Very few people ever look for accommodation in the old-fashioned way anymore; most people now turn to the internet for everything. While this may save time and money, it also poses a few threats. Here is a list of things you need to watch out for when looking for accommodation via the internet:
Ease of Access
If you are looking for luxury, then chances are you will turn up in your own vehicle. However, if you plan on doing some serious sightseeing then remember that the easiest way to get around is to use public transport because it is very efficient and modern in Hong Kong. Make a 5 star Hong Kong hotel booking near MTR or near a bus route; this will guarantee that you have steady transport no matter what time of the day it is. Remember that even though it may be easy to find a taxi during the day, once darkness falls, public transport may be the only means available for you to get back.
Tons of Information
A hotel booking cannot be made on the fly, especially if it is a luxury place with some serious tags. You need to make an informed decision. In order to do that, you will need to look at multiple sources of info such as the official website, travel sites and even forums and threads. These will show you the official version and the underbelly; every place will have detractors but it is important to know both sides before making the final call. Look for information on room availability, food choice, their corporate image, responsible tourism etc.
A Fake Website
This is considerably rarer when it comes to the upscale luxury hotels because they have professional digital media teams handling all their various sites and pages on the internet. However, scammers do tend to set up fake websites in order to trick people into divulging credit card information, identity information etc. Thus, it is always safer to go through an engine set up specifically to book rooms. These have multiple layers of internet security, sometimes even involving your phone. This way, no one other than yourself will be able to do it.
Reality vs. Expectation
Few places will measure up to the hype they generate via the internet, but some places really take the cake; they display pictures that are older than you, probably taken around the time when the place was brand new and booming, and then when you arrive there you realize that reality doesn’t quite match. This is a common marketing gimmick employed by the people behind the scenes; sometimes the staff will not even know that you have seen something and expect it.
So be wary when making transactions via the internet.