Leisureplanet.com, an internationally hosted and locally mirrored travel services Web site, offers travellers the ability to book hotels, cars, flights and cruises online.
The site is easily navigated - a feature very definitely necessary, considering the wealth of information available to the casual surfer.
Registration and membership are free, and some of the sweeter customer service options include confirmation of bookings, delivery of airline tickets and step-by-step instructions on how to make or cancel bookings.
If you plan to travel for pleasure, the site contains loads of information on the various destinations on the globe, and also hosts a few Web cams in faraway places to tantalise the would-be tourist. There is also the option to take a photographic tour through the country of your choice.
To aid your decision, each destination country`s relevant info is grouped into the categories of practical information (time difference, visas, passports, customs, local currency, business hours, means of transport, public holidays, peak seasons, communications, media, electricity, options for disabled travellers, budget travel), tips on health and safety, things to see and do, history and culture and my personal favourite, social conventions.
Another really choice feature is that of the slide shows available, providing you with glimpses of the exterior, bedroom, dining area, lounge/reception and facilities available at the hotel of your choice.
This information, along with rates and special deals, rooms by availability, various leisure and amenities on offer is also available in text format.
Registered users have access to a nifty function known as the Trip Planner. This mini-cache keeps a record of the various bookings you have made, and lists the itinerary order in which you will need to use them.
Prices are displayed in the local currency of whichever country you select, which gives the user reason to put the site`s currency converter to good use.
Although you can book hotels, cars and cruises from wherever you are in the world, flights can only be ticketed in the country where you make the reservation, so be sure that you`re on the appropriate mirror site.
Flights
With the fluctuating local currency always an issue, the site is quick to disclaim that all airfares are subject to change without prior notice. On the upside, once full payment is received and the ticket issued, you are exempt from any further increase.
Flight tickets will be delivered by normal mail to the credit card billing address. For tickets delivered by a speed courier a charge of R20 applies.
Cars
Directly after booking a car and having provided the car and travellers` details, you will get a page listing all the features of the car you have booked: type, agency, pick-up and return venues and dates, price and confirmation number.
It`s important to make a note or printout of this confirmation notice, as there is no confirmation e-mail service for this option. However, when you check your Trip Planner or Travel Service options, you will get a summary of your car booking details.
Hotels
There are two ways of booking hotels with Leisureplanet: online or offline. When booking online, room availability and rates are immediately confirmed and your booking is made directly. When booking offline there is a 48-hour delay before final confirmation.
After clicking on the "Book online" button for the hotel of your choice, you can check the room availability for the hotel. You immediately receive a list of available rooms and prices. When you press "Book it", you will need to specify your credit card details and travellers` details. You will then get a page summarising the hotel and booking details, together with your confirmation number.
Cruises
While completing the online registration form to book a cruise, you will receive a confirmation number and you will be contacted by a cruise consultant within 24 hours for final confirmation of your cruise booking.
You will also receive an automated e-mail containing your booking request, together with customer service contact details. You can cancel the cruise booking by e-mailing a request for cancellation to leisureplanet.voyages@uniglobe.com
The site is great for business travellers, tourists or in my case, cash-strapped armchair travellers yearning for a breath of fresh air. I also recommend it to kids needing country-specific information for school assignments, or anyone with a passion for interesting factoids.
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