Despite the competition, we always end up using one specific hotel booking website. We like Booking.com because of its ease of use and consistently low prices.With so many travel companies competing for your business, planning trips can become a little overwhelming. It’s not always clear whether you’re getting a good deal and whether you can rely on the booking agent you’ve chosen.
Hotel reservations on the go
The travel industry is plagued by bad apps with limited features. Booking.com’s app, on the other hand, is unique. Everything you can do on their website is also available in the app. It’s beautifully designed, simple to use, and frequently updated. While the app has several clever features, our favourite is the screenshot feature. When you take a screenshot, the app recognises it and provides a shareable link, which can then be sent via email or posted to a social network.
There are no hidden fees in the pricing
The prices shown are the prices you will pay. Booking.com does not charge any reservation or administrative fees. Booking.com almost never charges you anything. In most cases, you must pay all charges directly to the hotel when you arrive. Of course, Booking.com does collect payment on occasion, but this is always made clear during the booking process. Please keep in mind that hotels may add tourist taxes or other fees to your bill when you arrive. This should be clearly stated on the hotel listing. If it doesn’t, contact Booking.com’s customer service team.
Almost all rooms offer free cancellation
One of the main reasons we use Booking.com is that you can cancel your reservation without penalty on most rooms. We discovered ‘free cancellation’ on nearly all of the rooms we’ve booked, and there is generally no surcharge. This flexibility is useful for a variety of reasons, but especially when making a last-minute reservation. When we start looking for a place to stay, we’ll make a short list. We’ll then make a quick decision on which of our short-listed properties meets our basic criteria and make a reservation. We’ve found a place to stay for the time being, but it may not be the best option. With free cancellation, we can now continue our search while being more selective. If we find a nicer and/or cheaper place, we make a new reservation and cancel our first. It’s worth noting that the ‘free cancellation’ model is unpopular with some smaller, independent hotels because it makes managing demand difficult. Our advice is to use ‘free cancellation’ bookings as little as possible, especially when dealing with small, independent hotels. Another thing to keep in mind is that cancellation policies can change frequently. Read everything before making your reservation to ensure you are booking under the cancellation policy you expect.
Your loyalty will be recognised with freebies, perks, and discounts
When you book hotel rooms through Booking.com, you become a Booking.com Genius. This programme rewards your loyalty by providing additional discounts, freebies, and perks (such as free airport transfers and welcome drinks) as well as access to a priority customer service line. Membership in the programme is completely free and is activated when you make your fifth booking.
Because genius perks are provided by hotels rather than Booking.com, the benefits you receive are highly dependent on the hotels with which you interact.
Good assistance
Fortunately, I haven’t had to contact Booking.com’s customer service team very often. On the occasions when I have, my problems have always been resolved quickly.
Price match promise
If you find a lower rate for a booking you’ve already made, Booking.com will match it. Obviously, you’ll need to provide proof and meet some other requirements, but it’s comforting to know that when you book hotel rooms through Booking.com, you can be confident that they’ll price match.
Over 93 Million Customer Reviews
When making hotel reservations, reviews are critical because they provide an unbiased insight into what it’s like to stay at a specific hotel. Booking.com includes an active reviews system, so you won’t have to scour the Internet for other reviews. They’re listed right there on the page.
