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Strangely, at least in Australia, you often pay more for booking directly. On multiple occasions I've checked a hotel's website and found aggregators with cheap

Strangely, at least in Australia, you often pay more for booking directly. On multiple occasions I've checked a hotel's website and found aggregators with cheaper rates, then literally walked in the front door and asked what's the best they can do. It's worse and I end up getting my wife to book on her mobile phone from the parking lot and let her complete the check-in. Don't get me wrong, generally not a fan of middlemen. But the experience when booking a hotel directly comes down to the owners/management, and it's going to vary wildly compared to one of these big aggregators.

rjh29 3y ago
I've heard booking.com forbids them to charge first-party customers less than the booking.com price, and the hotel is beholden to the site for income so they play along. The only people booking directly are basically idiots, so for those people they charge as much as they can. In the UK there are large chains such as Travelodge who have pulled out from booking.com entirely and made people go to their site.
- rjh29 3y ago
  And yes downvote me but maybe think about whether spending more money going to first-party sites is actually serving you?
  - rfrey 3y ago
    I didn't downvote you, but I did notice that you are making repeated assertions about price disparity between direct and third party; multiple people are posting actual links and experiments showing you wrong; to which you more vehemently ("idiots") repeat the assertions (without evidence).
    - rjh29 3y ago
      I apologised in another comment and admit it is not universally true, as many people have pointed out. However I have repeatedly tried to get hotels to price match; they don't, and they never mentioned a loyalty scheme. That is my personal experience. Of course it may differ based on the type of hotel (I don't use very expensive chain hotels), the country, etc.
  - chipotle_coyote 3y ago
    While I didn't downvote you, I'm one of those "idiots" who tends to book directly on hotel web sites because I'm a member of several free-to-join hotel loyalty programs. The aggregators generally do not beat prices available for members (which, again, I can be for free). It's not uncommon for me to find specials, room types, or even availability, period, available on the direct sites that the aggregators don't have. And I have never once been told "sorry, we can't find your reservation" if I book on the direct website, whereas I absolutely have run into that issue -- albeit generally with independent hotels and B&Bs -- when booking through aggregators. But, sure, I'm obviously an idiot! I'm just over here drooling stupidly while I get better and/or cheaper hotel rooms.
    - rjh29 3y ago
      Thanks for your response. I apologise, the term "idiots" was definitely over-the-top - while there are people who are paying more than they should, I didn't know about the loyalty programs (which makes me the idiot). Maybe it's a US-centric thing. In any case I understand that your experience with booking direct has been better than using third party. The annoying thing is that should so obviously be the case! Booking direct should always be cheaper and better, right? But I've found that even if booking.com is cheaper the hotel refuses to match the price when booking directly. And they never told me about any loyalty scheme :/
- ww520 3y ago
  Numerous times I’ve booked direct with the hotels and it’s cheaper than or same as 3rd party.
  - labster 3y ago
    Booking.com requires the cheapest price, unless you are talking about the price from the hotel’s rewards program, which they will push very hard. It’s a contract loophole that works out for everyone except the non-savvy (or privacy-conscious) consumer.
    - lotsofpulp 3y ago
      > except the non-savvy (or privacy-conscious) consumer. Every single hotel I have been to already requires your ID and records your information at check in. In fact, it is required by pretty much all city laws in the US. I also would not want to stay in a hotel that does not require it.
      - nibbleshifter 3y ago
        Even in countries where recording guest ID is a legal requirement, it can often be circumvented.
      - labster 3y ago
        The rewards programs use your information to market to you, and sometimes third parties. Terms and conditions vary. As always, consult a lawyer before clicking accept on any EULA.
        lotsofpulp 3y ago
        Of course they do. Grocery stores, airlines, car rentals, hotel brands, retail stores, everyone has a rewards program for a discount and they all have my info. So far I do not receive any junk mail other than credit card offers, which I take advantage of for the bonus.
    - mikepurvis 3y ago

rjh29 3y ago

I've heard booking.com forbids them to charge first-party customers less than the booking.com price, and the hotel is beholden to the site for income so they play along. The only people booking directly are basically idiots, so for those people they charge as much as they can. In the UK there are large chains such as Travelodge who have pulled out from booking.com entirely and made people go to their site.

rjh29 3y ago
And yes downvote me but maybe think about whether spending more money going to first-party sites is actually serving you?
- rfrey 3y ago
  I didn't downvote you, but I did notice that you are making repeated assertions about price disparity between direct and third party; multiple people are posting actual links and experiments showing you wrong; to which you more vehemently ("idiots") repeat the assertions (without evidence).
  - rjh29 3y ago
    I apologised in another comment and admit it is not universally true, as many people have pointed out. However I have repeatedly tried to get hotels to price match; they don't, and they never mentioned a loyalty scheme. That is my personal experience. Of course it may differ based on the type of hotel (I don't use very expensive chain hotels), the country, etc.
- chipotle_coyote 3y ago
  While I didn't downvote you, I'm one of those "idiots" who tends to book directly on hotel web sites because I'm a member of several free-to-join hotel loyalty programs. The aggregators generally do not beat prices available for members (which, again, I can be for free). It's not uncommon for me to find specials, room types, or even availability, period, available on the direct sites that the aggregators don't have. And I have never once been told "sorry, we can't find your reservation" if I book on the direct website, whereas I absolutely have run into that issue -- albeit generally with independent hotels and B&Bs -- when booking through aggregators. But, sure, I'm obviously an idiot! I'm just over here drooling stupidly while I get better and/or cheaper hotel rooms.
  - rjh29 3y ago
    Thanks for your response. I apologise, the term "idiots" was definitely over-the-top - while there are people who are paying more than they should, I didn't know about the loyalty programs (which makes me the idiot). Maybe it's a US-centric thing. In any case I understand that your experience with booking direct has been better than using third party. The annoying thing is that should so obviously be the case! Booking direct should always be cheaper and better, right? But I've found that even if booking.com is cheaper the hotel refuses to match the price when booking directly. And they never told me about any loyalty scheme :/
ww520 3y ago
Numerous times I’ve booked direct with the hotels and it’s cheaper than or same as 3rd party.
- labster 3y ago
  Booking.com requires the cheapest price, unless you are talking about the price from the hotel’s rewards program, which they will push very hard. It’s a contract loophole that works out for everyone except the non-savvy (or privacy-conscious) consumer.
  - lotsofpulp 3y ago
    > except the non-savvy (or privacy-conscious) consumer. Every single hotel I have been to already requires your ID and records your information at check in. In fact, it is required by pretty much all city laws in the US. I also would not want to stay in a hotel that does not require it.
    - nibbleshifter 3y ago
      Even in countries where recording guest ID is a legal requirement, it can often be circumvented.
    - labster 3y ago
      The rewards programs use your information to market to you, and sometimes third parties. Terms and conditions vary. As always, consult a lawyer before clicking accept on any EULA.
      - lotsofpulp 3y ago
        Of course they do. Grocery stores, airlines, car rentals, hotel brands, retail stores, everyone has a rewards program for a discount and they all have my info. So far I do not receive any junk mail other than credit card offers, which I take advantage of for the bonus.
  - mikepurvis 3y ago