Many hostels and bunkhouses try to keep their prices lower on their websites than on Booking.com or Expedia, so you’re more likely to get a better deal when booking directly, which you can via the Independent Hostels website.
The internet has made things so much easier for us. You’re ever only a few clicks away from what you were looking for (and if you’re anything like us, soon you’ll be about 10 clicks away from what you were originally searching for and watching a video of a hedgehog or signing up for a 100-mile race…). This also means that planning your holidays or plotting a spontaneous weekend away has never been easier. With the help of the sites like Booking.com, Trivago and Expedia you can have your holidays booked before you remember what the maximum limit of your credit card was.
As a small independent accommodation providers many hostel and bunkhouses cannot afford not to advertise on these sites. We know that majority of people will open Booking.com when they need a bed for the night or a place to stay on their holiday. All you need to do is enter the dates and the area and within seconds you are presented with all the options. In just a few minutes you can have your accommodation sorted.
However, most people don’t realise that it costs a lot to have accommodation advertised on sites like Booking.com. Did you know that the commission for the sites like Booking.com is usually 15-20%? That means that for every £100 that you spend on accommodation, the accommodation only receives £80. For a small independent business, this difference amounts up to quite a lot. Especially, when you think how often you and your friends use the likes of Booking.com or Expedia.
How do accommodation providers combat such high commissions? Some businesses will increase their prices on online travel agent sites in order to make up for the difference. Others might offer a lesser service (for example, not include a breakfast) for the same price. Some places will limit their availability on these sites. If until now you were wondering why we would complain about commissions to you, then we actually wanted to offer a little tip on how to save money on your holidays.
Next time when you’ve chosen the accommodation that you like the look of on Booking.com or Expedia, instead of rushing to click that book button, why not try and find the website of the place and see if they have the option of booking online directly on their site. You might often find that the same room is available for a cheaper price or that you might get more for your money. Many hostels try and keep their room prices lower on their own websites than on Booking.com or Expedia, so you’re more likely to get a better deal when booking directly. Or you can see live availability and book easily on this website, which does not charge commission to the accommodation or you.
Now, we can’t promise you that every accommodation provider will offer better rates or more attractive deals on their websites, but it is worth spending that extra minute to save that extra pound. We promise you, that hedgehog getting its belly tickled will still be there afterwards. And why would you want to enter a 100-mile race anyway!?
