Booking a hotel can be a pain point for travelers—in part, because there are so many options. The biggest issue is pinning down the cheapest price, but there are dozens of hotel booking sites out there, each with their own quirks and capabilities.
Before you begin searching, know that all hotel booking websites fall into one of three categories:
- Online travel agency (OTA). This is an online travel marketplace where you can book hotels, flights, tours and other travel with suppliers. In this case, the OTA is the middleman between you and the hotel.
- Aggregator. Basically a travel search engine that searches OTAs and hotel websites and displays results. You’ll usually have to click through to another site to book, although a couple of aggregators also have booking functionality.
- Official hotel website. Also known as “booking direct” with the hotel. Most hotel chains require that you book directly to earn elite status and hotel points and have your existing elite status recognized with perks like room upgrades, late checkout and tier bonus points.
If you have (or want to earn) hotel status, it’s always best to book directly. You’ll also earn extra points for paying with a hotel credit card when booking this way, which you can then use for hotel award nights within that hotel chain. For example, booking a Hilton hotel directly and paying with a co-branded Hilton card such as the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (terms apply, see rates & fees) will earn elite-qualifying credit and bonus Hilton points to use toward a future stay at a Hilton hotel.
Other than booking directly, we picked 10 popular hotel booking sites and compared them based on ease of booking, pricing transparency, and other factors—then ranked them for various travel styles. Here’s a rundown of where to look the next time you’re searching for the cheapest hotel rates.
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