TravelPony: A Case of Cheap(er) Hotels

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I have previously written about TravelPony as the last minute rates can be quite attractive. If you do not have already have an account, please feel free to use my referral link as it gives you US$35 credit bonus instead of US$25. It is always a good idea to check the TravelPony site especially if you are booking for a room last minute. That being said, TravelPony bills only in USD and therefore you should take the currency conversion rates (and service fees) into consideration.

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TravelPony - Save up to 23% off!

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Previously I covered a small review on TravelPony (click HERE to read it) and how you can take advantage of it to access really good rates in some cases. I would strongly advise reading my previous article if you have not heard of or used TravelPony before. 

Click HERE to access the sale and use the promo code JULYMYSTERY for up to 23% off hotel room rates. This promotion is only for a short period of time and it will cease on 10 July 2014. 

Kindly note that when you use my link to register, you will get US$35 off your first purchase of US$200. I will also get a referral bonus from it. 

Sale begins on July 8, 2014 at 12:00am CDT. The sale will end at 12:00AM CDT on July 10, 2014. Discount may not be used in conjunction with other promotions. You must enter the code at checkout to discover the savings amount.

TravelPony - A Hidden Oasis (for Some Cities and Some Hotels)

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While I am sure that many of us travellers are familiar with the big names of Online Travel Agencies (e.g. Expedia, Booking, Hotels, HotelClub), many are not aware of TravelPony.

TravelPony is extremely different from other OTAs for various reasons and I definitely will not suggest this as a substitute over the aforementioned agencies for the exact same reasons.

  1. Only some major cities are covered. For example in Asia, only hotels in Hong Kong and Singapore are bookable. 
  2. Only a very limited number of hotels within these limited cities are covered. 
  3. You can only pay in USD (as of now) which is not a bad thing if you have Credit Cards that gives you bonuses for transactions in a foreign currency. 

In the following example, I will look at one-night accommodation available in Singapore three days later (29 March to 30 March). At TravelPony, I am presented with only five properties that are available (click on the image below). 

These rates are in USD and for some reason, applicable taxes and service charges are included in some of the listed prices. Looking at the prices for Hilton Singapore hotel, it is currently USD$222 before taxes (and USD$240 after) for a Deluxe bed without breakfast.

However, on Booking.com, it is USD$232 before taxes (and USD$273 after) for the same room without breakfast. Therefore, booking on TravelPony essentially gives you a rate that is 14% lower. 

Additionally, when you book on TravelPony for the first time using my affiliate link, you get USD$35 off your first booking (with no minimum spend). Essentially this reduces the amount you have to pay to approximately USD$205, giving you an estimated overall saving of 25%.

It's sometimes incredible how low the room rates can go on TravelPony and I have used it with my previous stay at the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport with absolutely no issues. It seems like the rate gets better as the date draws nearer. If you're paranoid about things, go ahead and email the hotel in advance to confirm. However do remember the limitations with using this over the major OTAs as covered above.