Beach Hut wants payment weeks in advance

Hi,
I have booked a beach hut (agondabeach) for ten nights in Goa over xmas . But they want me to transfer the payment in full now, to there bank account (this is 3 weeks before I arrive!)I have offered to pay a deposit or with a credit card for protection. But they want the full amount in there bank. This is going to cost me £25 to transfer money, which I am not happy about . Has anyone else experienced this or managed to get around the problem?

Thanks for your time.

becareful, have they given you an Bic code or IBAN number, cos if not you might get there before your money does.

The Xmas period is their biggest earner, they don't know you at all.

They will not take the chance that you may change your plans, after all, a deposit to us is a small amount.

Can you imagine if you didn't show up, and they had turned down loads of other offers.

Thats seems a very simplistic reply.

I have offered to pay a substantial deposit. Neither do I know them to simply transfer a large amount to a strangers bank account. What if they have over booked etc or say they have not recieved the money. So the liabilty should not fall totally on my shoulders. Don't forget I am been asked to pay £25 in fees for there convinience.

If it were me I would not transfer the money at all. You will loose out somehow Im sure. Ive been in Goa over the Xmas period with nothing booked and never found it a problem finding a room. As long as youre not staying in the Baga/calangute area (which I avoid anyway)

I understand what your saying and I agree with you, but it's a sellers market I'm afraid.

I doubt they'd care one way or the other if you decided not to stay there, it's the one time of year they're guaranteed to be full.

Wait till you get to Goa, there's an attitude there I've never experienced anywhere else in India, "you pay the high prices or you don't, we don't care", it was a real eye-opener for me.

You can do it with money2india.com for a couple of quid --- but it may take as long as ten days.

Thanks Nick,

Usuful website. Seems you can go to an ICICI branch in the UK (Manchester, Knightsbrige, Wembly, Southall, Leicester), and transfer money to an Indian Bank account for no charge. Which is handy, as my bank wanted £25.

Would be intresting to know if anyone else has used this method, as it makes the traveller open to fraud.

I think that £25 buys you much quicker service.

For the record, I have used the ICICI online service many times, and for substantial sums of money.

When I have had a problem, it has been my fault, entering an account number wrong --- and ICICI and/or the bank this end sorted it out for me.

I do not bank with ICICI in India: it would probably be a bit quicker to get money (from my UK bank) into my account here if I did.

No need to pay anything. After you land up in Goa you can have a look at what is available and decide accordingly. If you pay in advance you may find that the accommodation is not upto the mark but you will most definitely not get a refund.

Yeah thanks for advice,
thats what I have always done before, but as its over christmas was worried about not getting anywhere, as been at christmas before.

Can you tell me which huts!!!!

It's bed time if it's this camp which I supect it is I know Raju rather well he's from Belgium and a really nice, honest guy!!

Both,

aganda beach resort (mahamahnas) and palm beach lifestyle resort agonda want payment up front. I'm sure both owers are really genuine and honest. Maybe I'm been over cautious but obviously don't want to pay 2 weeks up front and loose my money (as saved up all year for my hols) . Would appreciate your thoughts on these camps cyberhippie, if you konw them.

The Mahamanas is well worth 650-900 a night, within the local tarriff structure. The two storey huts are well thought out and offer both a shady area (under the extensive balconies) to hang a hammock and huge balconies!! Upstairs is a big sleeping area with access to the balcony, offering views both to the hills and the sea. On the ground floor you have a bathroom and a place to sit if you so desire. The huts were a bit bare when I saw thm but Raju was on several shopping trips to decorate them. The beach is 30 seconds by foot and if the tie up went ahead the Restaurant is run by a very savvy guy from Delhi who also runs two of the most successful restaurants in Palolem and Patnem. So the food would be great I imagine.

All in all I was pretty impressed when I saw the place, and compared to what is on offer for double the price in Palolem I thought they offered decent value for money!!

If you book, tell Raju Derek recommended him, then you will definitley have no trouble with being let down!! If he does I'll have severe words with him (joking )

Go for it, if you want to be somewhere nice for Christmas then booking is a good idea in Agonda, where the accomodation isn't as extensive as in Palolem!!

Whoops just noticed I didn't link my first post. It was a link to Mahamanas!!