Several online companies eg.. Wotif, now deal solely in the discount market and their websites provide a valuable service that connects the special offers buyer with the lowest cost Gold Coast accommodation. There is no doubt that some excellent prices can be found via these discount websites. .

In the majority of cases the buyer will be perfectly satisfied with their suite or apartment.   However, the discount market does have some potential pitfalls that can cause grief for the unwary buyer The adage that “you always get what you pay for” still applies, so what are some of the things that the buyer should be aware of before paying their hard earned money for cheap   accommodation on the Gold Coast?

The most important thing to remember is that marked down accommodation is always unsold stock …. and it is unsold for a reason . This article discusses a few of the factors that should be considered when thinking of buying in this market. .

For a start , the discounted accommodation will usually be limited to the short term, or a specific time period . You won’t be able to use these discount sites to book your annual vacation 6 months in advance, for high season dates , and still get discounted rates. That is never going to happen.

All Gold Coast accommodation properties have units that are difficult to sell, eg. ground floor and/or low levels without views, back of house units that overlook the adjoining property, absence of air-conditioning or poorly maintained apartments in need of redecorating . The owners still want a return on their investment but it is near impossible to rent those apartments to a public paying the full tariff. One solution for the property manager is to reach the eyes of the  “price above all else” buyer via the discount websites.

Guests paying full tariff always get the best apartments. This encourages them to return the following year and to give word of mouth referrals to family and friends. A discount buyer is not going to be allocated a prime apartment if it means displacing a guest paying the full tariff.

During the low season things can be a bit different as there will usually be a surplus of empty apartments and discounts are often available on all apartments. Discounts usually take the form of free nights such as “stay 5 pay 4″ or “stay 7 pay 5″ and have to be booked direct with the front desk.

However, for dates in mid or high season it is quite possible the discount is being offered because of one or more of the reasons discussed above.

By all means continue to shop for the best bargains but do so with eyes wide open and always ask questions before parting with your money.