My recent experience with online hotel booking
By naruto
@akp100 (13647)
India
April 16, 2017 7:56am CST
Hello Friends :)
Normally I am not used to of it. But as I have heard lot from friends I tried with my last trip and I am very happy with my first experience. So sharing it here.
I started checking out the price of hotel at online site since 15 days before my trip. I find out that each day price is different. So I waited and grab the best deal. I even cross checked the the price by calling to hotel directly and ask about price for booking room. I found that online booking price was quite less in compare to normal offline booking (when I called). So I instantly grab it.
So in the end I got the good deal for sure. I guess I can now use this online option for more time with my next trips. I always thought that normal offline booking has less price in compare to those online sites as they may be earning commission. But in this case I got the deal in quite less price.
I wonder how this is happening. Is anyone have idea about the same?
I started checking out the price of hotel at online site since 15 days before my trip. I find out that each day price is different. So I waited and grab the best deal. I even cross checked the the price by calling to hotel directly and ask about price for booking room. I found that online booking price was quite less in compare to normal offline booking (when I called). So I instantly grab it.
So in the end I got the good deal for sure. I guess I can now use this online option for more time with my next trips. I always thought that normal offline booking has less price in compare to those online sites as they may be earning commission. But in this case I got the deal in quite less price.
I wonder how this is happening. Is anyone have idea about the same?8 people like this
9 responses
@Mike197602 (15504)
• United Kingdom
16 Apr 17
I work in a hotel.
We get bookings through various online sites.
My manager always encourages us to try to get people to book direct as the hotel will pay a minimum 10% commission to the booking agent (the ones we use anyway) and she doesn't want to pay.
Get the best price online then call the hotel direct and try to get at least 5% knocked off the online price...that should work in many places.
3 people like this
@akp100 (13647)
• India
17 Apr 17
Is it? Then why I was getting higher price for direct booking when I call them directly. It wasn't small amount either.
I wonder why it is like this. I mean if they are paying commission to sites then they should have offer room for less price for direct booking as in that they don't need to pay any commission.
1 person likes this
@akp100 (13647)
• India
17 Apr 17
@Mike197602 Let me tell you the price. With online site I got it in 65$ for single night. But with direct booking when I called them they were saying price at 80$. So do you think I could have got even less than 65$ if tried negotiating?
3 people like this
@Mike197602 (15504)
• United Kingdom
17 Apr 17
@akp100 maybe because you didn't use the online price as a negotiating point?
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
16 Apr 17
i agree it's surprising. i was expecting there would be a fixed price every day, online and offline, and that online booking meant you're just booking/reserving ahead of time and giving a downpayment. i hope others can explain the fluctuation and price difference.
3 people like this
@akp100 (13647)
• India
17 Apr 17
Yes. Plus I am more surprise when booking through site was even cheaper than direct booking. I wonder why because they must be paying commission to those sites for getting room. Then I wonder how sites can offer room in even less price than hotel itself.
3 people like this
@definitelynotaziz (262)
• Nanjing, China
16 Apr 17
I've booked a hotel online only once in my lifetime, and it was kinda hard to believe at first. The hotel was a moderately rated hotel, had good reviews, but somehow I got a really cheap price for a room. I thought the online booking service was a scam at first since it was a pay-at-hotel service and was afraid that when I arrive the booking site didn't actually booked a room for me. It turned out really well, didn't have any problems whatsoever, and overall my trip was a smooth success. As far as the lower price than they give you when you book offline, I'm not quite sure about that. I would assume that the online booking service would pay a sum of money to the hotel provider? Then again I might be wrong.
3 people like this
@akp100 (13647)
• India
17 Apr 17
I wonder why the booking site will pay extra for us.
Even in my case I got really cheap deal. As I have confirmed the price by calling hotel for booking rate. The online deal for booking having quite less rate than what they offer me on phone. So it is kind of weird thing.
3 people like this
@definitelynotaziz (262)
• Nanjing, China
17 Apr 17
@akp100 The world may never know 
at least it really benefits us when booking online
at least it really benefits us when booking online3 people like this
@akp100 (13647)
• India
17 Apr 17
@definitelynotaziz HA ha.. True. It is weird world.
3 people like this
I have noticed one thing, buying options are also good online than offline. The things are available on fewer price online than off line.
@khaledsifou (317)
• Algeria
16 Apr 17
yes it is very cheap.. and even there are some websites offer you some people who have empty rooms ready to rent for short time.. you will find them more cheaper than hotles.. they are so many ways to do booking online.. just you have to check good websites as booking, and trivago. good luck.
1 person likes this
@akp100 (13647)
• India
17 Apr 17
Yes it was my first experience and now I can say that we just need to look at online sites for getting best deal. Yes Trivago can do good for it. But using site which I booked hotel wasn't listed in Trivago. I guess trivago don't contains all the site.
1 person likes this
@akp100 (13647)
• India
17 Apr 17
@khaledsifou Yes. We can checkout different sites and can get the best deal for us. 
1 person likes this
@khaledsifou (317)
• Algeria
17 Apr 17
@akp100 yes booking is the best one i think..the best way is to look at all websites and choose the best offers.
1 person likes this
