The Best Hotel Booking Sites for Comparing Prices
The internet has made it easier than ever to book the right hotel accommodation. However, with so many alternatives and choices, it may be daunting.
So, which are the finest hotel reservation websites? Or, at the very least, how can I find inexpensive hotels online?
We travelers had to locate a vacant accommodation on the spot back in the day, before Airbnb and Booking.com. Wandering the streets of a new town with bags and sweat stains evokes a sense of nostalgia.
However, today, you can locate the ideal hotel accommodation from the convenience of your own home and phone. Depending on the nature of your vacation, it frequently makes much more sense to book a place in advance via an accommodation booking service.
Perhaps you’re short on time or visiting a faraway location. Maybe you’re on your honeymoon, or maybe you simply need to book your first night following a trip.
So, here’s where my guide comes in: allow me to lead you through the best trip booking sites.
Table of Contents
What Are The Best Accommodation Booking Sites? Quick Answers
- Best hotel booking site overall – Booking.com
- Best hostel booking site – Hostelworld
- Best website for booking in Asia – Agoda
- Best aggregator hotel booking site – HotelsCombined
- Best travel booking site – Airbnb
Best Booking Sites Reviewed
I have personally examined my top selections for the best travel booking sites. I’ve omitted most “aggregators” from this list and instead focused on hotel booking sites that allow you to browse, pay, and process all the way through (i.e. not sites like Kayak).
Having said that, we absolutely appreciate HotelsCombined, so I evaluated this aggregation site.
It’s a minefield of ambiguity. But, at the end of the day, or at the beginning of a trip, it’s all about how to book a cheap hotel online, locate fantastic sites, and get the best rates!
#1- The Best Hotel Booking Site
In my view, Booking.com is one of the best hotel booking websites. It just seems to have the most options: a good mix of hotels, flats, hostels, and guesthouses – all at reasonable costs.
Booking.com has some incredibly inexpensive hotel rooms for numerous cities across the globe, whether you book last-minute or months in advance.
After years of travel, I believe Booking.com is the greatest hotel search engine due to the sheer number of alternatives. Even when traveling around Europe, I was able to find fantastic lodgings for four people for under $30 per person! When it comes down to it, no other website is better at locating inexpensive hotel rooms for less than $100 a night.
What are the disadvantages?
Booking.com, on the other hand, may benefit from a more user-friendly layout. You have to continually input your dates, and it’s more difficult to merely look at the possibilities at your leisure. This is a minor drawback, but it may be quite irritating.
Finally, I like that all expenses – including taxes – are clearly stated. Many other hotel booking sites will attempt to hide taxes and fees until you go to pay, and companies like Airbnb and other online hotel booking sites often charge additional costs for security, cleaning, and other services.
- Pros: The best hotel booking service for low-cost rooms with a wide range of alternatives ranging from hostels to luxury hotels.
- Cons: Not the best user experience, not the best hostel options.
Tips: Remember to look for last-minute booking offers! I discovered some fantastic inexpensive hotel deals on Booking.com the day before, so keep your eyes open.
#2- Best Booking Site for Hostels
No other website comes close to Hostelworld when it comes to booking hostels. Hostelworld is the best website for renting a dorm room or finding the cheapest places to stay!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve utilized Hostelworld throughout my lengthy traveling career. If you are traveling alone or wish to meet other travelers while on vacation, getting a hostel dorm room and experiencing hostel culture is a necessity. Whether you’re backpacking across Europe, backpacking Colombia, or exploring Thailand, you’ll come across Hostelworld at some time.
One of the minor drawbacks of booking with Hostelworld is the additional minimal booking cost – generally a few dollars – for flexible booking. Furthermore, since you frequently have to pay online in advance (rather than at the hostel), you may be able to receive a lower fee if you stroll in.
However, up to 7 days before your reservation, Hostelworld permits free cancellations with an additional cost!
To compare pricing, I suggest visiting both the hostel’s main website and Hostelworld.
- Pros: The best online hotel booking platform for hostels (which can include private rooms). There are several backpacker lodgings available at backpacker pricing.
- Cons: Because it does not list hotels in general, it is not always useful in some destinations/countries, particularly in remote areas.
#3- Best Hotel Booking Site in Asia
Are you looking for the best hotel booking site in India? Thailand? How about Sri Lanka?
Agoda has long been one of the most well-known, cheap hotel booking websites in Asia.
And now that Agoda is part of Booking Holdings, they have significantly expanded their possibilities for booking hotels all around the world!
Not only is Agoda expanding their global listing size, but they have also introduced new features and usages to their site, making it yet another finest hotel finder and more. For example, similar to Airbnb, you may offer your own home on Agoda. On their website, you can also book low-cost flights and airport transfers! They are undoubtedly striving to become an A to Z holiday booking site, from airfare, transportation, lodging, and even at-home listing.
Agoda routinely finds fantastic deals on every continent, but they shine when booking a stay in Asia.
- Pros: The best online hotel booking site for Asia, as well as a slew of other useful features.
- Cons: You must look for a room in the city rather than an area.
(It’s also worth mentioning that Booking Holdings owns Booking.com and Priceline, two significant online booking services.)
#4- Best Aggregator Hotel Booking Site
HotelsCombined is yet another low-cost hotel booking site. They’re most well-known for their fantastic metasearch engine. This algorithm may uncover incredible hotel offers that other sites overlook.
The main disadvantage of HotelsCombined is that it is a hotel aggregator, and the pricing does not always match when you get to the real hotel booking page. This also means you won’t be able to pay for your accommodation via their website; instead, you’ll be sent to the direct supplier. HotelsCombined, although being a hotel aggregator, can nevertheless discover some low-cost hotel rooms.
Overall, I like working with Hotels Combined in conjunction with the other hotel booking companies on my list, but it is not my first choice.
- Pros: The sheer amount of results and transactions!
- Cons: The final pricing may differ from the original stated price.
#5- Best travel booking site
Okay, so it’s not a hotel booking site. Airbnb is unique. But, given that I’m writing this from an Airbnb, there’s no way this holiday booking service can’t grab the top place.
There are several reasons why Airbnb is now the greatest player in the holiday rental business.
Airbnb’s innovative method of connecting people is altering the way we travel.
And today, more than ever, they’re facing stiff competition. When you travel, you no longer have to settle for a boring hotel search: Airbnb enables you to stay in – well, almost anyplace.
Airbnb’s simple booking procedure allows you to pick and select among properties owned by locals that meet your exact requirements. There are possibilities for every budget: from small, shared accommodations to large luxury villas, there is something for everyone.
Of course, all excellent things have drawbacks. Even Airbnb is included. It’s difficult for hotels everywhere, large and small, to compete. Rents have soared in several places — pretty much everywhere. As a result, part of the authenticity is gone.
But who am I to judge? Airbnb is fantastic! Where else can you discover a weekend apartment in Rome or a treehouse in Thailand?
- Pros: You may design fantastic, one-of-a-kind holiday experiences to your exact requirements.
- Cons: Airbnb is reshaping travel as we know it. As a result, holiday rentals may never be the same.
Best Hotel Booking Tips and Tricks
After reviewing the finest hotel booking sites, here are my greatest advice for booking the right hotel stay online. These tactics have assisted me in locating some fantastic discounts and encounters.
They’ve also helped me save a few hundred bucks here and there — nothing major
- Evaluate two hotel booking websites.
- Check out the hotel’s website as well. You may be able to get a lower deal if you book straight via the hotel’s website.
- Don’t book too long ahead of time.
- Sign up for member benefits! Many (non-hotel/booking site) memberships provide global reductions on hotel pricing.
- Continue to check back for the best hotel deals. Hotel costs fluctuate in the same way that airfare does.
- Whenever possible, keep your dates flexible.
- Check for any extra fees. Extra fees and taxes are sometimes added to the final pricing.
- Make use of price matching. Price-match guarantees are available on Booking.com and HotelsCombined.
Advice on Booking Hotels Online
Now that you know how to get the best hotel prices online, there are a few more things I’d want to go over before we finish this up.
The first is to use Booking as an alternative to booking conventional hotels via internet travel agencies.
Why?
Because Booking is great!
Airbnb vs. Hotel Booking Sites: Which Should You Use?
I like utilizing Booking since it allows you to get a lot more personal and real experience of a place while also meeting people in a new location. However, depending on your trip, Booking may be more costly with hidden expenses or just not make sense.
The most significant distinction between Airbnb and hotel booking services is that Airbnb holiday stays are posted by individual homeowners rather than corporations.
Whether you stay at an Airbnb, a hotel, or both on your next trip, use the best travel booking sites to get the best deal! Remember that each form of accommodation offers benefits that you should consider before reserving your stay.
What to look for in an Airbnb vs a Hotel
- Quality: The secret here is to read the Airbnb reviews! This is also the simplest method for avoiding Airbnb frauds. Because individual homeowners are responsible for cleaning and upkeep, quality varies greatly on Airbnb. Hotels are more uniform, yet typically drabber…, particularly for low-cost stays.
- Location: The advantage of Airbnb is that you may get close to the sites and locations you wish to visit; hotels tend to gather downtown, near the airport. An Airbnb in a hipper location is frequently less expensive than a boutique hotel. On the other side, Airbnb stays may be quite distant at times, particularly on islands or in rural areas of a region.
- Price: If cost is your primary issue, you may be shocked to learn that hotels may offer cheaper costs than Airbnb on a global scale. When visiting the United States, however, this is not the case! As I previously said, always compare the finest cheap hotel sites with other options to obtain the greatest offer!
Nonstop Asia Tip: Ask about longer-term stay discounts at Airbnbs. If you’re looking for a longer stay in one spot, it’s a good idea to inquire about longer-term stay discounts, since accommodation companies love to have these sorts of customers to increase their occupancy rates.
When is the Best Time to Book Hotels?
The best time to book a hotel depends on the kind of establishment. Last-minute bargains are available for reputable budget hotel brands and any hotels with a corporate clientele.
However, for resorts, vacation rentals, and other hotels that primarily cater to visitors, reserving your stay at least three months in advance would most certainly deliver the greatest hotel discounts.
Why Do Hotels Use Third-Party Booking Sites like Booking.com??
Hotels fill their rooms by using heavily frequented websites. Even if a visitor just pays half the rack rate, it will generate more revenue than an empty room! Hotels provide the rooms to hotel websites so that the price reductions do not reflect immediately on the property.
Boutique hotels, tiny guesthouses, low-cost hotels, and so on will utilize third-party hotel booking websites for visibility as well.
FAQs About Travel Booking Sites
Which website gives you the best hotel deals?
Airbnb is the best accommodation booking site for people of all income levels. So I believe your best chance is to look into it first. If you want to check around further, you may use an aggregator like Hotelscombined.
What is the best hotel booking site in Asia?
Adoga is unquestionably Asia’s best popular hotel booking website. From India to China, you have a plethora of selections and bargains. If you’re planning a trip to Asia, you should look at this website.
Where is the best place to get last-minute hotels?
Booking.com is the go-to site for last-minute bookings. At this point, their late reservations system seems to be foolproof.
What is the best travel booking site in North America?
I’d start with Airbnb. Booking.com is a good option if you want to feel more like you’re at a hotel.
However, in North America, all of the booking sites are quite busy.
Final Thoughts on the Best Hotel Booking Sites
That concludes our list of the best travel booking websites. It’s useful to have the internet to aid you along while you build your own experiences.
Many variables must be considered when reserving a hotel: your location, area, and country, how many people are booking, and why you need to travel there (if you want to be in a trendy neighborhood or near the airport, for example).
That simply implies you’re embarking on a one-of-a-kind journey. That is why – for the time being – Booking has the top rank.
However, Booking.com and Hostelworld are my preferred hotel booking websites while traveling. Just don’t become overly tied to a single website. Find your happy medium and the greatest discounts.
If you’re planning a trip to Asia, Agoda can help you choose a hotel. Even if it means you just need to book one night and then you’re set to go. Online hotel aggregators such as HotelsCombined and even Google may provide greater bargains as well.
So keep an eye out for the greatest deals.
