It’s a common misconception, from the new holidaymaker to the vacation veteran, that booking direct with a hotel will guarantee cheaper prices. However, recent research shows that by booking via a third party instead can save you up to an overwhelming 45%.
Research carried out by travelsupermarket.com has shown that an average saving of 14% can be made by simply booking a hotel via a third party. By using hotel brokers such as Laterooms.com and online agents such as Lastminute.com or Expedia, as well as checking the prices with the hotel itself, people can see the discrepancy first hand, which in particular instances can be more than 40%.
Take a city break in the Apex City Hotel in this occurrence, from the 13th July; this night stay in Edinburgh will set you back a jaw dropping £234.50 if booked directly with the hotel. When you compare this price to booking with a third party online, you’ll be pleased to find an astonishing saving of 45%, with the same hotel, same weekend costing only £129.37.
And it’s not only Edinburgh this is true for. From the 11th of September, a weekend break in the Catalonia Barcelona Plaza will charge £123.61 directly, while a noteworthy online agent will be looking to charge £77.45, an exceptional £46.16 saving. European destinations aren’t the only ones to benefit; the same can be seen with a week break in the Millennium Hilton, New York, where you can find a £59.55 reduction via online brokers or agents.
Top Deals
|
Hotel |
Cheapest Online Quote |
Booking Direct |
Diff £ |
Diff % |
|
Apex City – Edinburgh |
£129.37 |
£234.50 |
-£105.13 |
-44.84% |
|
Catalonia Barcelona Plaza – Barcelona |
£77.45 |
£123.61 |
-£46.16 |
-37.35% |
|
Millennium Hilton – New York |
£157.07 |
£216.62 |
-£59.55 |
-27.50% |
|
Midland Hotel – Manchester |
£71.00 |
£94.00 |
-£23.00 |
-24.47% |
|
Hilton Las Vegas – Las Vegas |
£46.29 |
£52.64 |
-£6.35 |
-12.07% |
Top 5 money saving tips for your hotel:
• Using online brokers or agents instead of booking directly with the hotel, won’t just give you a great deal, but will also expose you to a wide range of different hotels, including ones you may never have heard of.
• If you have a familiarity with the name of the hotel you wish to stay at, try searching for it with a leading site. You’ll be able to get a variety of different quotes for the same room depending on your needs. Searching by name will also bring back a host of different providers with different prices to compete for your business.
• If you’re travelling with your children, consider opting for a family room for additional discounts.
• For weekend bookings, try an early reservation rather than last minute in order to obtain early booking offers, and book earlier on for recreation rates.
• For the best offers on late deals, book during the week. Book late when it comes to business nights, to give you a better chance of a last minute deal.