Booking directly with a hotel provides you with lots of advantages.
Many people avoid getting in touch with the hotel directly because they think it is too much work. That’s can’t be further from the truth.
Here are 8 reasons why you should book direct with a hotel for a better deal.
1. You Will Get a Better Rate
Booking directly with a hotel guarantees that you will get a better rate simply because the hotel doesn’t have to pay fees to booking websites.
Also, hotels often offer discounts and specials to clients who book directly with them.
Discounts and specials that the hotel offers directly are not always available on third-party booking websites. Even if there are discounts, due to the fees, the discount will be less.
When the hotel has too many empty rooms, it is losing money. That is why they are willing to offer lower rates in order to sell their rooms faster and make a quick turnaround.
2. Flexibility
When booking directly with a hotel, they are not bound by third-party policies and are able to assist you if you need to change the reservation dates or even cancel.
Oftentimes, when you book a hotel via a third-party booking website, you sign a contract for that stay, and the hotel won’t be able to help you out if needed.
Delayed flights are a real thing, and most hotels are aware of that.
By booking directly with a hotel, you can reach them faster via email or call them and notify them about your delay. The hotel will be able to assist you further and change your dates.
If this happens and you have booked a stay via third-party, you may not be able to directly call them and let them know you are running late.
3. Instant Confirmation On Your Reservation
When booking directly with a hotel, you get an instant confirmation of your reservation.
There is less chance that your reservation will end up ”missing”. It can be any worse than getting to a hotel only to find out that they haven’t received your reservation due to a third-party fault.
To avoid this unnecessary risk, book your stay directly with the hotel.
After confirming the dates and the room that you will be staying at, the hotel will send an instant confirmation that you have made a reservation. They might even throw a discount, who knows.
4. Direct Communication With The Hotel
Booking a hotel directly means that you are in direct communication with them from the beginning.
When booking via a third-party service, the person in charge of running the hotel reservations has to log in to the third-party website and check the emails there. So do you.
However, when you book directly with a hotel, you are in direct communications from the very start.
You have their email, and the hotel has yours. There is no need to log in to a third-party booking application and check for a new email.
What is even better when directly booking with a hotel is that you have their number.
You have an even faster way of reaching them if you need to notify them at the last minute. It is best if you ask for a 24/7 phone number where you can reach them outside of their operating hours.
5. Get Better Rooms
Most hotels keep certain rooms only available for guests who book directly with them.
This is mainly because these rooms are their best and they just do not want to share the profit with a third-party service.
I am not saying that you will get a bad room if you book from a third-party service.
What I am saying is that you can get probably a better room for the same price.
You just have to contact the hotel and ask them if there they have any larger and overall better rooms than the ones posted on the booking website.
6. Make Special Requests
Hotels tend to prioritize special requests for guests who book directly with them.
When booking via third-party service, you are simply unable to always request a room on a certain floor or away from the noisy elevators.
You can, however, make special requests like these when you are in direct contact with the hotel.
Maybe you stayed at that hotel before and you like to have the same room again.
You can simply email the hotel and say that you would like a room on a certain floor, with a certain view, and amenities. The hotel will then respond and adjust to your needs.
In case the room is not available, the hotel will work with you and make sure you will have a comfortable stay.
7. Better Cancellation Fees
When booking directly with a hotel, you will get better cancellation fees.
There are also free cancellations available when booking via third-party services. However, things are much simpler when you book directly with a hotel and you have to cancel your trip.
As I mentioned before, you are in direct communication with the hotel. If for some reason you need to cancel your stay, the hotel will have a better understanding and might not apply any cancellation fees.
This is simply because the hotel is able to determine whether or not cancellation fees will be applied.
When booking via a third-party website, the cancellation might be out of the table. In this case, the hotel is powerless and can not help you in case you need to cancel your stay.
8. More Points In Hotel’s Loyalty Program
Most hotel chains offer loyalty points for their repetitive clients.
When searching for a hotel to stay in, check out their website and see if they have a loyalty program.
It is quite easy to sign up for a hotel’s loyalty program because all of the information is listed on their website.
When you sign up for a loyalty program, you are a privileged guest in that hotel.
Often, hotels will offer free breakfast for their loyal clients. Also, when you get enough points, you will be able to get free room upgrades if the hotel isn’t completely booked.
That being said, when you know your destination, try to find a large hotel chain that has hotels all over the world. Check out their website and sign up for a loyalty program and enjoy the rewards.
In Conclusion
Booking directly with a hotel is much better and more convenient than booking via a third-party service. It might require a few back-and-forth emailing, but you will definitely get a better room for a cheaper price.
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