NCTS Hotel Breaks Voucher

Oryx

This is not quite a rip off but its certainly shady practice and something people need to be aware of.

The NCTS are offering a hotel voucher to the value of €100 off a hotel stay with every NCT test booked. Lovely jubbly. The interesting thing about this discount, is that it is booked through the ncts own site, http://www.nctshotelbreaks.com/ at THEIR set (full) two night room rate (and 1 dinner, + B&B) of €299 for two people sharing. So thats 299 -100.

I chose a hotel, checked the dates I need and it comes up as 196 altogether for the dates I wanted. Not 199, not sure why.

So I went on to the hotel's own site, and the same dates are €230, in total, with no special ncts discount.

Yes, its cheaper than the hotel's advertised rate. I get that. But its not a €100 discount, its €34. I checked dates during the summer, neither rate changes, the amounts remain the same. If I take the stay with just the room, no food, direct with the hotel, its far cheaper than taking up the ncts offer.

NCTS also require a 12.5% booking deposit, with a €2.95 booking fee, the hotel just require a cc number and they do not charge any money up front.

Just out of curiousity, I checked a different hotel for different dates. In that case, the ncts saved me the massive sum of €4. Not the promoted €100. They are promoting this as a bargain offer. It really isnt.

thebiglad

Oryx wrote: »

This is not quite a rip off but its certainly shady practice and something people need to be aware of.

The NCTS are offering a hotel voucher to the value of €100 off a hotel stay with every NCT test booked. Lovely jubbly. The interesting thing about this discount, is that it is booked through the ncts own site, http://www.nctshotelbreaks.com/ at THEIR set (full) two night room rate (and 1 dinner, + B&B) of €299 for two people sharing. So thats 299 -100.

I chose a hotel, checked the dates I need and it comes up as 196 altogether for the dates I wanted. Not 199, not sure why.

So I went on to the hotel's own site, and the same dates are €230, in total, with no special ncts discount.

Yes, its cheaper than the hotel's advertised rate. I get that. But its not a €100 discount, its €34. I checked dates during the summer, neither rate changes, the amounts remain the same. If I take the stay with just the room, no food, direct with the hotel, its far cheaper than taking up the ncts offer.

NCTS also require a 12.5% booking deposit, with a €2.95 booking fee, the hotel just require a cc number and they do not charge any money up front.

Just out of curiousity, I checked a different hotel for different dates. In that case, the ncts saved me the massive sum of €4. Not the promoted €100. They are promoting this as a bargain offer. It really isnt.

Saving is off the hotels 'Rack Rate' - i.e. walk in off the street on night you want to stay and book straight in.

Technically you are making a saving, the fact that the hotel is also discounting their rates online or elsewhere is not relevant to the terms of the offer.

With all these offers (NCTS, Groupon, Supervalu) to simply book on the basis that its a deal and so must be good but not check the hotels own website (and a general web search) is foolish.

Hardly a rip off.

Mc Love

Just had a look at this and was shocked too. The nct breaks site was a complete rip off compared to the hotels site. NCT were offering 98 pps whereas the hotel was offering 99 per room!