
Since their business model is different, they also do not have any membership/rewards perks and incentives like OTAs or direct booking from hotels. Making the transaction process even longer (Except for HotelsCombined). The cons of aggregators are that they will just redirect you to another website. They also do not restrict themselves to OTAs as they can offer rooms that are only available via direct booking from the hotel website. The pros of aggregators, in general, are that they are not restricted to the pricing of one platform, making it easier for you to compare prices between different places. Examples of aggregators are Trivago, Skyscanner, TripAdvisor, Kayak, HotelsCombined, and Google. What they do have in common with OTAs is the details they provide about the hotel information.

They may also not have the hotels or even rooms available on their platform, which can be deceiving if you could have gotten that dream room you wanted if you searched on another site.Īggregators, or metasearch engines, are websites that compare hotel deals from different OTAs and direct booking websites to show you what is the lowest price or the best deal. The cons of OTAs, in general, are that they only provide one price on that platform, and it is usually the price they set, which can be a hassle if your priority is to look for the best price in the market for that specific room. They also tend to offer membership perks that allow you to save up on accommodation costs via deals, discount codes, reward nights, and more. This means that transactions are much easier to make as all you have to do is use their platform to checkout instead of redirecting. The pros about OTAs, in general, are that they are the direct middlemen between you and your hotel chain. There are usually overlaps in what kind of services they offer, and some OTA platforms provide bundles (Agoda has flight & hotel bundles KKday has hotel & attraction packages etc.) They can range from flight booking to hotel booking to even booking tickets for tourist attractions. We also compared rates for 11 flight routes and 10 hotels on major OTAs and comparison sites.You can have your say on what we research and help us achieve change by joining Which? Connect.Online Travel Agencies are websites that provide a platform for all things travels related. We only reported on companies and star rating categories when we received at least 30 responses. In October 2022, we asked 3,169 Which? members to tell us about their experiences of using accommodation booking sites in the past two years. But if you booked the same hotel room on a third-party booking site, like, you'll need to claim your refund through them, which can make the refund process slower. So, if you booked directly with the hotel, for example, it is responsible for refunding you directly. If you are due a refund, you'll need to contact the company that took payment for your booking. For this reason, it's often a good idea to book a room that can be freely cancelled, or to book your accommodation as part of a flight-inclusive package, which gives you greater protection. But, in other circumstances, you aren't always entitled to your money back.
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If the accommodation provider cancels your booking – which might happen if the hotel is overbooked or understaffed, for example – you're entitled to a full refund. But on the phone you’ll often be offered a better price or at least get extras thrown in.īefore booking any accommodation, it's important to know what your rights are and what you're entitled to if things go wrong. Booking sites often force hotels and B&Bs into parity clauses, which stops them undercutting the booking site online. The only way to be sure you’ve found the best hotel rate is to pick up the phone.

Why booking hotels direct is usually a better deal

Which? verdict: Plenty of choice for quality holiday rentals anywhere in the world. Nearly 90% of users told us they didn’t encounter any issues with their booking, which is reassuring. Filters help holidaymakers find flexible stays and the five-star ‘description matching reality’ rating means you’re unlikely to turn up at your Airbnb accommodation and be disappointed. Which? verdict: It’s hard to beat for flexibility and choice, but you’re still better off booking direct.įor apartments, lodges, villas, shepherd’s huts and everything in between, Airbnb is a solid choice. The only slight annoyance are the constant prompts telling you how many rooms are left and how many people are looking at the same property – ignore. For example, it removes the language barrier for far-flung bookings, and it’s very flexible – most bookings can be cancelled at short notice without penalty. There are reasons why you might prefer to use.

The best-known and joint best according to customers.
