Direct booking, booking without intermediary, these hotel terms probably do not mean much to you. And yet, it is now important to know how booking sites work. Why make a direct hotel booking ? Because it is more interesting for you. We will try to popularize these words and explain the advantages of such a reservation. Let’s go !
What is a direct hotel reservation?
Booking sites
It is often hard for a traveler to know whether they are booking directly with the hotel or not. There are many reservation centers with thousands of hotel proposals. Booking.com, Hotels.com, Expedia… All of these booking sites allow you to choose a hotel based on location or some other filter you choose. Note that these sites charge a commission from the hotel for each reservation made. Thus, many hotels will deduct this commission from their rates charged directly.
Be sure to compare the rates on the hotel’s website with those displayed on these booking sites. You will see that the cheapest is most often directly from the hotel.
Price comparators and review sites
Like many Internet users, you are looking for an establishment with good ratings, good reviews or with an attractive price. This takes you directly to price comparison sites or review sites like Hotelscombined or Trip Advisor. Note that comparators only compare the booking sites mentioned above. Few hotels can financially afford to appear there. Thus, comparators do not compare with the official hotel website and you are missing out on an opportunity.
Regarding review sites, they also link to these booking sites. It is extremely expensive for an establishment to display even just a link to its website.
The official website of the hotel
The official website, updated daily, gives you the best possible rate on the internet since there is no commission charged. You will also find exclusive offers, which do not exist on the booking sites. Many hotel sites even display price comparators on their official site to show that the rates are lower by booking directly with the hotel.
So why make a direct hotel booking ?
If you follow the reasoning generated above, you will understand that booking directly with the hotel allows you to have the best available rate since it is simply a reservation without any intermediary. Also feel free to call or email the hotel to get the best deal available. 😀
Example with the Hotel des 2 Continents
The Hotel des 2 Continents is a charming 3-star hotel located in the heart of the 6th arrondissement of Paris, a stone’s throw from the Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés and a 5-minute walk from the Louvre Museum. Its 36 rooms can accommodate from 1 to 4 people and our team is always available to meet the needs of our customers.
Of course, the Hotel des 2 Continents is far from being the only hotel in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, and even less in Paris. So the policy is simple:
- The best rates or on our website
- Cancellation policies are more interesting on official website
- Some offers are exclusively accessible on the official website, such as the breakfast included offer
- The following are displayed on the hotel’s official website: a price comparison with booking sites, customer reviews and current promotions.
Click here to make a direct hotel booking.
