AGODA OR PRICELINE: NOT BOTH

While traveling to Japan last year, we learned a lesson about booking hotels through Agoda and Priceline: use one or the other, not both.

Priceline bought Agoda in 2007, but their internal systems don't communicate with each other.

Checking into one of the hotels was a two hour ordeal because the reservations for 12 people had been canceled. 

Every call made to Agoda was forwarded to Priceline who referred the matter back to Agoda, and so on.

This is because the original booking was made on Priceline then canceled when a better deal popped up on Agoda, but for whatever reason, the Agoda reservation went missing.

Finally, we just paid for the rooms to get the family checked in and the rooms were so small that our suitcases barely fit into a room.

The next morning, I found an envelope under our door, with a request to come to the front desk as soon as possible.

It seems they found our reservations to the upgraded rooms and with profuse Japanese apologies, gifted everyone access to their $50 per person buffet.