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which is why I love hotels. if hotels are too costly, would rather opt for booking.com since it allows you to pay on the spot and has easy cancellation than air

by dzonga 2y ago

which is why I love hotels. if hotels are too costly, would rather opt for booking.com since it allows you to pay on the spot and has easy cancellation than airbnb

Staple_Diet 2y ago
Amen, glad to have never used AirBnB. I also often use booking.com, but you should know they regularly f over smaller businesses that use them to host their rooms. I generally stick to big chains when using their platform, or use it as 'hotel google' before following up and negotiating a price directly with a smaller hotel. Much like Uber squeezes small business (menu items often 20-30% higher on Uber menu vs real menu) booking.com exploits the smaller accommodation providers so they appreciate direct bookings.
- carlosjobim 2y ago
  How does booking exploit smaller businesses? That wasn't my experience at all.
  - Staple_Diet 2y ago
    Last year they had 3-6 month delays on passing on booking fees to their partners due to 'technical difficulties'. While big chains were made whole as priority, many smaller operators risked bankruptcy or were put out of business. As I said I like using them for most of my travel, I just choose to book directly when using a smaller provider vs Hilton etc to lower the small operators overheads, much like I go and pickup my takeaway order to avoid using UberEats. https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/nov/10/booking-com-travel-website-compensation-hotels-delayed-payments https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/nov/10/booking-com-t...
    - carlosjobim 2y ago
      That's insane! With the low margins and seasonality in the hospitality business, delayed booking income can threaten bankruptcy to a small business. I also try to always give preference to small hotels by booking them directly, but most of them are foolish and give better rates and terms through booking, and hard headed about it. Doing the opposite of what they should do from a business sense.
wildrhythms 2y ago
I have never stayed in an Airbnb and never will. There is a consistency to chain hotels I have come to appreciate very much.
carlosjobim 2y ago
Payment policy is set by the individual hotels on booking.com, so sometimes it's pay on the spot, sometimes pay in advance. The same with cancellation.

by dzonga 2y ago

which is why I love hotels. if hotels are too costly, would rather opt for booking.com since it allows you to pay on the spot and has easy cancellation than airbnb

Staple_Diet 2y ago

Amen, glad to have never used AirBnB. I also often use booking.com, but you should know they regularly f over smaller businesses that use them to host their rooms. I generally stick to big chains when using their platform, or use it as 'hotel google' before following up and negotiating a price directly with a smaller hotel. Much like Uber squeezes small business (menu items often 20-30% higher on Uber menu vs real menu) booking.com exploits the smaller accommodation providers so they appreciate direct bookings.

carlosjobim 2y ago
How does booking exploit smaller businesses? That wasn't my experience at all.
- Staple_Diet 2y ago
  Last year they had 3-6 month delays on passing on booking fees to their partners due to 'technical difficulties'. While big chains were made whole as priority, many smaller operators risked bankruptcy or were put out of business. As I said I like using them for most of my travel, I just choose to book directly when using a smaller provider vs Hilton etc to lower the small operators overheads, much like I go and pickup my takeaway order to avoid using UberEats. https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/nov/10/booking-com-travel-website-compensation-hotels-delayed-payments https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/nov/10/booking-com-t...
  - carlosjobim 2y ago
    That's insane! With the low margins and seasonality in the hospitality business, delayed booking income can threaten bankruptcy to a small business. I also try to always give preference to small hotels by booking them directly, but most of them are foolish and give better rates and terms through booking, and hard headed about it. Doing the opposite of what they should do from a business sense.

wildrhythms 2y ago

I have never stayed in an Airbnb and never will. There is a consistency to chain hotels I have come to appreciate very much.

carlosjobim 2y ago

Payment policy is set by the individual hotels on booking.com, so sometimes it's pay on the spot, sometimes pay in advance. The same with cancellation.