[shadow84]

kifo wrote:

Most hotels not open for booking so far ahead. Of the few hotels that allow you to book now, yes properly 60% already booked up.

Gixxerfied wrote:

Quite many actually opens up 3 months in advance..

So, i shld wait till 3 mths before my flight date to try my luck??

Or maybe i shld find one with free cancellation first to tahan then wait till then and see how? Was looking at Shinjuku area.

[Gixxerfied]

shadow84 wrote:

So, i shld wait till 3 mths before my flight date to try my luck??

Especially if direct booking..

Booking sites like agoda and such might have them earlier due to tie up but prices also higher.

[shadow84]

Gixxerfied wrote:

Especially if direct booking..

Booking sites like agoda and such might have them earlier due to tie up but prices also higher.

I was comparing from agoda since it was the cheapest among all. And i just tried for late Aug 2018. Its only about $5-7 cheaper per night.

Even after i enter the hotel website directly to check for May 2019, its more ex than agoda. Tried with same late aug 2018 dates and it is also still more ex.

[rrr2015]

thanks guys! looks like no viable options from sapporo to aomori that meets my needs. guess will just fly to my next base @ sendai

i read am able to bring own food for consumption on vanilla air & peach aviation? just wanna double confirm

thwysg wrote:

Sunrise Seto and Izumo trains.

kifo wrote:

the best sleeper services have upgraded themselves to luxury class
JR East Shikishima
JR Kyushu Nanabotsu
JR West Mizukase

cancer81 wrote:

sadly you have to use the shinkansen at hakodate

[Ruriel]

shadow84 wrote:

So, i shld wait till 3 mths before my flight date to try my luck??

Or maybe i shld find one with free cancellation first to tahan then wait till then and see how? Was looking at Shinjuku area.

2 things you can do, depends on whether you willing to spend the time or not.

1) Email the hotels you are interested in to ask when is the earliest you can book for the period you are looking at.
2) Go through each of the hotels website and test water... Check their availability calendar to see how many mths in advance one can book as of today, whether it's 3, 4, 6 or 9 mths in advance. I do this usually because some Japanese website don't provide email address for you to send queries one.

I'm very particular about hotels (cleanliness, smoke free, easy access etc) so I'm willing to invest time to do this because I don't just anyhow settle for any hotel that's available. I stick to my shortlist and my shortlist only. That's why I need the info to know exactly when the hotel is going to release the rooms and I will book it on the day they release.

[shadow84]

Ruriel wrote:

2 things you can do, depends on whether you willing to spend the time or not.

1) Email the hotels you are interested in to ask when is the earliest you can book for the period you are looking at.
2) Go through each of the hotels website and test water... Check their availability calendar to see how many mths in advance one can book as of today, whether it's 3, 4, 6 or 9 mths in advance. I do this usually because some Japanese website don't provide email address for you to send queries one.

I'm very particular about hotels (cleanliness, smoke free, easy access etc) so I'm willing to invest time to do this because I don't just anyhow settle for any hotel that's available. I stick to my shortlist and my shortlist only. That's why I need the info to know exactly when the hotel is going to release the rooms and I will book it on the day they release.

I dun mind doing this coz i still have a lot of time.. I was thinking of booking one with free cancellation for standby first while looking around. Once i find a good flight price with good hotel price, then i will book all and cancel the initial hotel booking.

In regards to emailing hotels, even if their individual website shows till May 2019, is there a chance for prices to drop? Availability is also an issue as well. Dun wan end up booking flight then forcing to get $200+ hotel.

I think for now, i go shortlist a few hotels that is reasonable to stay in.

[ktee]

shadow84 wrote:

I was comparing from agoda since it was the cheapest among all. And i just tried for late Aug 2018. Its only about $5-7 cheaper per night.

Even after i enter the hotel website directly to check for May 2019, its more ex than agoda. Tried with same late aug 2018 dates and it is also still more ex.

One thing to note: direct hotel website mostly won't allow free cancellation. I encountered it. Coz it was a few dollars cheaper than agod... Now I am stuck with that hotel - can't even change plan... Best is to pay a few dollars more and go for bookingDOTcom or similar sites. Of coz, if you are 100000% confirm, then book direct.

[shadow84]

ktee wrote:

One thing to note: direct hotel website mostly won't allow free cancellation. I encountered it. Coz it was a few dollars cheaper than agod... Now I am stuck with that hotel - can't even change plan... Best is to pay a few dollars more and go for bookingDOTcom or similar sites. Of coz, if you are 100000% confirm, then book direct.

Yeah, i noticed that as well when looking at hotels directly. I mostly see that its just a few dollars more, better off going thru agoda. My CC rebates shld be able to cover as well.

Btw, how do i interpret this??? How did it jump around $200?

[rrr2015]

well the 18% service charge + tax

shadow84 wrote:

Yeah, i noticed that as well when looking at hotels directly. I mostly see that its just a few dollars more, better off going thru agoda. My CC rebates shld be able to cover as well.

Btw, how do i interpret this??? How did it jump around $200?

[thwysg]

ktee wrote:

One thing to note: direct hotel website mostly won't allow free cancellation. I encountered it. Coz it was a few dollars cheaper than agod... Now I am stuck with that hotel - can't even change plan... Best is to pay a few dollars more and go for bookingDOTcom or similar sites. Of coz, if you are 100000% confirm, then book direct.

I’m not sure about booking with hotel homepages (HP) directly with no free cancellation - probably might be due to special deals on English HP. I’ve booked directly with Japanese HP and have no issues with cancellations even with special HP deals so long as I cancel within the time frame.

[shadow84]

rrr2015 wrote:

well the 18% service charge + tax

Cant really calculate it out though. If using compound rates formula, 10+8% of $1084.55 will be $1288.45. So the service charge + tax is $203.90.

So, after discounted price of $1025.70 + $203.90 is $1229.60.

O well, this is the price i gotta pay somehow.

[saffronsatire]

shadow84 wrote:

Cant really calculate it out though. If using compound rates formula, 10+8% of $1084.55 will be $1288.45. So the service charge + tax is $203.90.

So, after discounted price of $1025.70 + $203.90 is $1229.60.

O well, this is the price i gotta pay somehow.

1025.70 * 1.1 * 1.08 = 1218.53 no? not sure why 2c diff though.

[shadow84]

saffronsatire wrote:

1025.70 * 1.1 * 1.08 = 1218.53 no? not sure why 2c diff though.

Didnt thought of service + tax based on after discount. Thanks.

Now to make some hard decisions.

[Gixxerfied]

ktee wrote:

One thing to note: direct hotel website mostly won't allow free cancellation. I encountered it. Coz it was a few dollars cheaper than agod... Now I am stuck with that hotel - can't even change plan... Best is to pay a few dollars more and go for bookingDOTcom or similar sites. Of coz, if you are 100000% confirm, then book direct.

For my case, going direct vs going thru agoda(No free cancellation) was about S$120 difference for my dates..

[shadow84]

jnyjapan wrote:

I'm Malaysian who married to Japanese husband and living back and forward in both Tokyo and Singapore. I like to travel, and so I do day trip private tour to Mt Fuji, Hakone and Tokyo city local private tour . I’ll take maximum of 4 people per trip is Yen42000 by 5 seater car. 7seater car with Max 6 people Per trip is Yen50000. I do serve to Tohoku's region tour too. Please PM me about the fee or you may check my facebook(tokyo helper jane). Whoever decided to book my private tour , I will try my best to support you in difficulty communicating while your stay in Japan. My friend have airbnb apartment to rent ,which is located at Shin Okubo,8min walking distance to Shinjuku. We do One way transport from Haneda airport. Day Time prices -$225 Night Time(10pm-8am) prices-$250 Whatapp me for more detail +6581533939

Wow, that is quite ex at $508 sgd, as compared to klook Mt fuji and hakone 1 day tour at $17x. $508 is for 4 ppl?

Any difference in itinerary?