Almost everybody turns to hotel reservation sites these days to find discounts and low rates on hotel and resort accommodations. Some of these sites even allow property owners to list their rental apartments and condos. If you’re looking for a room or a suite, you’ll find hundreds of thousands all around the world. The good thing about these booking sites is that they allow you to view the rates on every available room on the nights you select.
With so many of these kinds of sites, though, how do you know which one to use? How can you tell if you’re really getting a good deal or not?
One of the most important considerations is the low price guarantee. Read over a site’s “lowest price guaranteed” policy to find out how you can get a refund if the price of your hotel room drops after you book. There should be a simple application to fill out that is easy to understand and follow. You might be asked to provide a screen cap or link to the lower priced offer to be eligible.
The ideal site will also provide you with the search tools you need to easily compare multiple rates. You should be able to enter the specifics of your trip (if you have any) and see what is available on the nights you specify in the city you enter. You might also have the option to add airfare to the search if you want book everything at once. The search tools should be intuitive with features like predictive text. If you need airfare, you shouldn’t have to keep track of airport codes – the search function should already have the information.
Flexibility in Hotel Reservation Sites
Since prices can fluctuate daily, hotel reservation sites should offer flexibility with their search tools. You should be allowed to be as specific or as flexible as you want.
After the booking process, what if something unexpected occurs and you need to make changes to your reservations? The ideal site will work with its travel partners and suppliers to get your hotel reservation adjusted in the easiest and quickest way possible. If there is a cancellation on the hotel’s part, the booking site will work directly with the hotel industry to help you get a comparable room at a nearby hotel at no extra cost to you.
No matter what, you should never be charged a cancellation fee. The best hotel reservation sites will never charge you for cancelling your hotel. The hotels themselves usually don’t charge late fees either, just as long as you cancel 3 days prior to the scheduled check-in date.
Travelocity is the one site that offers all of the guidelines mentioned above. It’s been one of the best hotel reservation sites for years. Not only do you get the “lowest price guarantee”, you also get additional savings with Travelocity coupons on hotels and airfare.