Booking.com is a great place to book your hotel, flight, and car rental. However, many people don’t know that there is a way to save money and still stay at your favorite hotel.
Here are 11 tips for using Booking.com to find the best deals.
1. Use The Booking.com Mobile App
The Booking.com mobile app offers a variety of discounts and promotions that you will not find on their website.
Many large names in the travel industry, including Booking.com, want people to download their mobile applications.
Therefore, they are purposely giving discounts and additional benefits such as free cancellation or complimentary upgrades to people that book through their mobile app.
To download the Booking.com mobile app, head over to the App store (for iOS users) or Google Play Store (for Android users) and download the app.
Make sure to create an account and start browsing the offers.
2. Take Advantage of The Filters
Booking.com has filters to help the user find the best deal that will fulfill their accommodation and budget needs.
Once you enter the desired destination, dates, and the number of people traveling, you will notice a row with filters on the left side.
This will save you a lot of time and money while searching for the best deal.
Some of the best and most popular filters include:
- Budget – This will allow you to immediately start searching for deals within your budget.
- Location – If you do not have a car or you are not planning on renting one, make sure to select a location that is within a walking distance from the attractions that you plan on visiting.
- Dining options – Many of the hotels offer complimentary breakfast, so make sure to search for those.
- 24h reception desk – This is important if you are arriving late at night.
3. Sign up for the Genius Rewards Program
The Genius Rewards Program is basically a way Booking.com says thank you to its most loyal customers.
Rewards are based on the number of accommodations users have booked over the years. To get the first 10% discount, you need to book at least two stays within two years.
Reaching level two will require booking five stays within two years and you can expect discounts of up to 15%, free breakfast options, and free room upgrades on selected options.
The highest level (Genius Level 3) has been recently launched and requires booking fifteen stays within two years.
Users that are at level 3 will get 20% discounts on hotels, free breakfast, and free room upgrades on select hotels.
4. Check For Additional Fees
If Booking.com is good for one thing, it will be for the amount of information you can find about a certain hotel.
From information about the amenities to bed sizes, there is a ton of information on the booking page.
Before booking a hotel, you have to carefully read what is included in the price you are paying.
Things that are not included will always have a small notification box saying ”Additional charge”. Pay attention to those notifications to avoid any unpleasantries.
There is also a FAQ listed on the bottom of the booking page where the hotel is answering the most commonly asked questions which often talk about prices, what is the hotel featuring, and what is included in the price.
5. Book a Longer Stay
Many hotels on Booking.com offer huge discounts if you book a longer stay. Hotels love it when guests book a longer stay.
They are certain that they are making a profit from those rooms.
On top of that, the hotel is saving money because each time a guest checks out, they have to deep clean the room, and replace any used toiletries which costs them money.
Information about discounts for longer stays will be included on the booking page. Select the preferred dates and scroll down to the section where you select which room you want.
6. Search For Limited-Time Deals
Hotels that have too many free tooms will often post limited-time deals where they can offer huge discounts.
It is not uncommon to see discounts of up to 70%, you just have to search for them.
When selecting the destination and dates, the hotels that are offering limited-time deals will have a green notification box.
You can either view the discount from the main page or you can open the hotel booking page one by one.
7. Compare Hotel Prices
Comparing hotel prices is a great way to find the best deal on Booking.com.
Often, there are hotels with the same star rating, offering the same amenities, but the price differences are huge. The reason behind this is that some hotels have well-established brands.
Basically, you are paying for the name when you can find the same options for a cheaper price at some other hotel. This is why it is important to compare the hotel prices before booking a stay.
8. Check The Review Section
Each hotel listed on Booking.com has a review section at the bottom of the page.
This is where only guests that actually have stayed at the hotel can post a review.
In reality, different people have different needs, and what works for one might not work for another person.
Some require to have a telephone in their rooms, and if they don’t, they will post a bad review, while others do not care about that stuff.
However, you should go through the reviews and check if someone has posted something like the hotel has no hot water, or the swimming pool is very dirty.
Those types of reviews are very helpful when trying to find the best deal.
9. Book Last Minute (If Possible)
Booking at the last minute is not possible for everyone, but it often is a great way to save money.
When some guest cancels a room a few days before checking in, the hotel will post that same room for a huge discount just so that someone can occupy it.
Although booking last minute is not possible for people going on a vacation with kids and other family members.
However, if you do not have a specific date when you wish to travel, make sure to open the Booking.com mobile application and check for last-minute deals every day.
10. Avoid Booking a Hotel On Popular Dates
Booking a hotel on popular dates such as New Year, Easter, or Christmas will result in overpaying simply because there is high demand.
Lots of people are traveling and booking accommodations on certain holidays. So, if you are not bounded by dates, make sure to avoid the popular dates to save money.
11. Subscribe To The Booking Newsletter
Booking.com has a newsletter where they notify people when there are special discounts on certain hotels.
In Conclusion
Finding the best deals on Booking.com is possible, you just have to know what you are looking for. Make sure to go over the list above to find the best deal without breaking the bank.
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