What are your favourite hotel booking websites?

[ozbeachbabe]

With the abundance of hotel booking websites such as Expedia, Hotels Combined, Trivago, Hotels.com etc I'm curious as to what websites everyone uses for hotel bookings - say your top three sites & why.

a) URL of hotel booking site name
b) reason you use them (eg user friendly app, 10th night free, nil payment up front, no cancellation fees etc)

Thanks in advance.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

hotelscombined and openroomz are my starting point for all bookings. Booking.com is next (booking.com sometimes offers a further 10% off if you are a returning customer).

From hotelscombined and openroomz I'll book either through the lowest price, or through the hotel direct.

Some of the so called 'discount' sites (hotelclub I think?) are outrageously expensive. Even the two Expedias (.com vs .au) can have huge price differences.

I booked on Qantas once when they sent me a $50 voucher immediately after making a booking. Gave me a free night's hotel.

 

[smithy]

For me, I have been using booking.com for my recent hotel stays. I used to use hotels.com but gave up on them as I found they too slow to confirm a reservation request.

 

[dajop]

For me, I have been using booking.com for my recent hotel stays. I used to use hotels.com but gave up on them as I found they too slow to confirm a reservation request.

I find booking.com particularly good for Europe.

 

[Fifa]

If I am booking a hotel that is not part of Hilton or IHG I really like Agoda when booked via the Velocity website.
3 points per dollar (plus extra for Gold and Plat) but note that not all hotels participate.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

I'm finding quite good value using airbnb.com

Quite often I can get an aprtment for a lot less than a hotel would cost.

Was able to get a small apartment in Shinjuku next year for roughly $71 a night with a wifi egg included int he fee. Saves me renting a phone for the trip. Just booked a few nights in a taipei apartment for < $80 a night, and the owner is also lending me a wifi egg.

It's very convenient to have a large fridge / washing machine / sometimes a microwave. I also find an apartment a bit more private.

 

[puppysparkes]

hotelscombined and openroomz are my starting point for all bookings. Booking.com is next (booking.com sometimes offers a further 10% off if you are a returning customer).

From hotelscombined and openroomz I'll book either through the lowest price, or through the hotel direct.

Some of the so called 'discount' sites (hotelclub I think?) are outrageously expensive. Even the two Expedias (.com vs .au) can have huge price differences.

I booked on Qantas once when they sent me a $50 voucher immediately after making a booking. Gave me a free night's hotel.

I've found this method the best for me also. I recently booked Rydges AKL on hotels combined for 6 days over Christmas. Checked the Rydges website and saved $100 after signing up to their loyalty program. We also received an upgrade. Plus the loyalty program offers base tier members 1pm check out and 20% off meals and drinks, brekie not included. Cancelations permitted 24hrs prior.

 

[jetpack]

I discovered cheaptickets.com last year and have had some amazing deals using them. They always have a promo code on taking around 20% off their prices which makes some hotels cheaper than what trivago or hotelscombined can come up with.

I also use agoda because they tend to have the cheapest standard prices, have a rewards program which gives you around 4% of your booking value back, and provides a 7% discount for HSBC card holders.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Thanks for all the tips so far everyone - some great suggestions there.

Has anyone used cash back sites such as ebates or mr rebates for any of these sites or are they ineligible?

 

[Fifa]

Has anyone used cash back sites such as ebates or mr rebates for any of these sites or are they ineligible?

Yes, I recently used the booking.com link via Mr Rebates (agoda didn't offer Velocity points for this particular booking) and earned an instant $10 cash back.
I also make all my IHG bookings via Mr Rebates and have added hundreds of dollars to my PayPal account in the last year.

 

[dalereardon]

I use Points Hound:

How to Earn Thousands of Frequent Flyer Miles through Accommodation Bookings

It lets you earn lots of frequent flyer miles in your favourite program when you book hotels. They have a price match guarantee and you get instant confirmation of bookngs.

Dale.

 

[RB]

One site that we have used that has not been mentioned is hrs.com. Contains some good info re distances from transport. Mainly European & prices are variable but often have great prices on particular hotels.

 

[RooFlyer]

The only site I used to use is needitnow.com . However I removed my business when the owner started to muck around with the economy of my home state.

Most of my hotel stays are client paid (ultimately), so I tend to book Accor direct (where available) and get some points.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I use Points Hound:

How to Earn Thousands of Frequent Flyer Miles through Accommodation Bookings

It lets you earn lots of frequent flyer miles in your favourite program when you book hotels. They have a price match guarantee and you get instant confirmation of bookngs.

Dale.

Thanks Dale - that website is a great idea to top up points in a frequent flyer account if you are just short of miles for an award.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

I see no reason to book through a third party website when staying at a hilton, starwood or hyatt property because direct is always lower cost + you get points that you don't when booking elsewhere.

However if I don't have status with the brand I'll tend to shop a few sites then book where the best deal is - generally smaller hotels have specials that include free bfast/free wifi if you go direct because they can be paying 20%+ commission to online travel sites!!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I see no reason to book through a third party website when staying at a hilton, starwood or hyatt property because direct is always lower cost + you get points that you don't when booking elsewhere.

However if I don't have status with the brand I'll tend to shop a few sites then book where the best deal is - generally smaller hotels have specials that include free bfast/free wifi if you go direct because they can be paying 20%+ commission to online travel sites!!

I just booked a starwood property last week that was significantly cheaper and offered more benefits such as free wi-fi though booking.com than direct. Around USD40 USD saving per night on a USD169 room.

 

[Nizar]

I use Points Hound:

How to Earn Thousands of Frequent Flyer Miles through Accommodation Bookings

It lets you earn lots of frequent flyer miles in your favourite program when you book hotels. They have a price match guarantee and you get instant confirmation of bookngs.

Dale.

I use RocketMiles and credit to AA.
Minimum of 1,000 points/miles per night. And as I have mentioned before I love how the amount of miles awarded has nothing to do with the price. A $100/night hotel may earn you 2,000-3,000 miles.

The only drawback v Pointshound is that the latter has a much wider range of hotels. May have for example 100 hotels in a given city and Rocketmiles may have 10-20. Also Rocketmiles tends to be a touch more expensive than booking direct (someone has to pay for all those miles I guess) but for me I find it well worth it. I've earnt around 75k AA miles this year through Rocketmiles.

 

[boomy]

I just booked a starwood property last week that was significantly cheaper and offered more benefits such as free wi-fi though booking.com than direct. Around USD40 USD saving per night on a USD169 room.

I remember SPG offer price match plus 2k points if you find a better deal.
I took advantage of that before at FP SYD.

 

[Sprucegoose]

If I am booking a hotel that is not part of Hilton or IHG I really like Agoda when booked via the Velocity website.
3 points per dollar (plus extra for Gold and Plat) but note that not all hotels participate.

I agree. Never had a problem with Agoda and made a number of bookings now.

Never cashed in my points. I use Agoda due to ease if use and wide acceptance especially in Asia.

 

[Pushka]

Booking.com.