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Booking a hotel can be stressful and might sometimes feel overwhelming. You want the best option at the best price. However, with so many platforms available it’s hard to compare and decide. Which hotel booking platform shows the best prices? A new study revealed valuable information.
InsureMyTrip, an American travel insurance comparison agency, did the hard work. Experts gathered data from the most popular online booking websites and analyzed 1,000 hotels in top destinations in the United States and abroad.
The agency chose 50 hotels in 20 of the most popular cities for American travelers —ten in the US and ten international— and looked for prices for the same dates on the same day to avoid price fluctuations. The results might surprise a few travelers.
InsureMyTrip compared and analyzed results from these sources:
- Booking.com
- Expedia
- Hotels.com
- Each hotel’s official website.
The study showed that the most popular platform might not be the best option. They all might have interesting deals, but some platforms are more reliable than others. Also, the best booking option might change depending on the destination.
The Cheapest Hotel Booking Platforms
InsureMyTrip revealed that Booking.com shows the most expensive options. During the analysis, only 7% of the time it offered better deals. These were the platforms with the cheapest bookings:
- Hotels.com: This booking site usually has the best hotel deals. According to the report, 69% of the time this platform offered the best prices. Using this platform could help travelers save around $43.83.
- Expedia: This platform has similar prices to Hotels.com and shows the second best prices with a difference of just a few cents or a couple of dollars.
- Direct Hotel: Booking directly from the hotel might not be a bad option but, in most cases, could be a little more expensive.
On average, by booking your hotel through Booking.com you could pay around $33.13 more than you would through Hotels.com.
The report also showed which site has the best prices according to the city. These are some of the main destinations considered by InsureMyTrip:
- New York: Travelers can save up to $73.82 by booking through Hotels.com in this city.
- Los Angeles: The best option is to book directly through the hotel website. This strategy can help you save around $39.68.
- Miami: Using a recognized platform might be a good strategy to avoid the popular rental scams in Florida, but visitors should opt for Hotels.com to get the best prices.
- London: Both sites, Hotels.com and Expedia, offer travelers good prices.
- Dubai: Expedia offers the best hotel deals for this destination.
- Paris: Hotels.com and Expedia are the best hotel booking platforms when visiting this charming city.
According to the study, the destination can also affect the prices on each platform. When traveling to the UAE, Bangkok, Thailand, or Malaysia, Expedia usually has the best prices. Some websites are more popular and trusted in certain destinations, so travelers should consider this when finding the best options.
How To Save Money When Booking a Hotel
The study has made clear that Booking.com might not be your best ally and if you don’t have much time to compare hotel prices from different websites, Hotels.com is definitely the safest bet. However, those who want to save money should always compare at least two or three options.
Another great strategy is to stay tuned through social media channels. A new Instagram hack is saving travelers from 30% to 50% on hotel bookings and even 75% when lucky. You can direct message @Hotel Instagram account, write your destination, and wait for a reply and an email with a special discount.
At Travel Off Path, we are constantly sharing tips and deals. You can also visit our guide of the Top 10 Booking Hacks For Cheap Hotel Prices and find the best saving alternatives for your next trip.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
covidvaxinfo
Saturday 20th of August 2022
if you have booking.com genius level...you save.
every time i compare with hotels.com, booking is same or better. hotels.com pricing is also tricky, don't show prices with taxes etc as much. deceiving.
interface on booking is so much better.
Philippe
Friday 19th of August 2022
As French, travelling year long, you is true Booking.com the worst about price, usually l use Agoda same group Priceline but a lot cheaper mostly in SE Asia but now around the world, exactly no difference between Hotel.com and Expedia it's same Group...My experience, when you known your hotel name, better to use comparator (Tripadvisor, Google...) often the prices become lower than going directly to the platforms and you have a wider choice of sellers...