Protea Hotels
Avoid booking through an "Agent"

BACKGROUND
I booked a night's accommodation at a Free State hotel only to find, later, that I had used an agency that had also charged me a substantial "commission". I was only made aware of my error upon checking in as the price quoted by reception was about well below what I had already been billed. Upon querying this I was informed by Protea Hotel Montrose:
* they were unable to provide me with an invoice for the accommodation;
* that it was my responsibility to ensure I went directly to a Protea Hotel office and not through an agent (I thought I had done so);
* the discrepancy in price was a confidential arrangement between Protea Hotels and that agency.

LESSON LEARNT
Unfortunately, upon booking the room I did not compare prices as I assumed it would be the same and the only reason for my complaint is that the difference between the Hotel room price (about R550) and what I paid (about R750) was significant!!!

So, if you are booking a Protea Hotels room in South Africa, please do so by telephone with the hotel concerned and do! not! use the Internet...