Booking with Orbitz

[SexxxyInMe]

We are preparing to visit Desire RM for the first time and we are very excited! However, we have checked prices through Orbitz and they seem considerably lower than travel agencies such as Castaways and Right Connections. We are intending to book an Oceanview room, but Orbitz lists Oceanview rooms with different prices. I called Orbitz, and they don't provide room numbers for the different prices, and couldn't seem to provide an answer as to why the same category of room was a different price. Can anyone here possibly clear this up for me? Also, if I book with Orbitz, is there any chance that Desire will consider a request for a room (i.e., away from the Disco and Jacuzzi)?

[CokeMann]

We are preparing to visit Desire RM for the first time and we are very excited! However, we have checked prices through Orbitz and they seem considerably lower than travel agencies such as Castaways and Right Connections. We are intending to book an Oceanview room, but Orbitz lists Oceanview rooms with different prices. I called Orbitz, and they don't provide room numbers for the different prices, and couldn't seem to provide an answer as to why the same category of room was a different price. Can anyone here possibly clear this up for me? Also, if I book with Orbitz, is there any chance that Desire will consider a request for a room (i.e., away from the Disco and Jacuzzi)?

First - Desire RM introduced, in Jan '13, two different pricing categories for the Garden View rooms - Standard and Deluxe (Map of all the Room Categories here)

The Ocean View rooms are all the same pricing with the exception of the few OV rooms that are Jacuzzi Suites.

Second, there is no such thing as discounted rooms at any of the Desire Resorts, they are all price controlled.

Orbitz and Expedia etc, may discount the air portion of a package deal, but if you just put in for "room only pricing" at any of the on line places you will get the standard rack rate that Desire or any of the TAs will quote you as well.

Regardless of who you book with, you can always put in a room request via the on line Express Check in Form at the Desire Website

[HandK]

We are intending to book an Oceanview room, but Orbitz lists Oceanview rooms with different prices.

We booked our October trip with Orbitz and saved about 25% on our trip (hotel + air). I see what you see on the Orbitz bookings on the Standard Garden View rooms, the Deluxe Garden View rooms, and Deluxe Ocean View rooms. They list three prices for each with identical descriptions for each category. It is confusing.

I do not believe Desire makes a distinction between those three classification of rooms, so I would simply select the cheapest one.

--HandK

[SexxxyInMe]

We are intending to book an Oceanview room, but Orbitz lists Oceanview rooms with different prices.

We booked our October trip with Orbitz and saved about 25% on our trip (hotel + air). I see what you see on the Orbitz bookings on the Standard Garden View rooms, the Deluxe Garden View rooms, and Deluxe Ocean View rooms. They list three prices for each with identical descriptions for each category. It is confusing.

I do not believe Desire makes a distinction between those three classification of rooms, so I would simply select the cheapest one.

--HandK

Thank you HandK for seeing what I saw! Nobody else seemed to understand what I was referring to, not even the rep from Orbitz! I cannot imagine that Desire has different prices for the different rooms in the same category so I guess I will take my chances with booking the lowest priced Deluxe Ocean view.

Thank you!

[CokeMann]

I don't see what the confusing is about.

I just looked at the Orbitz listing for Desire RM(hotel only) and the choices are simple and pretty well laid out
- the two choices for Garden View category, the one choice for Ocean View Category and then one for the Passion suite

Standard Room - Garden View - 1 queen bed or 1 king bed
INCL. MEALS,DRINKS,ACTIVITIES,TAXES & TIPS

Deluxe Garden View Room - 1 king bed
INCL. MEALS,DRINKS,ACTIVITIES,TAXES & TIPS

Deluxe Ocean View Room - 1 king bed
INCL. MEALS,DRINKS,ACTIVITIES,TAXES & TIPS

Passion Suite Ocean View with Balcony, Jacuzzi - 1 king bed
INCL. MEALS,DRINKS,ACTIVITIES,TAXES & TIPS

[HandK]

I don't see what the confusing is about.

I just looked at the Orbitz listing for Desire RM(hotel only) and the choices are simple and pretty well laid out

Agreed. If you look at the bookings for the hotel only, everything looks correct. Now, try looking at booking for flight + hotel, and you'll see what the OP and I are talking about.

--HandK

[CokeMann]

Yes, I see the same weird stuff as you are seeing with Orbitz when selecting the package deal - I guess it's their booking engine and how it calculates package pricing.....

[SexxxyInMe]

Yes, exactly. I was looking at flight + hotel. Weird huh?!

Thanks again HandK!

[CokeMann]

Yes, exactly. I was looking at flight + hotel. Weird huh?!

Thanks again HandK!

btw if you do book the package with Orbitz you can try either of the following promo codes to save some more $$ - they still might work....

ORBITZ100 or ORBITZ150

[SexxxyInMe]

Thanks so much. I will give both a try. If either work, I'll let you know!

[eastcoasttexans]

I booked with orbitz a few weeks ago and savd a bunch. kinda wierd as usually its more. BOOM

[eglp]

We are planning to go back in January, I was looking at the pricing between the resort direct, right connections and Orbitz. Orbitz and direct through Desire are the cheapest for room only, right connections was almost double the price. Room + Air is cheaper through Desire, Orbitz in both cases was the same price or a difference of two or three dollars. We will probably book the room and transfers direct through Desire and do airfare separately.

[HandK]

We are planning to go back in January... Room + Air is cheaper through Desire, Orbitz in both cases was the same price or a difference of two or three dollars.

In that case, I would book through the resort too. When I compare prices between Orbitz and Desire for room + air for an 8 day stay in January, the resort price is $5,036 while Orbitz is $3,624. It might have something to do with the length of stay or what airport you're flying out of; we fly out of ORD.

[eglp]

I don't think Orbitz is including airfare in the pricing, the difference seems to be too great.

[Powderfinger]

I don't think Orbitz is including airfare in the pricing, the difference seems to be too great.

That's the advantage you can sometimes find by booking air & resort together through these online companies. For the hell of it, I just ran our typical January week to get some numbers. Through Desire, $4379. Expedia, $3541. Orbitz, $3302. Of course your savings will vary depending on where you're flying from.