar hotels might be a better option that Avios / BA hotels etc.
  Depends on whether you collect Avios – you may just collect Nectar points and they work best for you.

  Still would like to see the option of booking on the day rather than at least one day in advance.
  Do make a few last minute bookings.

• Barracough says:

  22 Jul22 July 08:23

  Booking through third parties like Rocketmiles, or the Nectar offshoot, runs the risk of being walked – that is when a hotel has overbooked it’s accomodation and has to tell some travellers with a confirmed reservation that it does not have an available room, and has to book a room for the guest at another hotel. Apparently guests who booked though a third party are chosen first. It happened to me once and I wasn’t very impressed with the hotel I was put in. It’s rare though as far as I know and it wouldn’t stop me booking through Nectar hotels if I was travelling alone but I wouldn’t risk it if my wife was with me! I’d be interested to hear from others whether they have been walked and what they thought of it.

• Andrew. says:

  22 Jul22 July 09:06

  That’s a fairly far fetched reason not to book with an OTA.

  Indeed the one time it’s come close was with a BA Holiday to NYC when we’d booked a two-bed room and they put us in a King. and claimed they didn’t have a room with two beds. Upon asking to be transferred to an alternative IHG/Sister hotel with two beds they put us in a penthouse suite with a massive balcony and panoramic views, along with a King + Sofabed.

  On the other hand, I’ve been switched to a partner hotel when booking direct twice. (Was quite chuffed to get both the IHG and Marriott points on one of those stays).

• Swifty says:

  22 Jul22 July 10:04

  I booked a room through nectar for 1000 points and forgot about it, the points just turned up! So there is that, didn’t have to chase and keep and eye like the ba e shopping store

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