AI bot can help you book the right hotel room

Sick of hearing about AI?

Join the club.

But digital travel platform Agoda has just introduced the Room Grid Bot, an AI-powered chat assistant designed to help travellers decide which room to book.

Available in the Agoda mobile app, the new tool recommends rooms suited to their specific needs.

Agoda says it offers travellers a wide selection of room options when booking a hotel, with room types and offers varying by occupancy, cancellation terms, meal inclusions, and price.

The Room Grid Bot addresses this by using travellers' current search details and the preferences they share in the conversation to recommend the most relevant options.

These recommendations appear directly within the chat, helping travellers narrow down their choices without needing to compare every listing manually.

Bookers can access the bot from the room-selection page after tapping "Select room" on a hotel's property page in the Agoda app. 

They can start a conversation by tapping the "Need help choosing a room? Let AI help you" banner without leaving the room-selection page.

Travellers can ask the bot to find options with specific inclusions, such as free breakfast, or to answer relevant property questions, such as check-in times. The Bot also highlights a "Best pick," helping them identify a suitable room based on their preferences more easily.

Idan Zalzberg, Chief Technology Officer at Agoda, said: "Choosing a hotel is only part of the booking decision. Travelers also need to find the right room for their trip, which can be challenging when many options are available.

"The Room Grid Bot helps narrow down those choices based on what travellers want and need, making it easier to identify and book the room that best suits their trip."

The launch builds on Agoda's growing suite of AI-powered tools across the hotel booking journey. The Property AMA (Ask Me Anything) Bot answers accommodation-specific questions - "can I have a room with balcony?" as travellers check out a property, while the Booking Form Bot addresses common questions during checkout.

* Agoda is owned by Booking Holdings, which is listed in the UN Database of businesses profiting from illegal Israeli settlements.

 

Adults-only Fiji resort offers holiday deal

Fancy a tropical pre- or post-Christmas escape?

If you are looking for a good deal on a luxury retreat, then one of Fiji's top adults-only resorts might be able to tempt you.

Stay five nights at Lomani Island Resort & Spa in Fiji's Mamanuca Islands and pay for four, saving 20% on your accommodation.

The offer includes daily breakfast, an outer-reef snorkelling trip, a dolphin safari, hand-line fishing, a village tour and kava tasting. Guests also receive free wifi, bottled water, evening turndown service and a Lomani beach bag.

The offer is valid for stays from November 1 to December 20, 2026, and January 4 to March 31, 2027. 

It costs from FJ$5440 ($3485) for five nights. But you'll need to book by August 31 using code LIR0726.

See www.lomaniisland.com

Chianti calls out to wine lovers

There can be little argument that Tuscany is one of the most beautiful wine regions on the planet.

Or that sangiovese-driven Chianti Classico is one of the most food friendly red wines.

Wine-loving travellers can experience both from September 10-13 when the delightful small town of Greve in Chianti welcomes the return of Expo Chianti Classico.

Held in the heart of Tuscany, the event is billed as one of the most important events dedicated to the iconic Tuscan wine, the Italian National Tourist Board reports.

Visitors are invited to meet winemakers from across the Chianti Classico territory, taste local wines and discover the vineyards, cellars and traditions behind every glass.

Throughout the festival, Greve comes alive with wine tastings, cultural events, local traditions and opportunities to meet the producers, all surrounded by the beautiful landscapes of the Tuscan countryside.

For more details see https://www.expochianticlassico.com/en

Image: Visit Chianti 

A by Adina offers tech-driven city centre living

 

Location is everything when choosing a hotel.

If you are planning meetings in the Sydney CBD then you probably don't want to be staying in Bondi, or Coogee, nice as those beach suburbs are.

If you want to enjoy Chinatown, the historic Rocks district and the Sydney Opera House, then a hotel in Parramatta is not appropriate.

A by Adina in Sydney is ideally located for just about all the city's main business and tourism destinations. 

It is directly opposite Wynyard station - a 15-minute train ride from the airport - within a short stroll of the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Circular Quay and The Rocks, and there is a light rail stop just 50 metres from the entrance. 

You'll enter via a walkway - with reception located on level 21 of the building. 

The accommodation is apartment style with our cosy, high-tech bedroom adjoining a living area with plenty of space to stretch out and enjoy a movie or a cocktail. We did both. 

The by A by Adina brand was launched by TFE Hotels in 2021 aimed at both corporate and lifestyle travellers. It's like having your own city crash pad. 

Team members are, sadly, known as curators, with each adopting a concierge approach. 

Very good most of them are, too, with the exception of the slow-moving and clearly uninterested breakfast room attendants. It's hard to be grumpy, though, after a night in one of the super comfy Dreamcatcher beds - and the a la carte breakfasts are very good.   

Rooms - ours was  a one-bedroom king apartment - are well thought-out with designer amenities, and clever interior design - you've got to love electric blinds and curtains. 

There's unlimited free wifi, a well-stocked mini bar, coffee machines & pods, a tea selection, Smart TV with Chromecast and plenty of power points and USB sockets. 

There is 24-hour reception, so someone is always on hand, in this case right downstairs from the excellent Dean & Nancy on 22 cocktail bar. 

There is also a swimming pool and fully equipped gym. 

In a first for TFE Hotels, A by Adina is using an integrated control system that seamlessly readies any one of its 194 apartments (82 studio, 104 one-bedroom, eight two-bedroom apartments) with air con and blinds the moment guests commence check in. Nice. 

A by Adina Sydney, 2 Hunter St, Sydney 2000. See https://abyadina.com/en/luxury-hotels/sydney

* The writer was a guest of TFE Hotels 

Perth Gin Festival returns for spirit lovers

 

Calling all lovers of spirits and cocktails. 

The Perth Gin Festival returns for the sixth time later this month, taking over the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre from Friday, August 28, to Sunday, August 30.

This year, distillers from around Australia will be bringing not only their gin but also a range of other spirits, including whisky, rum, vodka, tequila and liqueurs.

A ticket gives hundreds of spirit samples to choose from (be an adult please), a tasting cup, Long Rays tonic and soda mixer samples, and a tote bag. 

The event is an opportunity to chat and taste with 40 Aussie craft distillers who will talk about how they make their gin (and other spirits) while you taste. Bottles will also be available for sale to take home.

There will also be a selection of artisanal food samples to enjoy while you sip, plus other food options to purchase. Ticket bundles are available. 

The event features two specialty masterclasses from Adelaide distiller Heaps Good and Victoria’s Heathcote Gin, while the Long Rays mixers stand will give audiences a demonstration of how to best use tonic and soda in their drinks.

You can Book here.

Looking for a private Hunter Valley getaway?

 Looking for a private Hunter Valley vineyard getaway for a family weekend? 

Hunter Valley Stays has just added The White House at Pooles Rock in Pokolbin to its portfolio of wine region accommodation options. 

The cute property has three bedrooms. 2.5 bathrooms and is a short stroll from the Pooles Rock cellar door and the Hunters Quarter gourmet complex. It sleeps up to six people.

Described as "private wine country retreat", The White House is a restored Federation-style cottage "where classic country interiors are paired with relaxed, refined luxury."

The bedrooms offer uninterrupted vineyard views and the property is just a short drive from several of the Hunter's best tasting rooms and restaurants. It is fully equipped.

As the afternoon light fades, drinks on the private verandah sound like a good idea. 

Tariffs start from: Weekend - minimum 2 nights, six guests from $895 per night (Thursday-Sunday). Midweek - minimum 2 nights, six guests from $672 per night (Monday-Wednesday). 

To celebrate the launch of The White House on Hunter Stays, guests will receive a complimentary bottle of Pooles Rock wine on arrival, complimentary wine tastings at Pooles Rock cellar door, 15% off Pooles Rock cellar door experiences and free bottle of Hunter Valley olive oil.

You can find out more at https://www.huntervalleystays.com.au/hunter-valley-accommodation/the-whitehouse-at-pooles-rock-pokolbin