booking reviews

Booking.com Review: Is It Safe to Use?

By: Author Kyle Kroeger

Posted on Last updated: May 29, 2024

Categories Travel Booking Reviews

Booking.com is a popular site where travelers can book accommodations, flights, and car rentals. Find out all the details about the platform in this Booking.com review.

If you want to maximize your travel experiences, you must make smart decisions while booking accommodations, flights, and other traveling essentials for yourself and your family. Some sites offer everything from hotel bookings to flights, restaurant reservations, and car rentals , all under one platform.

Discount rates are another vital aspect that influences your decision when choosing the right booking site. Let’s face it: we mainly use these sites to travel without burning a large hole in our pockets.

Based on an estimate by CondorFerries , around $810 billion of tickets are sold online – which means this is a huge part of the travel industry.

While travel sites can offer good discounts and rewards, managing multiple accounts and checking prices across platforms simultaneously can be challenging. Knowing the best option isn’t always straightforward, as there are different policies, discount rates, and service fees.

Having used Booking.com multiple times, I can attest that its platform is comprehensive and user-friendly. It offers an easy way to compare various accommodations, from hotels and resorts to apartments and guesthouses, catering to diverse traveler preferences.

With over 200 million reviews written by real guests who have stayed at the properties, authenticity significantly contributes to my trust in their services. Making reservations through an Online Travel Agency or third-party site can come with some risks over booking directly, but often, the deals are much better. 

By choosing a well-regarded and popular site like Booking.com, you can enjoy greater trust and customer service. Booking.com is one of the pioneering websites in the industry, offering the cheapest reservations for all your travel needs.

Read this detailed review to get answers to all your questions, and then head to Booking.com now to follow along.

What We Cover

What is Booking.com?

How does booking.com work, booking.com mobile app, booking process, creating an account, selecting accommodations, payment process, cancellation policy, listing your property on booking.com, who is booking.com for, traveler experience, customer support, user reviews, booking.com genius loyalty program, alternatives to booking.com, pros of booking.com, saves you time, keeps your travel arrangements organized, informative confirmation pages, cons of booking.com.

• Misleading Listings
• Poor Customer Service

Key Features

Reservation options, booking.com user interface, booking.com fees, guest reviews, customer service, is booking.com reliable and safe, booking.com reviews, is booking.com legit, is booking.com or expedia better, is booking.com trustworthy, does booking.com have fake reviews, can reservations be canceled or modified through booking.com.

Booking.com is one of the most comprehensive travel booking websites available today. As a frequent traveler, I’ve had extensive experience navigating its platform and using it as my go-to source for finding accommodations.

Booking.com originally started back in 1996 as an online hotel reservation site. After going through multiple transitions to cater to the needs of an evolving audience, the site began to diversify its offers in 2011.

Today, it is a complete online travel agency that lets you book everything from flights, restaurants, vehicles, airport transportation, and even entire vacation packages.

Despite this, it is still best known for its lodging options, which are attributed to its wide array of choices. These include luxury hotels, rental apartments, villas, resorts, and residential accommodations.

One of Booking.com’s standout features is its incredible collection of verified reviews from actual guests. These reviews are valuable resources for travelers planning their accommodations, as they provide insights into the quality and experience of a given property.

By referencing these reviews, I’ve been able to make informed decisions and feel confident in my choices. You can narrow down your choices and compare accommodations that are highly rated by guests, making planning a trip that much easier.

Along with lodging, Booking.com showcases travel services like flights , car rentals , and airport taxis . This makes it a convenient one-stop shop for numerous aspects of your travel plans, saving time and effort while planning your trip.

Booking.com is a third-party booking platform that operates independently from airlines and hotel chains. If you’re wondering how to book a property on Booking.com or how much they charge for their services, the section below includes a detailed overview of the site’s working process.

If you’re wondering how to book a property on Booking.com or how much they charge for their services, the section below includes a detailed overview of the site’s working process.

Booking.com works like any other online booking services website (or travel agent). What makes it stand out amidst its contemporaries is the wide range of options and customizable filters to find the reservation that fits your needs. I’ll walk you through the process of booking with an accommodation provider in addition to listing a property as an owner below.

In addition to the user-friendly website, Booking.com has a mobile app compatible with iOS and Android to cater to travelers who like to book on the go. What’s more, in addition to making reservations and browsing through options, you can even register your properties and list them for rental income.

As a frequent user of Booking.com , I would like to share my experience with the booking process on the platform.

Creating an account with Booking.com is quite simple. You start by clicking the “Sign in” button at the top right corner of the homepage.

I can sign in using my Google or Facebook account or create a new one using my email address. After providing my email, choosing a password, and confirming my account through a verification email, I can start booking accommodations.

If you’re looking to book lodgings, flights, or transportation for your upcoming vacation , follow its intuitive interface to find your way around. An address bar on the landing page lets you specify your search according to your location and price range.

Selecting the right accommodation on Booking.com is user-friendly. I begin by typing in my destination, check-in and check-out dates, and the number of guests. The search results provide a comprehensive list of available accommodations, sortable by various options such as price, location, and guest ratings.

This helps me narrow my choices and find the ideal place for my needs. Each listing includes detailed information, photos, amenities, and guest reviews, making it easier to evaluate my options.

I can even judge the lodgings based on a comprehensive map included with every listing. This helps me see how accessible the property is through public transportation or how close it is to my destination’s tourist spots .

Once I have decided on accommodation, Booking.com guides me through the payment process. Some listings require full or partial payment upfront, while others allow me to pay upon arrival.

The platform accepts various payment methods, including credit cards , debit cards, and PayPal. The payment process is secure, and I always receive an immediate email confirmation with my booking details.

Enter your PayPal, debit, or credit card details to secure your reservation. Ensure you read the fine print cancellation fee thoroughly before booking, as each hotel or vacation rental may have a different cancellation policy.

After inputting your credit card information, you’ll be redirected to the confirmation page for your booking, which will contain your confirmation number or reservation number. You’ll also see a reminder on the cancellation policy, and you’llreceive an email with your booking confirmation.

As a member, you will receive a personalized dashboard on the website to manage all your bookings and payments. Another huge plus of the platform is that Booking.com does not charge for bookings.

Booking.com provides transparent information about the cancellation policies for each listing. While browsing through different accommodations, I take note of the cancellation policy mentioned in the listing’s details.

These policies vary from flexible, allowing free cancellation up to a specific date, to non-refundable bookings. It’s important to be aware of these policies when booking, as they help me choose suitable accommodation based on my flexibility and commitment.

It’s also important to recognize that cancellation policies vary for each reservation. Booking.com won’t go out of its way to help you get around a cancellation policy enforced by your hotel or airline. Be sure you understand cancellation policies before you book!

If you’re a property owner, you’re in luck, as the listing process for your property is equally simple on Booking.com. You don’t have to pay anything to list your property. Just become a member and enter all the necessary details about your property, including high-resolution pictures and basic information.

After that, wait until you get a tenant’s inquiry or booking request and manage the entire process from the website.

Like other members, you will get a user dashboard with all your bookings and transactions on the website. This way, you can keep track of the requests and bookings you receive and hopefully make a substantial rental income.

Usually, frequent travelers go for travel agents who arrange all the aspects of their trip for them. While these agents charge some fee to provide these services, it makes the entire process hassle-free for vacationers. But, if you want to avoid these fees and avail yourself of the best discounts on every booking you make while traveling, Booking.com is for you.

Yes, you must research the website and contact property owners to ensure good lodging services, but you will get what you’re looking for. Booking.com is an excellent platform for those who frequently travel for work or any other purpose. Alternatively, if you are a property owner who wishes to attract legit and high-paying tenants to generate rental income, Booking.com is an accessible option.

You don’t have to pay anything to get your property listed, organize your commitments, and get the exposure you need to maximize your income.

Besides, Booking.com is one of the pioneering and leading platforms in the industry. It boasts millions of hotel, airline, and car listings in cities across the globe. Moreover, the website is available in multiple languages, so you can choose whichever you prefer.

In this section, I’ll share my experience with Booking.com’s customer support, user reviews, and the Genius Loyalty Program.

My personal experience with Booking.com ‘s customer support has been positive overall. But that isn’t the case for everyone, and I’ve had other friends and family members experience very poor customer service on both the reservation and as property owners.

The plus side is that their team is available 24/7, which has made it easier for me to get help whenever I need it. I have been able to contact them through various channels such as phone, email, and live chat. This versatility has allowed me to choose the communication method that best suits my preferences.

Customer support representatives have been knowledgeable and patient whenever I’ve had questions or needed assistance. Examples include helping me modify reservations, providing local recommendations, and clarifying any policies I was uncertain about. This level of support has made my booking experiences smoother and more enjoyable.

I’ve found the user reviews on Booking.com to be very helpful when selecting accommodations. The website hosts millions of verified guest reviews, providing authentic opinions and experiences from fellow travelers.

These reviews have aided me in making informed choices about where to stay based on factors such as cleanliness, comfort, and location.

The platform also makes it easy to sort and filter reviews according to my needs. For instance, I can filter based on review scores, language, or traveler type (solo, family, couples, groups of friends, and business travelers). These user reviews have significantly influenced my booking decisions and improved my satisfaction with chosen accommodations.

As a frequent traveler, I appreciate the Booking.com Genius Loyalty Program . It offers several benefits and discounts, which have enhanced my travel experiences. For example, by participating in the program, I have received the following:

• Discounts on selected accommodations
• Free hotel room upgrades (subject to availability)
• Early check-in and late check-out options

These benefits have saved me money and added extra comfort during my stay at a hotel. Additionally, the program features multiple tiers, with greater rewards for higher levels. This incentivizes me to continue using Booking.com for my travel needs and helps me feel valued as a loyal customer.

There are a lot of other sites out there that provide similar services for booking accommodations, flights, and other travel-related activities. Here are a few other industry leaders:

• Expedia : As a US-based platform and top competitor to Booking.com, Expedia offers similar features to Booking.com but without as many accommodation reviews. However, I find Expedia to have better customer service.
• Agoda : This is an Asia-based platform that provides a diverse range of accommodations, including hotels, vacation rentals, and hostels. They also offer flight discounts and a loyalty program that rewards users with points for future bookings.
• Travelocity : This travel site offers a wide range of accommodations, flights, and packages. It also provides a mobile app for more accessible bookings and 24/7 customer support to assist with any issues or inquiries.
• Priceline : Priceline, part of Booking Holdings, is another popular option for finding great deals on hotels, flights, and rental cars. Its bidding system allows users to submit their desired price for a booking, potentially resulting in significant savings.
• Tripadvisor : This is the largest of all travel sites in the industry and is a well-known travel review platform that also offers booking services for accommodations, flights, and attractions. They feature user reviews, which can be beneficial in making informed decisions about where to stay or what to do at a destination.

Now that you have read all the essential information, you are probably ready to book your first accommodation through the site. But before you do, here’s a list of the benefits of Booking.com to help you evaluate the platform at a glance.

With Booking.com, you can plan your trip without making any commitments. Its search filters are designed to save you time and let you find tailor-made options according to your travel location and the destinations you are interested in.

This way, you can plan out all the aspects of your vacation, such as your daily itinerary and transport schedule, to avoid future hassle.

As a member of the site, you won’t have to manage each of your bookings and commitments separately. Especially if you travel frequently, you can easily track multiple bookings and cancellations through the dashboard.

Another feature I love about Booking.com is its transparency. If you like a property and want to rent it for your trip, you can click on the icon to get all the information you need before confirming your booking.

Besides the basic info provided by the owner, there are legit guest reviews to back their claims and ensure your trip is perfect.

This is perhaps Booking.com’s most attractive feature. You don’t need to pay an upfront fee or subscription charges to book accommodation or list your property.

Although Booking.com’s long list of benefits seems attractive, it also has flaws. Here’s a list of the drawbacks of Booking.com to give you a clear representation before you make that booking.

Sometimes, Booking.com displays misleading listings on its website. In this case, it is best to cross-check the price of your accommodation or flight booking on sites like Expedia and Yelp to get the best deals.

As anyone can list their property on Booking.com, you can easily fall victim to a scam. Although the website offers reimbursement in such occurrences, it can still spoil your vacation.

Booking.com lets members contact their customer service representatives through email. Nonetheless, they do not always provide prompt replies, which delays cancellations and booking confirmations for some users. This poor customer service experience is still prevalent at the company despite its size.

Every online travel agent has pros and cons, but the best way to choose your favorite is to look at the other features. Here are a few things that make Booking.com my favorite option.

The list of reservation options available can be overwhelming but also satisfying for frequent travelers. You can use the website to book just about anything, including:

• Car rentals
• Public Transport Tickets
• Airport Transportation
• Restaurants
• Experiences

Similarly, you can customize your search based on your location and preferences. For instance, you can specify whether you want breakfast, parking, and Wi-Fi facilities with your accommodation. Regarding flight reservations, Booking.com offers multiple airline options for your destination, so you can book the best possible flight option .

Besides that, you can get the best prices by predicting whether the costs will increase or decrease. This way, you can decide whether to book immediately or wait a while.

See Related: Viator Review: Is Viator Legit?

At first glance, Booking.com’s user interface can seem overcrowded, as the site has so much to offer. Yet, the site is intuitive and helps you find your way around quickly.

Whichever reservation you’re looking for, you can filter your search from the left column to avoid getting irrelevant results. The filters include popularity, meals, property type, bed preference, review score, and neighborhood.

A good trick is to avoid the top picks if you want to travel at a lower cost . That’s because these options pay a high fee to the platform to be featured and compensate for it by charging high rent from tenants.

While booking your accommodation and flights or making any reservations, you don’t need to pay any fee to Booking.com directly. Instead, you will be charged by the hotel at the end of your stay when you check out.

As mentioned above, honest guest reviews are perhaps Booking.com’s best feature. Before you complete your booking, you can get hands-on information about your accommodation’s location, staff support, comfort, facilities, and cleanliness.

Most importantly, you can find reviews in several languages and even filter them by type of traveler.

Booking.com has a comprehensive customer service section. Whether you’re looking for reservations or listing your property, you can contact a representative through their help center if you have a problem operating the website.

Similarly, they also have a well-organized FAQ page, where the answers are divided into various categories. Simply click on a relevant category and look for the answer to your query.

Moreover, the website posts regular travel resources and blog posts regarding updates and breakthroughs in the travel industry to keep frequent travelers in the loop.

Booking.com is a reliable online travel agency established in 1996. It is known for its wide range of accommodations, flights, and car rentals.

With over 28 million listings across 228 countries and territories, it is one of the world’s leading booking platforms. The platform ensures user safety with its secure payment system and dedicated customer support.

As a frequent traveler , I often turn to Booking.com for reliable accommodation options. The website features verified hotel reviews from real guests, contributing significantly to my decision-making process.

Booking.com gathers reviews only from individuals who have made a booking and stayed at the property, adding authenticity to the feedback received.

In my experience, Booking.com offers numerous choices for various budgets and preferences. The platform boasts over 200 million reviews, which I find immensely helpful while exploring different accommodation types for my next trip.

Additionally, Booking.com caters to short-term apartment rentals, further expanding the options for travelers like me. As with any service, I have encountered occasional mixed and negative reviews.

Some users have reported dissatisfaction with the reservation process on Booking.com due to misunderstandings or technical errors, particularly regarding the platform’s rating on Trustpilot , which features a paltry 1.2 stars out of 5 from users. It’s essential to consider these incidents without dismissing the platform’s overall efficiency.

Most of these incidents occur because people do not understand the booking process. Most people try contacting the hotel directly since the customer service team at Booking.com is known to be unreliable.

Based on my personal experiences and thorough research, I have found Booking.com to be a reliable and efficient platform for booking accommodation. However, navigating the site’s custom service is still a massive issue, as it’s very hard to get ahold of anyone.

Booking.com Review: Is It Safe to Use? (2024)

Are you looking for a one-stop shop for all your travel bookings? Check out this Booking.Com review for the ultimate option.

Product Brand: Booking.com

• Helps to Save Time
• Keeps Commitment Organized Informative Confirmation Pages Easy Cancellation

Yes, Booking.com is legitimate and safe to use. They are one of the largest travel sites in the world and a reputable leader in the travel industry. To avoid any misunderstandings, ensure you read the cancellation policy in detail and make a note of the policy, whether it be free cancellation, a non-refundable booking, or partial pre-payment.

The platform is reliable and completely safe to use. The most appealing aspect is no hidden charges or fees, so you can look for bookings with nothing to lose. Although it has an inefficient customer support system, it offers easy cancellations and honest guest reviews to help you conduct the booking process hassle-free.

Travelers often contemplate between Booking.com and Expedia when planning their dream vacation. As two of the most prominent platforms in the online travel industry, both have garnered customer praise and loyalty. We recommend using Booking.com to book accommodations and Expedia to book flights due to their specialization in each category.

Booking.com , as the leading reservation platform, offers travelers a secure and reliable experience. This top-notch site has established itself as one of the safest options in the online travel industry.

Although some may question the authenticity of reviews, Booking.com does not intentionally publish false feedback. Identifying fraudulent reservations is a complex task that requires human intervention, and the platform takes necessary precautions by charging additional costs to reinstate or deactivate flagged bookings.

You can easily modify or cancel your reservation through the platform, subject to the property’s cancellation policy.

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LUXURY under BUDGET

Booking.com Review: Is it Worth the Hype?

Is Booking.com legit and worth the hype?

As you plan your trip, chances are you’ve come across Booking.com as an option for booking your accommodations and travel arrangements This popular platform offers a wide range of options, from hotels and resorts to vacation rentals, and claims to offer the best deals on hotels. But is Booking.com truly a reliable and trustworthy choice for booking your travel?

Having used the site for many years myself, I have had both positive and negative experiences with Booking.com. In this review, I will share my personal experiences and delve into the pros and cons of using the platform to help you decide it’s the right choice for you.

Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or new to the world of online booking, this review will provide valuable insights to help you make the best decision for your travel needs.

Luxury under Budget aims at helping you get the best deals by maximizing the value of your time and money. My recommendations are based on first-hand experiences and a full analysis of costs vs. benefits. This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may get a small commission when you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. This helps support my blog and enables me to provide more free and helpful content . Now, let’s go get you that luxury travel while staying under the budget!

Have You Got These Items For Your Trip Yet?

• Credit Card : I recommend Chase Sapphire Preferred®
• Flights & Accommodations : I recommend Expedia
• Car Rental: I recommend Discover Cars
• Travel Accessories: I recommend Amazon Coupons
• Tours/Experiences: I recommend Viator  

What is Booking.com?

Booking.com is an online travel platform that allows travelers to search and compare prices for a wide range of accommodations, from budget-friendly hostels to luxury resorts. It functions as a third-party site/middleman for those seeking to book hotels and other travel arrangements.

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Is Booking.com Legit?

Yes, Booking.com is a legitimate travel booking platform with over 20 million accommodation listings. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Amsterdam, Booking.com is owned by Booking Holdings, a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq that also owns other well-known travel brands such as Priceline and Agoda .

After over 25 years in business, Booking.com has established itself as one of the top travel booking sites, thanks to its user-friendly interface and wide range of accommodations.

While Booking.com is generally a reliable platform, it doesn’t guarantee a completely smooth and issue-free experience. As a seasoned traveler with over a decade of experience using Booking.com, I can attest to the fact that even with a legit site like Booking.com, there may be occasional negative experiences – which I will share in more detail below.

Generally, this should not deter you from considering the platform for your travel needs. With a little bit of research and due diligence, you may find that Booking.com is a reliable and trustworthy choice for booking your travel.

How Does Booking.com Work?

Booking.com is an online travel booking platform that allows you to search and compare prices for a wide range of accommodations and travel options. To use the platform, you can easily find your desired accommodations and travel arrangements through the search bar.

To search for accommodations, you can enter your desired location, dates of travel and any other preferences such as the type of accommodations or the number of guests. Booking.com will then display a list of available options that match your search criteria, along with the prices and any available discounts. You can then compare the options and choose the one that best fits your needs.

If you check the box to say “I’m traveling for work”, Booking.com will show you more hotel options with business centers, printers, and free Wifi.

Once you’ve found your desired accommodations or travel arrangements, you can book them directly on the Booking.com website or app . Payment can be made using a credit card, debit card, or other payment methods accepted by Booking.com. After the booking is complete, you’ll receive a confirmation email with the details of your reservation.

Booking.com also offers a loyalty program, which allows you to earn rewards and benefits for booking through the platform. Members of the Genius program receive special discounts, flexible cancellation policies, and other perks.

How Does Booking.com’s Loyalty Program Work?

Booking.com’s loyalty program, called Genius, rewards frequent users of the platform with discounts and other perks. There are three tiers of the Genius program: Genius Level I, II, and III.

If you complete 5 stays within 2 years with Booking.com, you will reach Genius Level 2 and unlock exclusive perks such as a 10 to 15% discount on hotel rates, free breakfasts on select stays, and free room upgrades on select stays.

By continuing to be a loyal guest and reaching Genius Level 3, you will unlock even more benefits such as a 20% discount on hotel rates, free breakfast on all stays, free room upgrades on all stays, and priority support on all bookings.

To join the Genius program, simply create a Booking.com account and start booking through the platform. As you make more bookings and reach higher spending thresholds, you will automatically move up through the tiers and unlock additional discounts and perks.

How Does Booking.com Make Money?

Booking.com is known for offering a wide range of accommodation options at competitive prices. However, some travelers may question the legitimacy of the platform due to its seemingly low prices. To understand why Booking.com is a legitimate choice for booking travel, it is important to understand how the company makes money.

Booking.com obtains discounted rates for purchasing hotel rooms in bulk, which allows it to offer competitive prices to its customers. The company uses its own algorithms to determine the selling price of these rooms, balancing the need to offer attractive prices with the need to earn a profit.

In addition to its bulk purchasing strategy, Booking.com also operates on a commission-based model through partnerships with various accommodation providers. When a customer books a hotel through the platform, Booking.com earns a commission from the property owner for referring the customer. This commission is a percentage of the booking price and varies depending on the type of property and location.

Finally, Booking.com generates revenue through advertising and the sale of travel-related products and services. It may display ads on its website and app and offer additional services such as car rentals and airport transfers through partnerships and affiliate programs with other companies in the travel industry.

Booking.com Review

As someone who has used Booking.com for over 10 years and reached the highest level of the platform’s loyalty program, Genius Level 3, I have had a mix of positive and negative experiences.

One instance that stands out was when I booked a 4-star beach hotel in Playa del Carmen on Booking.com based on its great reviews, only to arrive and find that the room was moldy and had a disgusting smell. It was far from the 4-star quality that I had expected, and I would not even consider it a 2-star hotel.

Another time, I arrived at a hotel on a road trip in California and was told that the hotel is completely booked and my reservation is not in the system. This was a frustrating and inconvenient experience that could have been avoided if the booking had been properly managed.

I also had a negative experience with Booking.com in Vietnam when I arrived at a hotel after 5 PM and was told that my booking had been canceled because it was only held until 5 PM. I had not been made aware of this time limitation on the Booking.com platform, and it was frustrating to have to find last-minute accommodations.

While I have found some great deals with Booking.com over the years and can confirm Booking.com is legit, these negative instances have led me to switch to other platforms such as Priceline and Agoda for cheaper prices and better services.

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Booking.com Pros and Cons

One of the main advantages of using Booking.com is its user-friendly interface. The website is easy to navigate and allows users to search for accommodations based on their location, budget, and desired amenities.

Another pro of Booking.com is its wide selection of accommodations. The platform partners with a large number of hotels, vacation rentals, and other types of accommodations, so users have plenty of options to choose from. This can be especially helpful for travelers who are looking for specific types of accommodations or who are trying to book a stay in a particular location.

Booking.com also offers a rewards program for frequent users. Members of the program can earn points for every booking they make, which can then be redeemed for discounts on future bookings or other perks.

The platform also offers a best price guarantee policy, which means that if you find a lower price, Booking.com will match the price and give you a discount. In addition, the platform has a 24/7 customer service team that can assist with any questions or issues you may have.

However, there are also some cons to using Booking.com. One issue is that refunds can be delayed. If you need to cancel a booking or make changes to your reservation, it may take some time to process your request and receive a refund.

I have also found that customer reviews on Booking.com may not always be reliable. It’s possible that some reviews may be fake or biased, so I’d recommend you double-check with Tr ipAdvisor .

Another con of Booking.com is that the price you first see is not the final price of the booking. There will be taxes and fees, making a hotel that originally seems to be $230 suddenly go up to like $300. These can add up and increase the overall cost of your stay. And even after you have paid that, you may still have resort fees or environmental fees that will be collected at check-in.

Overall, it’s important to carefully review the terms and conditions of your booking to understand any additional charges that may apply.

Booking.com Pros

• User-friendly Interface
• 24/7 Customer Service
• Rewards Program

Booking.com Cons

• Reviews may be unreliable
• Not always the best deals
• Unexpected Fees

What You Should Do Before Using Booking.com

Before using Booking.com, there are several things you should consider to ensure a smooth and successful booking experience.

1. Read the cancellation and refund policies carefully

These policies can vary depending on the hotel and the terms of your reservation. Many hotels allow you to cancel free of charge at least 24 hours before your stay, but Booking.com also offers non-refundable hotel options at a discounted price. Make sure you understand your rights and obligations in case you need to cancel or change your booking.

2. Check the hotel’s location and amenities

Research the safety of the area in which the hotel is located, and consider the additional safety measures offered by high-end and all-inclusive resorts.

3. Cross-check the hotel reviews

I have had a fair share of negative experiences with Booking.com because the reviews do not reflect the current conditions of the hotel. Before you book the hotel, I’d recommend you double the check the reviews on Tr ipAdvisor .

These reviews can provide valuable insights into the hotels. By reading reviews, you can get a sense of the level of service, the quality of the accommodations, and any potential issues or concerns that other travelers have experienced.

And a lot of the time, if you click the “View Deal” through TripAdvisor, it will show you better prices available, not only on Booking.com but also on other trusted travel booking websites.

💰 Click on TripAdvisor Hotels Deals now to view more discounts!

Conclusion: Is Booking.com Legit & Worth It?

Although I have had some negative experiences with the platform, I can confirm that Booking.com is legit. It offers a wide range of accommodations at competitive prices. With its easy-to-use interface, reliable customer reviews, and various payment options, Booking.com can be a convenient choice for many travelers.

However, it is important to carefully read the cancellation and refund policies, check the location and amenities of the hotel, and read reviews from other travelers before making a booking. It is also a good idea to use TripAdvisor to cross-check reviews and compare prices with other travel booking sites.

Whether Booking.com is worth it or not ultimately depends on your personal preferences and needs. If you are careful and do your research, Booking.com can be a valuable resource for finding and booking travel accommodations. Alternatively, Priceline and Agoda are also good options to consider for booking travel accommodations.

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I nearly always use booking.com

I nearly always use booking.com. Navigating the website is easy and making a reservation is also simple. I find communication with the places booked also very good. what i would find useful is being able to look up the question in date order starting at the most recent questions asked. Every time i use this search i might find the answer but it can be from several years ago so i ask the question again in case policies have changed.

Date of experience : 06 June 2024

Money hungry scammer website

Money hungry scammer website. They never have anything to do with their partners faults. Booked a place called past and trail in Larnaca Cyprus, arrived there and was treated impolitely by a male receptionist that looks like a beggar and does not speak English. Was promised an early check in and he just told me to read the board where it said Check in 2 pm, called booking and they did not do anything. I hope you lose your market share to airbnb or any other rental platform because your level will f service is the worst I’ve seen. And I am so called a genius level client. Omg! Imagine the f I was not!

Date of experience : 07 June 2024

Misinformed

After receiving the confirmation for a booking through Booking.com I booked our flights. I contacted the owner who said I hadn't booked anything. After several phone calls and emails Booking.com asked me to find an alternative and they would pay the difference, around 60 Euro. I searched and found one that was as near to the price as possible and now they're refusing to give me the difference. I suggest checking with the owner before booking flights, insurance etc. Reluctant to use Booking.com again

Avoid this website

Avoid this website. Many emails later & still no response (automated response asking for the same details I have provided 3 times). $500 out of pocket. No local phone number despite what the site says.

Date of experience : 23 May 2024

BOOKING IS A SCAM

I put in my reservation to Booking and the hotel was disgusting. There were stains on the linen, the lamp, dust covered the night stand and the walls reeked of urine. I submitted photos and spoke to the hotel manager. He gave me a 75% refund that I had to get from Booking. It's been over 2 weeks that I have been waiting for my money to be released to me after speaking to 5 different agents. Booking uses the excuse of the hotel declining their calls but when I call, I get someone immediately. For the past 2 days I have been calling and they've been hanging up the phone on me! These people are scammers and refuse to give your money back. NEVER AGAIN!

Date of experience : 24 May 2024

Bad customer service.

Bad customer service. Booking.com or the hotel was not able to process our payment. But the booking also couldn't be cancelled. Anyway we couldn't check in so we had to find another accomodation last minute. The next day booking.com or the hotel processed or payment. Suddenly they were able to do it. But they did it also for the night we didn't stay there (not our fault that we couldn't check in) !!!! Until now it is not solved.

Date of experience : 16 November 2023

6 months without my refund

I have been waiting for a refund since December 4th 2023. The booking is marked as "refund requested" Where is my €809. l am a pensioner and 6 months without my money is UNACCEPTABLE. l am also hoping for a good will gesture.

Date of experience : 04 December 2023

Horrible customer service experience when I need most…

After using Booking.com for three years, I finally decided not use them anymore. I made a mistake on hotel reservation and I put a wrong date accidentally which everyone does once a while. Booking.com said to me that they contacted to the hotel if the hotel allows Booking.com to change the date. The fact was Booking.com never contacted the hotel and took my money $155 Because the hotel manager took a time and contacted me. Booking.com definitely lost a customer.

Date of experience : 25 May 2024

Disaster customer service,

Disaster customer service, I had booked a Turkish Airlines flight through Booking.com, but due to a long security queue, we missed it. We were told to rebook the flight within an hour for the next day at no additional cost. However, when we called Booking.com's customer service, we were charged 746 euros for the next day’s flight, which was not even booked when we arrived at the airport. This nightmare unfolded with our two-year-old daughter in tow. Despite making over 100 calls, we were told a refund was being processed, yet six months later, we still haven’t received it. The initial booking cost was 2549.94 euros, plus the extra 746 euros. This experience was absolutely pathetic. I will never trust or recommend Booking.com to anyone.

Date of experience : 09 December 2023

On the hotels we would like to book

On the hotels we would like to book, Booking.com did not offer many alternatives on the payment method so we had to chose other hotel for our stay. Our rating is poor based also on our overall experience. Booking.com never gave a solution on any issue we have faced the last two years. we only receive e-mails that they will reply to us or that they will contact the hotel on our behalf but they never give a feedback. This is really disaponting. Also, there is no tel. no. so we can contact and find a solution, which is also time consuming.

Disabled people unwelcome

AVOID THIS COMPANY. Booked to go to my sister for a few days. I had checked and had proof that the hotel claimed to have wheelchair access. Arrived alone to find I couldn’t even get in the gate. Then was booked into somewhere just as inaccessible. I was left stranded alone in the end of the day and needing to charge my wheelchair. I had to borrow money to pay to stay in a hotel for twice as much. I still don’t have my money back for a venue that doesn’t allow disabled customers or its accessible replacement. Truly truly appalling customer service. Avoid at all costs especially if you have any additional needs.

Date of experience : 28 May 2024

Customer-NOSERVICE @ Booking.com

We contacted Booking.com Customer Service for help w/a technical issue on their app. The response was prompt but surprisingly superficial. It seemed as if our issue didn’t fit their “5 common fixes” so they simply gave-up & went away. Again, we were surprised & disappointed w/the total lack of resourcefulness, creativity or curiosity displayed. In today’s marketplace we’ve all experienced Customer-NOSERVICE. Somehow we expected more from Booking.com. The travel-booking industry is rife w/options. In the future this long-time loyal customer will shop elsewhere.

Date of experience : 01 June 2024

Very very dissatisfied and disappointed

We have been booking with booking.com for years. Recently I booked accommodation and on arrival the host was not there and I was unable to gain access. I phoned her and she said she was busy and when I asked if anybody could assist she told me to go away. I complained to Booking.com who advised there is nothing they could do so I had to forfeit two night’s accommodation money and book elsewhere, what disgusting service ! Never again will I be using their services

False advertisement when reserving

Booked a vacation to Mexico for a week, reseved 2 room for us and our friends, the same ocean view, king bed, on the beach. Get to there for our room to be a palm tree view, 9th floor twin bed. Our friends room was a king bed, ocean view with a bottle of champagne. Needless to say we did not get either room we reserved. I have been a VIP genius with booking for years. Going to change which company I book with now. Booking said it was not there fault, but the resort. The resort did upgrade us to a better room but we had to sleep in separate beds the first night. Emotionally stressed the second day of what was suppose to be a relaxing vacation.

Absolutely the worst customer service I…

Absolutely the worst customer service I have ever dealt with. They will admit they have taken your money incorrectly, but to get it back YOU must produce evidence upon evidence that THEY have taken the money. It is glaringly obvious they don’t intend to give you the money back so send you round in circles over and over again. Please if you have a situation like this try a raise a dispute with your bank. Nobody needs the stress of trying to deal with this.

I booked a room for seven nights and was kicked out

I booked a room for seven nights and the money was withdrawn from my account. The next day booking.com called me to tell me that I have to change my check in date by two days later. As I could not do that the property owner wanted to move me in another location which was away from the city center and the bus station. He would offer no discount even though the new accommodation was less valuable than the one I originaly booked. Instead he just cancelled the contract. I could not have changed any date. I would have to pay for my booking even if could only arrive two days later. But the property owner can do so. So this Booking.com platform is not good for customers. A property owner can do what he wants.

Booking cancelled !

Booking cancelled by email days after I booked the flights , error on their part but having to wait for re fund 7-12 days ! Not fair having to wait when it's their error I cannot re book until this is refunded! Not the first time they made an error

I booked a property in Istanbul from…

I booked a property in Istanbul from booking.com . When i arrived there the reception of the building told me there is no such a property and other people got scammed other day. Message booking support, already almost 1 months later no reason's from booking. I called them and pay high phone bill cuz roaming from Turkey. Booking told me they will investigate and already almost 1 months no response and no momey returned. This website is a scam and support is totally shi. Fuc thieves

Date of experience : 14 May 2024

Feeling like you tried to rip me off

I have been a customer of your site for many years but I’m becoming extremely dissatisfied. I looked at my most recent booking on two devices, same room same hotel, everything exactly the same and the prices were £18 different. I had to create a new account to get the cheaper price. Obviously you give your existing loyal customers absolutely zero for their loyalty. I am currently looking at other sites more now and will aim to use booking.com less if not at all. I will also be sharing my views on all my feeds and review sites.

Date of experience : 04 June 2024

customer service SUCKS

my credit card had been frauded on the booking.com app. I have never experienced such a terrible customer service as booking.com. The English language spoken poorly, the Dutch with terrible accents, people talking so slow, putting on hold for 15 minutes as the time!! Besides that, just called 20 times for the same issue, repeating constantly the same story all over again. simple questions, they just don't get it. absolutely terrible. shame on you!!!!

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Most relevant

This review is for an independent…

This review is for an independent mobile caravan 181 on the Newquay Bay Resort. We hired this via my father in law for the Cornwall County Show. It's a lovely new , bright and airy, large mobile home / caravan. There is plenty of room with clean and well maintained fixtures and appliances. Its pretty close to porth beach ,which is lovely and we very much enjoyed our stay. There is parking and we took our own bedding which avoids laundry charges. Constructive criticism...some hooks on the bathroom doors to hang clothes etc , a coffee table and maybe some outdoor furniture. Otherwise all good a very much recommended.

Date of experience : 08 June 2024

Negligence of Information.

I could not put into words how terrible booking.com is. When we used this travel website, booking.com displayed the price for the hotel. Come to find out we were getting charged an extra $500 dollars for state and hotel fees that booking.com failed to mention. This website has a negligence of information that is necessary when planning a trip. On top of that the customer service team is horrible and are to no help. Overall never use this website, unless you wish to be borderline scammed.

Date of experience : 03 June 2024

Absolutely appalling customer service

Absolutely appalling customer service. No contact number available. After dozens of emails explaining how I didn’t receive a confirmation email, they finally gave me a contact number WHERE YOU NEEDED TO ENTER YOUR CONFIRMATION NUMBER. Which I did not have and that was the whole issue! Absolutely useless. After using Booking.com for years and years I am shocked at how little they will help when you need it. Disgusting service.

Avoid at all costs

I arrived at the apartment I booked to discover that it has been preoccupied, upon calling the property manager he carelessly said it was double booked. Since then he cancelled my booking as a no show and refusing to refund me, booking.com is refusing to also help with the refund. The name is luxurious serviced apartment in leeds , also called live-in-leeds.com.

Date of experience : 21 May 2024

No help to get promised refund when the hotel cancelled my booking

I have used Booking.com for many years and i had lots of bookings on this last trip however i am still our of pocket for over $2,400 despite being reassured that i would be reimbursed. The hotel took the full amount for the booking on Feb 1st. I was flying to New York on 25th (day of checkin) and received a message stating the hotel had to cancel I didnt receive any assistance and had to find my own alternative accommodation. Eventually got through to customer service and was assured i would receive a full refund plus the difference of the new hotel. I am still trying to get the refund and cant get hold of anyone at the hotel or booking.com

Date of experience : 25 April 2024

CHARGED FULL PRICE FOR A FREE CANCELLATION

I was charged for a FREE very early cancellation. I send all the proof including my entire bank statement to Bookin.com. I was given some automated run-around, lied to and never did get my money back. I will never use their service again. Unbelievably unreliable company!! I would give a zero if I could!!!! Avoid ever using them!!!

Date of experience : 24 May 2024

Terrible Experience

I booked a room at the Holiday Inn Express in Glasgow. Booking.com had all the relevant information, I needed a wheelchair accessible room with a walk in shower. They did not pass this information onto the Holiday Inn, this resulted in no shower, and the room was not wheelchair accessible my wheelchair wouldn’t fit through the door to the room, it wouldn’t even fit through the lift doors. I had no choice but to struggle with the room as it was which put a bigger strain on my carer, needless to say I will never use booking.com again.

Date of experience : 06 June 2024

Refund Nightmare

I had a nightmare trying to get a refund from Priceline. My transaction was canceled, the hotel wasn't paid, and I'm still waiting for my money back – four months later! It's been a huge headache dealing with their customer service. I've spoken to numerous people, but haven't gotten anywhere. Absolutely avoid using Priceline if you value your time and sanity.

Date of experience : 31 March 2024

Wrong house description, poor customer service

House was described with parking next to it. Found out 1 day before holiday that parking was 15min walk outside park. 30 minute call with customer service who confirmed their mistake would get call back that day with confirmation that parking is organzed or i would get significant discount No call back ! Went on holiday knowing it was bot going to be good. Poor. Just a mail answer after my complaint after the holiday. Not even money back for the promised parking that was not there !!!!!! We had to walk several times with suitcases and bags over the park in the rain witg 4 persons. REALLY VERY DISAPPOINTING. HOLIDAY WAS NO FUN. Never booking.com again. Wrong house description and a non reliable customer service REALLY DISAPPOINTING

Date of experience : 30 May 2024

Worst Booking website

To start off, the customer service is horrible, you can not imagine how bad it is. We have been waiting for our refund for 4 months. We called numerous times and all we get told is that it is being escalated with the team and airline. But in fact this is just a big lie. To this day we haven’t received our refund of a flight to France which landed in Amsterdam due to difficulties landing. It was totally not our fault and we couldn’t do much about it, other than calling booking.com. We will definitely not book another ticket from this website and you shouldn’t too !!!!! Worst experience and got no hope of getting the money back.

Date of experience : 22 February 2024

Worst customer service and policy.

Worst customer service and policy. Called to make change first they are quoting incorrect price almost triple the cost then I have informed that I am getting lower on airline website then they managed to come on the same but later realized they made changes to incorrect dates raised it with the dedicated team supervisor call was arranged but no call rcvd commitment was 3 hrs originally but its been 34 hrs no call back received. Also, they have hidden terms and conditions for flexible fare which is even not mentioned in confirmation email. Completed fraud .... Don't book with them also the go to gate their partner as well.

Date of experience : 04 June 2024

No concern for customer safety or the quality of the accommodation they offer…

Contacted booking.com about safety issues (and other concerns) at a property I had booked through their app. Never received a reply /any communication from them. If you want to stay somewhere with a gas safety certificate that's over 5 years out of date, where the windows on the ground floor don't lock and there is mould on the walls it's the ideal place to book!

Date of experience : 31 May 2024

Be careful, Booking changes the dates of trip during booking process

The dates in my reservation are not the dates that I was searching for. Reservation is non-refundable. I hope this issue can be resolved, but so far Hotel doesn’t want to access any request for changes. I have no idea why during the booking process the dates where changed. It was search for fix (not flexible) date, one night trip. Why Booking is changing the dates? Unexpected and confusing.

Date of experience : 05 June 2024

Living Hell to ask for a simple invoice of a flight

Every time I book a air flight to my employees, I spend at least 2hours with phone calls and emails back and forward just to ask for a simple invoice. I advice everybody to buy directly in gotogate.com or mytrip.com because you can fill your legal business information and print it immediately. The booking.com personnel that assist me are always kind and helpful, but it doesn't pay off the 3€ you save booking air tickets through them.

Ease of the booking, Apple Pay!

Ease of the booking. Able to Apple Pay!! Love how you can choose your exact room after comparing photos and specs on the app. Decent discounts given on rooms when the average price of a hotel room has skyrocketed since the pandemic.

DO NOT buy plane tickets from Booking.com

DO NOT buy plane tickets from Booking.com. Their customer service is horrible. Airline changed the departure time of one of our flights, which caused us missing a connecting flight. Airline said that if Booking.com calls their appropriate department, the flight will get fixed with changing the airline of the short leg of the trip. Booking.com offered all kinds of outrageous solutions, which would cause hopping around Europe airports, leaving a day early, canceling the flight, refunding a pity amount of money, which by then was not enough to book new flights. They refused to call the airline, which did not make sense. Go straight to the airline when buying tickets and stay away from Booking.com!

I can not bellieve this people is still…

I can not bellieve this people is still in business. Booking charge me a non refundable booking 2 days after I booked for a hotel in Vancouver. For legal problems the property cancelled the booking. After 2 weeks I am still waiting for a refund and today Booking is asking me for a proof of the payment. This is unaceptable, I will never use Booking again

Date of experience : 03 May 2024

Booked & paid for hotel in April for June holiday. Day before travel we were informed that the room was not available. We were offered a inferior hotel which we were forced to accept due to the late availability. Called booking.com, waited on phone for 15 minutes and no reply. I messaged them & received a unhelpful reply. I responded to their reply & am still waiting for a response 2 days later. Will not use again, terrible company.

Date of experience : 01 June 2024

Shocking Customer Service and Website in getting through

For some unexplained reason my account and email has been disabled without any explanation. I tried to contact their customer services - without success Their web site is a joke regarding getting answers to customer queries. I just cannot get through to speak to anyone. If I could give -100 I would I’ve used this company many times without any loyalty shown from them over the years and considering the amount of money I’ve spent with them. RUBBISH !

DO NOT BOOK!!!

Had a house booked for months for a family reunion, turned up and noone was there. Booking.com left 6 girls stranded in a strange city for hours. Had to get ready in asda car part for a concert which we ended up missing 75% of and had to travel 320 mile home after the concert because the alternative accomodation they sent us to was disgusting and they charged us £440 !!

Date of experience : 25 May 2024

Best Hotel Booking Sites

We recommend using Booking.com for hotel reservations

Ligaya Malones is an editor, blogger, and freelance writer specializing in food and travel. Ligaya's work has appeared in publications including Lonely Planet and BRIDES.

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

All aspects of travel planning can be handled online, and the best hotel booking sites help customers find places to stay based on cost, availability, proximity, amenities, and more. By searching a range of dates in a specific area, customers can view hotels with vacancies along with details about those hotels and reviews from other customers.

The best hotel booking sites give customers the broadest range of options with as many details as possible about the listed hotels. In addition to competitive prices, sites offer rewards or discounts to frequent travelers depending on how often they book. They also allow customers to cancel reservations with little to no penalty, or they offer bigger discounts on reservations that cannot be canceled.

The Best Hotel Booking Sites for 2023

• Best Overall: Booking.com
• Best Overall, Runner-Up: Hotels.com
• Best for Luxury: Mr and Mrs Smith
• Best Budget: Hostelworld
• Best for Spontaneous Travel: Hotel Tonight
• Best for Membership Rewards: Marriott Bonvoy
• Best for Social Impact: Kind Traveler
• Our Top Picks

Booking.com

• Mr and Mrs Smith
• Hostelworld

Hotel Tonight

Marriott Bonvoy

Kind Traveler

• See More (4)

Final Verdict

Frequently asked questions, methodology, best overall : booking.com.

This hotel booking site sports one of the largest numbers of hotel accommodations around the world, and guests often gravitate toward it to find a great deal. In addition to hotels, Booking.com allows guests to search for car rentals, flights, and flight and hotel packages.

Broad selection

Reviews only by those who have booked

Customer service challenges

Booking.com is an aggregator site known for its volume of hotel options at all price points, though many travelers turn to the site to compare rates on hotels around the world. The site has been known to deliver some of the lowest rates on the internet. Reviews of hotels displayed on the website are written by individuals who’ve booked and completed travel through Booking.com. It also makes a point of including taxes as part of published rates for hotels located in Europe and Asia.

In 2022, the Amsterdam-based company eliminated a few thousand call center jobs, while existing positions were outsourced, which might mean customer service challenges on the consumer end during this transition.

Best Overall , Runner-Up : Hotels.com

A bulleted list of fees and policies makes listed hotels easy to compare.

Millions of listings

Detailed reviews

You may miss out on hotel brands' loyalty programs

Hotels.com is one of the longest-running hotel listing sites in the business and publishes more than 3 million different listings in nearly 20,000 locations around the world including in cities like Cape Town, Lisbon, countries within the Caribbean, and Japan. Use its search engine to filter hotel results by category, such as by accessibility requirements—like a roll-in shower or sign-language capable staff—preferred neighborhood, and must-have amenities such as an ocean view or free airport shuttle. Search also by type of accommodations, including motels and apartments. Its app also offers an additional 10 percent off bookings.

Its collection of 10,000 VIP Access properties are cream-of-the-crop listings that have received top ratings for exceptional service by Hotels.com guests. Hotel reviews by Hotels.com guests indicate how long and what type of trip users took (business vs. leisure) for additional context.

Best for Luxury : Mr and Mrs Smith

Mr & Mrs Smith

Discerning traveler-curated boutique hotel listings include exclusive perks when you book with this site.

Listed hotels must pass vetting process

Listings across multiple continents

Limited number of listings

The U.K.-based Mr and Mrs Smith considers itself a global travel club. Guests booking through its site receive access to a curated list of more than 1,700 upscale hotels and villas throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean, among other locales. Peruse listings by categories, such as child-friendly hotels, properties ideal for a honeymoon, and pet-friendly hotels.

Each Mr and Mrs Smith property must be invited into its roster after passing a strict, anonymous review by one of the company’s in-house travel specialists. Most of the listings are boutique hotels with a penchant for considered aesthetics and lots of unique touches (such as an onsite restaurant that produces its own olive oil). Many unique accommodations are offered, with options including treehouse hotels and tropical retreats with both overwater and underwater rooms. 

The site offers three membership tiers. Its second and third tiers are paid options (choose to make either a monthly or an annual payment, beginning at $150 annually) and include perks like priority booking on exclusive offers, discounted access to airport lounges, and room upgrades as available.

Best Budget : Hostelworld

 Hostelworld

Socially minded and budget-conscious travelers turn to this hotel booking site for affordable rates and a flexible cancellation policy—24 hours prior to arrival.

Caters to budget-focused travelers

Can plan for large groups

Lacks the depth of larger, aggregate sites

Budget travelers looking for a hostel or cheap hotel should check out Hostelworld. It lists 36,000 properties in 178 countries, with more than 13 million verified guest reviews to back them up in backpacker-friendly locales from Amsterdam and Berlin to New Zealand. 

Filter results by room type (such as all-female dorms or en-suite family rooms), distance from the city center, and accommodation type. Although the site is called Hostelworld, you can also book bed and breakfasts, apartments, and campsites. Overviews of each listing are provided by the property owners and are accompanied by a Hostelworld description of the property, a summary of amenities like free WiFi or complimentary breakfast, and other travelers' reviews. Select your room type, pay a nominal deposit to reserve your room, and receive instant confirmation. 

Traveling in a group of 15 or more? Use the site’s group travel bookings feature to plan your friend-cation, reunion, and more. And since hostels typically have a social, communal vibe, in 2022, Hostelworld announced its platform now offers the optional capability to interact and connect with other Hostelworld guests checking in to the same city and hostel 14 days before arrival.

Best for Spontaneous Travel : Hotel Tonight

Travelers with flexibility and those in need of last-minute accommodations find this app-first hotel booking service offers heavily discounted rooms in a pinch.

Accommodates short-term needs

Loyalty program

Still must coordinate some details directly with hotels

Need a last-minute hotel room, or have a flexible schedule and like to make travel plans as they unfold? The HotelTonight app, owned by Airbnb as of 2019, is your answer to discounted hotel rooms in a pinch (though the app will allow bookings up to 100 days in advance). Search for a hotel by date and location, and if it’s available, choose your room type. Insider tip: HotelTonight lists excess hotel room inventory, which is why you aren’t always able to select your room.

Hotels are categorized with descriptors like Hip (stylish and quirky), Charming (intimate, and can include bed and breakfasts), and Luxe (for impeccable service and impressive amenities). Its tiered loyalty program unlocks steeper discounts the more you book with the app, and its Deals offers are occasional flash sales that offer even deeper discounts if you book within a 15-minute window. Note that as of October 2022, specific requests like early check-in can’t be made within the app, so you’ll have to coordinate with the hotel directly.

Best for Membership Rewards : Marriott Bonvoy

There are 30 brands under the Marriott name and growing, and you can sign up for its free travel rewards program to begin earning points and perks.

Includes all 30 Marriott brands

Compatible with Marriott Bonvoy-branded credit cards

No access to non-Marriott hotels

If you’re booking a hotel, chances are it might be a Marriott brand property. Marriott boasts 30 brands at all price points within its portfolio, from SpringHill Suites to Design Hotels, and Westin to the Ritz-Carlton. That said, travelers should take advantage of its free loyalty program, Marriott Bonvoy. When you sign up, rack up points to climb its tiered status levels. The more you stay, the more points you earn toward perks like free upgrades, access to club lounges, late check-out, and upgraded WiFi. And the higher up in elite status one goes, the higher the percentage increase in points you receive per booking.

There are a number of ways to earn points with Marriott Bonvoy in addition to booking a hotel room, including making purchases with a Marriott-branded or partner credit card (like The Platinum card by American Express), and booking a car rental with Hertz. Note that points expire after 24 months if you do not complete at least one of a host of actions to remain eligible in the program.  

Best for Social Impact : Kind Traveler

As of 2023, this hotel booking site is still arguably the only one out there with a business model that accounts for social and environmental impact.

Recommendations for nearby sites to see

Rewards charity donations

Limited to a niche market

Travelers in pursuit of peace of mind knowing their travel dollars are making a direct impact on the destination they’re visiting will enjoy perusing the hotels listed on Kind Traveler. This hotel booking site’s get-and-give model asks travelers to make a $10 donation to a charity in exchange for a dollar amount off nightly rates. Booking with Kind Traveler also means exclusive perks and amenities—for example, a reservation at pet-friendly Kimpton Armory hotel in Bozeman, Montana, includes a room upgrade and late check-out (though both perks are dependent on availability). At this property, your $10 donation goes toward funding day camp experiences for people with disabilities.

We also love that each hotel listing includes several recommendations to “do good for the day” near your selected hotel. In Bozeman, for example, Kind Traveler suggests a visit to the Emerson Center for Arts and Culture to support its art community, or a donation to No Kid Hungry Montana, an organization serving the food-insecure.

When it comes to hotel booking sites, there’s something for every type of traveler. Many of the sites key in on finding the best deals on the web, and some get super-specialized, such as presenting hotel room listings for last-minute travelers. Overall, for tons of options with an eye for affordability, Booking.com is our top pick for the best hotel booking site.

What Is the Best Hotel Booking Site?

The answer may vary depending on specific needs, but we found that Booking.com offers the broadest range of hotel properties along with ease of use and opportunities for discounts. Another aggregate listing site, Hotels.com, was a close second, and most travelers should be able to find what they need through one of those sites.

Is It Better to Book Directly With the Hotel?

It depends. If you can speak with someone at the hotel with authority to offer discounts, you may be able to negotiate a lower rate , a free room upgrade, or other amenities. However, this requires taking the time to reach out directly to hotels and the skill to negotiate such deals. If you're in a hurry or if haggling isn't your thing, a hotel booking site may be your best option.

What Is the Cheapest Site for Booking Hotels?

Most of the sites on our list allow customers to search by price. While Booking.com and Hotels.com have the largest listings and should be able to direct customers to cheap options, Hostelworld is specifically geared toward budget travelers .

What Days Are Cheapest to Book Hotels?

This is another question that depends on the details, such as the type of hotel. If it's a hotel that caters to business travelers , it's likely to be busiest during the week, meaning you might find weekend deals. However, if it's a hotel in the middle of a popular tourist destination, weekends might be the busiest time, meaning a weekday trip might fetch the best deal.

We evaluated the major (and some niche) hotel booking sites for the volume of hotel room listings, unique value propositions (such as steeper discounts for last-minute bookings), and guest reviews. We also considered travelers’ values, such as social- and environmental-impact opportunities, and budget preferences.

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22 minute read

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Gone are the days when travel involved an appointment with a travel agent, a professional travel booker who held the keys to the mystery of airline reservations, hotels, car reservations, package deals, and attractions. The internet has changed travel planning in many ways. First, travel is more common, more frequent, and the internet allows travelers to make last-minute decisions in just a few clicks. It also gives travelers the option of doing their own research, looking at photos of destination properties and services, reading user reviews, and changing or adjusting their schedules as necessary. This is convenient, but for many years this style of travel planning shifted a lot of weight onto the travelers to read between the lines on hotel sites, cross their fingers that the car rental company they picked was reputable, and navigate sometimes-complex rules and conditions of airline reservation services. The advent of travel planning sites, where many of these features are combined on one website that connects all of the pieces of travel planning, research, and booking together, has simplified the process of planning a business trip or a getaway.

Booking.com is one of the most comprehensive travel booking sites in the market. Its offerings are vast, and the interface makes it simple for both inexperienced travelers and seasoned jetsetters to make their travel arrangements without the hassle of navigating multiple sites and coordinating payments across multiple platforms. I approached this Booking.com review through the lens of a customer and evaluated the customer’s journey in using the site.

See more of the best vacation rental sites.

At a Glance

Booking.com.

• Types of rentals: Entire home, hotel room
• Number of listings: Not specified
• Mobile app: iOS, Android
• Cancellation policy: Determined by host
• Customer support: Phone, live chat
• Guests can book flights, cars, airport transportation, and vacation rentals at the same time
• Guests can book experiences through the site
• Travel Sustainable badge awarded to eco-friendly rentals
• No background check performed on hosts
• Many rentals require guest to pay host directly
• Fewer reviews available than on other sites

Our Verdict: Booking.com claims to offer a complete suite of travel research and service reservations, and with a few minor exceptions, this proved to be the case. “Bookers,” as the site refers to its customers, can feel confident that the resources they need can be easily found and that Booking.com will genuinely offer the one-stop-shopping experience it promises.

Booking.com Review: Claims

Booking.com began as a small start-up in Amsterdam in 1996. Since then, it has expanded to include more than 28 million accommodation listings, transportation, and travel experiences. The company’s stated mission is to “make it easier for everyone to experience the world.”

Branding itself as a source of savings and discounts, connections with travelers who have similar interests, package deals, and inspirations, Booking.com promises quite a lot. The home page also provides myriad ways to enter the site, with a stripe of category offerings, a quick-start option to jump right in by specifying the destination and basic travel deals, searches by region and property type, and links to lists of can’t-miss destinations for travelers who know they want a vacation, but don’t know where.

What You Can Book on Booking.com

Booking.com offers access to almost everything except the kitchen sink—and travelers can probably book one of those, as well, if they choose the right property. Categories include flights, hotels, “stays” (rentals of privately owned apartments, homes, cabins, and cottages), car rentals, and every combination of these options. In addition, there are options to reserve airport taxis and tickets or passes to museums, shows, and attractions at the destination.

Flight options include all of the major airlines and quite a few smaller or regional airlines, and these can be sorted by airline, number of stops, duration, and a range of departure and arrival times. The flight results are sorted into groups titled “Best,” “Cheapest,” and “Fastest” so travelers can customize their flight choices.

Lodging options feature a similar search window including check-in and check-out days, location with neighborhood-specific choices, the number of guests, and the number of rooms requested. As with the flight search, there’s a range of filters available to help customers tailor the search to their needs. Filter examples include budget, amenities, distance to attractions, sustainability, health and safety protocols, accessibility, and both site-assigned star ratings and customer review ratings.

The rental car reservation system carries over the travel dates from the flight and hotel reservations if the customer has entered them. Customers can select their preferred car rental company and size of the car, and filter by cost, mileage, and transmission type. Reviews and star ratings of the companies are included in the search results, as are specifics of the payment policies and cancellation policies. Once customers have selected a car, Booking.com breaks down the cost of the rental, separating out the cost of the rental itself and various taxes and fees. Customers are offered the opportunity to choose or decline additional insurance coverage as well.

Booking.com’s Airport Taxi reservation system connects users with local taxi drivers to avoid a long delay waiting in line after a flight. According to the reservation page, a driver will be assigned to the booking, track the flight in real time, and arrive at the designated location shortly thereafter. Customers can select the size of the vehicle (the search page includes the number of people and the number of suitcases each vehicle can handle), add notes about any additional needs (child seats, assistance needed for passenger accessibility), and add a tip for the driver. Booking the taxi locks in a predetermined cost for the trip, and customers can opt to book a return trip at the same time or wait to do so until later in their travel.

Local attraction tickets and passes can be purchased or reserved through Booking.com as well. Customers can enter their destination and view a list of local museums, parks, theaters, tourist attractions, and activities. Selecting one of the options reveals a page including details, reviews, cancellation conditions, and maps, and a selection option for the date, time (if applicable), and number of tickets. The descriptions also include any visitor requirements and limitations of the location, along with accessibility compliance and public transit options. Finally, Booking.com includes a link for customers who would like to list its properties as rental “stay” options for other Booking.com customers.

How It Works

Booking.com provides several menus for customers to choose from on the landing page. Customers select the combination of services they’d like to book (more can be added later) and work their way through the search screens, filtering results, reading through options, saving favorites, and eventually adding the services they want to a cart and checking out. For customers who aren’t quite ready to book their travel, the site also offers a range of researched guides to choosing destinations. Customers can click into areas that interest them to read more about the location, learn more about the neighborhoods in which they can stay, and read commentary about local traditions and customs.

International customers (or domestic customers traveling internationally) will appreciate that Booking.com allows users to select their preferred language and currency. Once selected, these choices remain consistent on each page until they’re changed

Cost and Discounts

Booking.com’s reference page explains how its service works, how it approves contracts with travel companies, and how it makes money. No booking fees are charged to the customer, but the hosts and travel companies pay a commission to Booking.com after the travel has been completed.

Booking.com offers several up-front ways to save money. The first is a free Booking.com account, which enables customers to save their searches, their favorites, and their travel plans, and—most importantly—automatically get a percentage off all travel booked through the site. There are several “Genius Levels”: the more you use Booking.com, the more perks and discounts you get on your next trips.

The membership is also described as the gateway to “Secret Deals,” indicating that in addition to the automatic percentage off the cost of travel, members will have access to special discount deals as they become available. Such discounts will be marked with a logo once the customer has signed in and begun a search.

Regardless of whether a customer is a member or not, Booking.com offers packages called “Getaway Deals.” These deals provide unusually discounted rates on hotels, if the travel is booked between specific dates.

Beyond its branded discounts, Booking.com provides customers with tools within the individual search functions to compare the costs of the same travel through different airlines, different hotel chains, and different rental car companies to assist customers in choosing the best deal for their travel.

Cancellation or Travel Adjustments

Cancellation and adjustment terms at Booking.com are based on the policies of the individual companies with whom the customer is making a reservation through Booking.com. This means that in some cases customers may be able to cancel or reschedule a booking at no cost until a certain date, after which a cancellation fee will be incurred. In other cases, the reservation may be held with a credit card but not actually charged until the travel occurs and can be canceled at any time. And in some cases the travel cannot be canceled at all, and customers will be charged the full price even if they do not complete the trip. These policies are not set by Booking.com, but the company boasts of its transparency in communicating the policies to the customer in a clear way to avoid confusion.

Customer Service

Customer service is accessible through the question-mark icon located in the top banner on the Booking.com landing page. It appears in other locations, too, wherever there may be additional information available or needed. Customer service information can also be found in a text link at the bottom of each page. Service is available 24/7 to assist before, during, or after travel.

How can the company help if there’s a problem? Booking.com has a contract with each of its service providers. If there’s a problem and a host can’t provide a customer with the accommodations or travel that was purchased, it is the responsibility of the host to find alternate and equivalent accommodation. In the event that this is impossible, Booking.com will allow the customer to choose another accommodation or service that is available on its platform at the same cost, or cancel the reservation with a full refund. If payment was made through Booking.com, the company will refund the customer directly, usually within 5 days. If payment was made directly to the service provider, Booking.com will facilitate a refund as quickly as possible. The company has removed service providers who were in breach of their contract, so it takes this commitment seriously.

Putting Booking.com to the Test

In order to evaluate Booking.com as a service, I planned a trip from Chicago to Washington, D.C., for a family of four. As I’m familiar with this particular trip, I was able to evaluate Booking.com’s claims and service from an experienced perspective, and I was pleased to discover that planning my travel through Booking.com resulted in some savings. More importantly, the centralization of the reservations services in one location made the planning easier and smoother than jumping around to many different sites and trying to keep track of where I’d looked versus where I’d booked something. Anyone who reviews booking websites knows that the accompanying app is just as important as the site, and Booking.com’s app is smooth as silk—which is crucial to easier travel. Nobody sprints through an airport logging into their laptop to check a flight time, and so the fact that all my reservations are in one place on my phone, ready to be flashed for admission, took a lot of stress out of travel.

Site Navigation and Experience

I used Booking.com to arrange flights, a rental car, a hotel, and several activities. My first impression of the site was that it was bright, colorful, and easy to navigate. A simple row of clickable links offered to take me directly to the product I wanted to search for, and while I didn’t need currency conversion or an additional language, I appreciated how easy it was to make those changes right at the top of the page. The site can be translated into about 45 different languages, so Booking.com is friendly to international travelers or speakers of other languages. As there are a lot of details, terms, and conditions to read carefully when booking travel, the easy option to read in other languages signals that the site welcomes a wide variety of customers and wants speakers of other languages to be able to scrutinize the policies.

Also in the top row is a link to customer service; this is noteworthy because many sites bury the contact information at the bottom of a long scroll down a page. Clicking the question mark at the very top will take customers to either a live chat or telephone option for contacting customer service, which is available 24 hours a day. I’m always happy to see this kind of availability, because I’m concerned that companies who hide their contact information don’t really want to hear from their customers. At first glance, the highlighted bar urging customers to sign in to contact customer service suggests that customers can’t get help without creating an account, but a quick refocus away from the highlighted bar shows that there’s also an option to continue without signing in. However, that option is only available for customers who have already booked travel—you’ll need a booking confirmation number and PIN. That’s fine for those who have questions after they’ve booked, but it does mean that anyone who needs to contact customer service before a purchase will have to register.

Booking.com really, really wants you to sign up for an account. It’s free and requires only an email address and password to create—or customers can choose to connect with Google, Facebook, Apple, or a phone. Scrolling up and down pages or opening the app, customers are reminded again and again that there are better deals, bargains, and percentages off if they sign up for an account. The pressure to sign up is fairly continuous until you choose to do so: reminders about deals, savings, and the convenience of tracking your travel in one place are quite convincing, but after the first few notices it begins to feel a little high-pressure. What if I just want to shop around for a bit before I hand over my email to yet another mailing list? The bottom of the screen notes that California residents have the option to click a box preventing Booking.com from selling their information. It’s common knowledge that email address information is bought and sold all the time, but the question of what other information will be sold or tracked is a little unsettling.

Finding the Best Deal

When shopping for a package, Booking.com first guided me to the search for a hotel. I chose the wider D.C. area because we planned to stay for a week, and a quick search revealed that downtown D.C. hotels are more expensive during the business week. I chose filters including free breakfast (which is a great value when traveling with a family), free internet access, a pool, and free parking for our rental car. The free parking isn’t a perk to overlook, and it’s an outstanding search feature that not all travel sites offer. Parking at a hotel can be a significant cost: Another hotel nearby was charging $50 per day to park in the attached lot, so the fact that Booking.com allows customers to filter out hotels that require those charges is a great cost-saver. Because we know the D.C. area well, we planned to use the rental car on some days and mass transit on others, so paying to park at the hotel and for street parking wherever we were on that day would have been cost-prohibitive.

I selected a Residence Inn by Marriott in Silver Spring, Maryland, as it met my filter requirements and included a microwave and refrigerator—nice touches when staying away from home for a week. Booking.com listed the cancellation policy as free if the reservation was canceled by May 1, but it offered the option of paying an additional $208 to leave the option open to cancel before May 31, just 3 days before my planned travel. Especially when traveling with a group where a member might get sick or suddenly have a change of plans, the free cancellation period and option for an extension of that period is welcome. The photos of the hotel are bright and clear, and while like all online hotel photos they’re pristine, they do offer views of all the parts of the room you’d want to see when choosing a place to stay: the bathroom, beds, kitchenette, storage areas, and communal spaces. They’re enough to see that the space has been updated fairly recently and that the room is large enough for our party’s needs. I clicked “Book now!” and was immediately taken to the available flights.

Because I selected a Flight+Hotel package, the cost per person/total trip cost shown on the hotel screen is the total package cost—if I select the “Recommended” flight on the next screen.

The flight selection page is quite clear-cut. There are filter boxes to narrow down the number of stops or layovers, sliders to set ranges for takeoff and landing times, and an option to narrow down the airlines offered. Because I selected nonstop flights only, the options were limited to American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and United Airlines. Each flight combination listed the airline, the package discount savings, the length of the flights, and the additional cost per person if I selected a flight other than the one Booking.com recommended as the best value. As I know that the chance of getting my family onto a plane in Chicago at 6 a.m. is slim at best, I was very pleased to see that many of the other options would only add between $5 and $10 per person to the cost, though some of the other combinations would add $40 and up per person.

Then, a snag. The Washington, D.C., area has three major airports, including Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Dulles International Airport (IAD), and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). Having chosen a hotel in Silver Spring, Maryland, I realized that the drive from Dulles would be long, and that BWI is only about 25 minutes from the hotel. Noting that the options provided by Booking.com did not include any flights to or from BWI, I clicked the button to edit the trip details, changed the destination airport to BWI, and clicked Go. Booking.com took me to a screen to confirm my hotel choice, then recalculated quickly. The only problem is that the “Recommended” flight to keep my full package discount was still a flight to and from Dulles. Several more options were to and from DCA (which is closer to Silver Spring than Dulles, but not…close). The first flight listed that would fly in and out of BWI, as I requested, would add $9 per person and would depart Chicago at 5:15 a.m. The next option for BWI (and the only workable one for us, timewise) would add a whopping $32 per person to the package price. While it makes sense for Booking.com to choose the least-expensive flights to make up package deals—and the 6 a.m. flights certainly qualify—I was disappointed that there wasn’t really a selection of options to the airport closest to where I wanted to fly. In the end, I adjusted the search and limited it to DCA, splitting the distance, and chose a well-timed departure from Chicago to DCA that will add only $5 per person to our package cost. The package will save me $826 over the cost of booking the flight and hotel separately, so I’ll overlook the fact that the return flight will leave DCA at 6 a.m. after all. Here’s hoping there’s lots of coffee to go at the free hotel breakfast! If not, Booking.com tells me I’ll have a coffee pot in my room for caffeination.

The confirmation page shows the full package price, total savings, and details. It features clickable buttons to change the hotel, the room, the flights, or to upgrade the flight to Economy Fully Refundable tickets for an additional $50 per person. Just below, the screen confirms that I have a standard SUV included in the package with unlimited mileage from Avis, or I can switch to Hertz and get a larger SUV for an extra $2 per day.

On one hand, it’s fantastic that customers can make all these adjustments from the confirmation page, rather than having to backtrack through all the individual screens. On the other hand, the number of “click here to change or upgrade” options are a little overwhelming. For anyone who is decision-averse or prone to overthinking, the confirmation page simply offers too many options—it feels as though you could easily miss an important decision. Also, several times when I tried editing the trip at this stage, the dates I had entered for travel changed suddenly from June 2/June 9 to June1/June 8. Perhaps this is a software glitch, but you’ll want to double-check your dates before booking.

In case the package price is stunning, Booking.com provides an option to finance the cost through Affirm, a reputable company that assists customers in spreading out payments for large purchases over several months.

Purchasing the Package

Before payment, a screen requires the entry of each passenger’s name, gender, and date of birth. Airlines require that passengers report a gender when purchasing tickets, but most major airlines have added nonbinary gender options to their booking procedures, as several states are now adding to their state-issued identification cards. At the time of this review, Booking.com was only offering the options of male and female, but as the industry shifts toward more inclusive options, perhaps that will also change.

The payment page is clear and straightforward: Billing.com accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover, or customers can spread out payments with Affirm. It’s a little disappointing that PayPal, Venmo, and other online payment services aren’t accepted, though. Since many people are moving away from traditional credit cards in favor of online services, this is a limitation, but including Affirm is a good indication that this site is paying attention to trends in payment options. Throughout the checkout process, the travel itinerary is running down the right-hand side of the screen, which is a helpful reminder for those of us who tend to panic a little just before hitting the “Purchase” button.

Before I clicked that Purchase button, however, I stopped and created a Booking.com account. And guess what? The rates on some hotels and flights definitely dropped, and not insignificantly. The Genius Deals, which are flagged with blue labels, and the Secret Deals, which are flagged in green, offered beautiful hotels closer in to the city, though not on my travel dates and not including some of the amenities I selected. Some packages offered truly significant savings. Unfortunately, the price of the package I had chosen only dropped from $879 per person to $874 per person—a small savings over a week-long stay in exchange for my email address and some personal data. In addition, the free cancellation date on the hotel shifted forward to June 1, a date that nonmembers can only access for an additional $208. However, the same flights I booked for an extra $5 per person as a nonmember were listed as the Recommended flights for the package as a member, so there were savings on that front as well.

But at What Cost?

What was troubling in this experience was how difficult it was to replicate the costs. I built the same package (same dates, same hotel and flights, same car) and found different prices each time. The structure of the total cost changed—sometimes the hotel was less costly in one build but the flights were more—always ending with a total package price that was very similar to the other attempts. This is a bit confusing for customers trying to shop and compare costs, but it may be explained by shifting demands at the hotels and airlines in real time. The true benefit of membership appears to be the deals and packages that are offered as Genius and Getaway Deals, as opposed to an overall discount on all travel purchases.

While we won’t be using one, I checked out the option to reserve an Airport Taxi. Booking.com is clearly taking on Uber and Lyft with this service, and it’s a great option. Travelers can choose the size of the vehicle that will pick them up, request special services such as child seats, assistance for passengers who may need help getting in and out of the vehicle, and other amenities. Entering the flight number allows the driver to track the flight’s progress and arrive for pickup at precisely the correct time, and the price is preset in the booking and can be paid ahead. The service appears to be extremely convenient and well thought out.

And don’t forget the option to purchase tickets and passes to activities and destinations during travel! The Attractions tab provides a huge range of activities, including walking and bus tours, private tours, dinner cruises, and interactive scavenger hunts. Most of the museums in Washington, D.C., are free, but quite a few companies offer guided tours that can be purchased through Booking.com. The Attractions tab in other locations includes museum entry tickets, theater tickets, and entrance to other destinations. Your account will keep a record of your itinerary, and you can use the Booking.com app to show the purchased tickets or print them before you leave.

How Helpful Is Customer Service?

I used the online contact form to ask a question about child seat booking with an Airport Taxi. I sent the question at 9:10 on a Monday evening and received an email in response in less than 10 minutes, directing me cheerfully to the taxi-specific contact form or inviting me to call the taxi hotline. While navigating to the taxi help area (which I had not previously seen) by clicking the link included in the email, I found the answer to my question in an extensive FAQ section. When they say that customer service is available 24 hours a day, they mean it. It is enormously reassuring to know that when traveling you’ll have a person to talk to or a prompt response if you have a question, a concern, or something has gone wrong.

For Your Information…

In addition to booking travel, Booking.com serves as a repository of useful information for travelers.

• TravelTalk is an online community of travelers sharing information, answering each other’s questions, and sharing experiences, which is hosted on Booking.com’s site.
• Links to local governments with information about the culture, traditions, and travel considerations is especially useful for those traveling overseas.
• A helpful page provides health information for travelers, including the requirements and restrictions on traveling to and from international destinations.
• A banner directs those who are fleeing danger or violence to links that can help them, providing an outstanding (and free) public service.

Overall, Booking.com was a pleasant experience and left me feeling as though I’d done solid research, chosen from excellent options, and booked my travel in a time-and cost-effective manner. I especially like that one website will have all my travel plans in one location; the app is also very streamlined and will be much more convenient to use while traveling than digging through emails looking for confirmation numbers and flight times.

While there were some glitches, including flight times that seemed incomplete, the randomly switching travel dates, and the inability to replicate a package cost, overall the pricing is reasonable and the interface is good. The membership offers a clear benefit if you’re not locked into travel dates or specific locations—you can really save a lot of money there.

Booking.com Reviews by Customers

Customer reviews are decidedly mixed. Reviewers at Consumer Affairs average 3.2 out of 5 stars, with excellent ratings citing easy and clear booking procedures, outstanding customer service, and great accommodation options. Poor reviews at Consumer Affairs, sitejabber, TrustPilot , and the Better Business Bureau all seem to zero in on problems with cancellations and refunds. Customers who are more comfortable communicating in Spanish can search for “Booking.com reseñas” and find similar results. Reviewers felt there was a disconnect in the chain between the service provider, Booking.com, and the customer, and sometimes lengthy delays or refusals of refunds. This type of complaint appears to be common among travel service platforms; other booking reviews indicate the same kind of problems exist throughout the industry. Some of the complaints were simply a result of the customer misreading or failing to read one of Booking.com’s policies, while others were valid concerns. To its credit, every complaint on the Better Business Bureau’s website included a prompt response from Booking.com’s customer service team either explaining the policy decision, requesting more information to begin an investigation, or apologizing for a mishandled situation.

How Booking.com Stacks Up to the Competition

Compared to other travel platforms, reserving travel on Booking.com was equal or slightly less expensive. While some competitors had more offerings, especially when choosing flights, Booking.com’s interface was smoother and easier to navigate, and the fact that the costs listed as a customer moves through the process include taxes and fees is helpful when making choices. Other platforms don’t always include this information, so a customer could blithely plan an entire trip, then get to the final confirmation page and discover hundreds or thousands of dollars in additional fees and taxes.

Including the nontraditional lodgings and professional hosts alongside large hotels and resorts was a strong move to compete with popular companies such as Airbnb and Vrbo, and incorporating the taxi reservation system into the complete travel platform at Booking.com keeps all the travel arrangements in one place, rather than customers needing to remember to call an Uber or Lyft. The services themselves are similar, but by centralizing travel planning into one platform online or through the app, Booking.com has made it easy for customers to keep everything together.

Should You Use Booking.com?

Is the website a little busy? Sure. But many people will like the callouts and bold colors and enjoy the different services they emphasize. Are there some “glitches” in the site? Here and there. Booking.com is a great option that will help you shop for, select, reserve, and centralize your transportation, lodging, and activities during travel. It’s important to make sure that customers don’t blow off the Terms and Conditions and just click the box—many, if not most, of the customer complaints focused on disagreements over cancellation, reschedule, and refund policies, so it’s critical to understand them before booking.

Booking.com’s platform takes a task that many people find frustrating and makes it enjoyable. It’s easier to get excited about planning a vacation when there aren’t 30 tabs open in two browsers as the travelers try to compare hotel rooms, airfare, and activities—Booking.com does it in just one tab, and does it well.

We independently reviewed this service by weighing the company’s claims against first-hand experience with its site and professionals. However, due to factors such as franchising, human error, and more, please note that experiences with this company may vary.

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Booking.com has a rating of 1.2 stars from 4,172 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about Booking.com most frequently mention customer service, credit card, and free cancellation problems. Booking.com ranks 462nd among Hotels sites.

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“Glass On Glasshouse”

Wow Factor Getway Just to say this place is so quite peaceful and tranquil. Birdlife, kangaroos other animals. Gary & Darrell are the perfect host. Meet Gary he made me welcome. Had 2 nights stay. Just amazing awersome place to stay. Definitely will go back. Ms Margaret Sherwood

“Flight flexi ticket is a literal scam!”

Avoid buying any flight *******@bookingcom at all costs. Especially their flexi ticket which they don't support and is a literal scam! We tried to get a flight change for 5 days, eight calls, the flight times came and went, while they promised to call back in 3 hrs every time. Never a call came! Left stranded overseas, our only option was to buy a completely new ticket direct from an airline company. To top it off, their online complaints form is broken on both chrome and edge.

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• Follow Susan M.

We were charged twice for a 4 night stay. We also only stayed 1 night because the hotel room was infested with bed bugs and cockroaches. We were bitten at least 100 times. We informed Booking and sent them pictures of the bites, the roaches and the double charges on my Visa. They kept saying they were not receiving our emails and basically refused to help us. We ended up paying for 8 nights, stayed 1 and were in a horrible room. They did nothing. Expedia would have been far more helpful.

• Follow Steven V.

Booking.com host hotel that provide false advertising, no toilet paper, & bedbugs. They would not provide refunds after spending with for years without complaint. Use another third party service NOT Booking.com.

• Follow Niki Z.

I've been trying to get my money back from booking.com cancelation for the longest time ever. The amount of over 500$ has been taken out of my "wallet" and never returned! Customer service is fully automated, which means you never get to speak with an actual person. All emails are answered by an automated service as well. DO NOT BOOK THROUGH booking.com! Go to hotels directly or airbnb.

Tip for consumers: Total rip off!!! Stay away from booking.com!

• Follow Jayakrishnan Nair P.

Disappointing Experience - Unfulfilled Booking and No Refund I regret to share my disappointing experience with Booking.com regarding a reservation I made for an Oyo hotel in Mumbai. Despite making a reservation and paying half of the total amount in advance, I encountered a significant issue upon arrival. Upon reaching the hotel, I was informed that the booked room was unavailable and that I could secure a room by paying an additional Rs. 1000 beyond the originally listed price on Booking.com. This unexpected demand was both distressing and unprofessional. Despite raising this concern with the hotel staff, I was met with indifference and no resolution was offered. To exacerbate matters, I've reached out to Booking.com's customer care twice over the past three months, yet regrettably, no action has been taken to rectify the situation or refund my money. My sincere advice to future guests is to exercise caution when using Booking.com. It appears that their booking system does not guarantee room availability, and the lack of responsiveness to customer concerns is disheartening. I strongly recommend calling and confirming reservations directly with the hotel to avoid unforeseen complications. Date of experience: December 15,2023

• Follow Natalie J.

I booked a scam on booking.com and fought so hard for my refund. I still haven't received the refund for the scam, but only for the additional costs that came from booking a new accommodation. Worst customer service on the planet and they're making billions.

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Booking.com provides online bookings of hotels, resorts, hostels, and other travel accommodations around the world. The site attempts to separate itself from rival reservation sites by offering deals and its own hotel reviews. Booking.com is a subsidiary of Priceline.com, a publicly traded company (Nasdaq: PCLN).

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Any trip is enhanced or hindered by where you stay so using the best hotel booking sites can help you maximize the greatness of your next trip away. By finding a hotel in the right location, with the services you need, and at the right price, you're off to a great start for your ideal vacation.

While there are lots of hotel booking sites out there now, they're all a little different and you will likely find some offer options others will not. So while this guide outlines the best in terms of service, usability, price and options – it can still pay to use a few services and compare the best of each to find the perfect hotel.

We take into account the user rating and customer satisfaction scores for each site. Also measured is the ease of use on each site and the quality of searching options to help you get what you need as fast as possible. It's also worth noting that these sites are the ones that let you do it all from within the site itself, where possible, so as to make the process as simple as possible for you.

The best hotel booking sites

1. hotels.com: best hotel booking site overall .

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Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Hotels.com keeps things reasonably clear from the outset. Enter your destination and the site offers up a selection of hotels sorted by the service's featured recommendations. A quick tap and you can change that list to cheapest, the highest rating, or pick out hotels according to the distance away from your destination. Filters go even further with a vast array of options that mean you can really home in on the best choice for you.

In terms of value for money, Hotels.com offers a price guarantee, although you'll have to submit a request for the site to match the price you've found elsewhere, meaning you probably won't bother. However, its reward scheme means if you stay ten nights through the booking service, you get one night free, so it is worth your while sticking with the site. Special 'Secret' prices can also be unlocked by -- you guessed it -- handing over your email address in exchange for regular deals. It's possible to track down Flight and Hotel bundle deals too if you'd prefer to go to one site to arrange most of your travel needs. 

2. Expedia.com: Best for arranging a package trip 

Expedia.com

Expedia owns many different online hotel booking services including Hotels.com, Trivago, and Hotwire.com, but we're fans of the actual original of Expedia.com. It offers similar results to Hotels.com which makes sense but its interface is a little brighter and cleaner. Crucially, you're only ever one click away from adding a flight or car to your stay with the site also keen to suggest popular locations relating to what you're searching for. 

Like Hotels.com, Expedia encourages you to sign up for exclusive prices, but you also get discounts for merely using the service although you'll have to dig around to work out what that's compared to. As a side bonus, you can even use Expedia to arrange cruises or set up multiple places to stay if you're planning on a more long-term vacation. 

3. Booking.com: Best for eclectic stays 

Booking.com

Booking.com doesn't offer just hotels - it also provides hostels, guest rooms, and entire houses and apartments. That won't be of any use if your heart is set on a hotel room (and that sweet room service), but it's great if you want some flexibility. Comparing prices so readily between different types of stay is a useful feature here, and you can still search for flights or car rentals separately.

Filtering options are relatively extensive so you can always choose to cut out the unneeded options anyhow or even narrow things down to specific preferred chains. One neat feature is that if you're unsure where you want to go, you can search for today's deals with Booking.com, suggesting great offers for various locations. If you're simply feeling wanderlust, it's a good way of discovering some new. Travel rewards are available with discounts at hotels and free breakfasts at some locations depending on how often you use Booking.com. 

4. Priceline: Best for special offers 

A lot is going on at Priceline which can initially feel a little overwhelming. Stick with it though and you'll soon appreciate how much it can save you. At its simplest, you can merely search for a location and pick out the hotel for you (after filtering down the options), but you can also opt for a Pricebreaker offer. This has Priceline group together three hotels under one price. All you do is click Choose and the site checks you out with one of them. The trick here is that you don't know which one you'll get. The discounts are substantial so it's worth trying if you're able to be flexible. Other offers include Express Deals which are an exclusive collection of low prices, albeit of the non-refundable variety. Also, again, you don't know what you've got until you've booked. 

Besides the almost gambling-esque nature of Priceline (although the results are generally pretty good), it also offers bundle deals of hotels, flights, and cars, or a combination of those plus flexible bookings. It has all the basics there at heart, but we appreciate the ability to get an even better deal with a bit of daring. 

5. Agoda: Best for niche options 

Not quite as feature-rich as others, Agoda instead picks a different route when helping you find a hotel. It has filters for things such as if you want a free breakfast or if you need to book without a credit card. It also looks consistently colorful with appealing pictures of the hotels, clear to see quick descriptors of why you might want to consider it, along with if Agoda believes a specific location is a particularly good choice. 

That all makes it a tempting proposition even if we do wish that it had more easily accessible support options and the prospect of bundle deals. Just look out for its occasional moments of over-enthusiasm as it tries to lure you into booking fast, just in case the room becomes unavailable. 

How we picked the best hotel booking sites

We looked at how easy each site is to use during our testing, such as how quickly the site loaded and how easy it was to find a hotel without being overwhelmed with options. We also looked at what potentially good value each site offers compared to the competition and whether there are any reward schemes or hidden fees involved. We also considered how easy it is to get in touch with the company when something goes wrong, and we checked if cancellation policies were clearly laid out or tricky to decipher. 

Finally, we took a look at any bundle deals hotel booking services offered for those times when you want an all-in-one solution to your traveling needs.

During testing, we looked at booking information for hotels in Los Angeles, New York City, and Miami before comparing the prices and information we were given. We also looked at more obscure destinations to see what the range of coverage is like for each provider.

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Jennifer has been freelancing for over 10 years. In the past, she's written about all things tech and gaming wise for outlets as varied as The Independent, Playboy, Eurogamer, and TechRadar. In her spare time, she spends far too much time watching films, attempting to train her pet guinea pigs, and mastering making the perfect burrito.  She's a full time freelancer, but a regular tech news contributor to Top Ten Reviews.

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Planning a vacation or trip is undoubtedly stressful. You're bombarded with seemingly endless options for flights, lodging, and things to do, and it can be difficult to figure out where to start. Many travel aggregators strive to present you with the best deals, but they all end up looking very similar to each other.

These similarities make it easy to know what to do and expect when you first visit a site. Typically, you enter your destinations, dates, and number of travelers. After you click search, you can further filter based on price range, airlines, and departure times for flights; amenities, hotel stars, and location for hotels; and type of car and rental car company for cars. 

So what makes one site better than another?

It all depends on your priorities and preferences. Everyone travels and plans for that travel differently. Here are seven travel sites and the factors you should consider when choosing a site. 

Booking.com

Booking.com is a huge bank of information, offering more than 1 million properties in 117,000 destinations in 225 countries and territories. Wherever you'd like to go, you'll find it through this site. It offers booking for flights,  hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars.  Clicking  restaurants will take you to OpenTable. 

Highlights:

I found their desktop homepage to be cluttered and a lot to look at compared to the homepages of other sites, but their app experience was noticeably simpler, which makes sense as travelers increasingly turn mobile. 

One feature on the homepage that stood out to me (shown above) was the "Are you traveling for work?" option. Clicking "Yes" will present popular business travel options like WiFi and breakfast.

Another feature was its flexible date suggestions if your chosen destination is a popular choice and accommodations are more than 50% reserved during your selected dates.

Best for: 

• Wide variety of options, including hostels, homestays, and bed and breakfasts
• Easy access to your plans and searches by syncing your account across your devices 
• Getting the best deals with their Price Match offer 
• Destination travel guides and articles 

Lacking or not the best for:

• Bundling hotel, flight, and car packages

Book a trip with Booking.com

Expedia offers booking for  flights, hotels, vacation rentals, rental cars, cruises, and things to do. 

You can bundle flight, hotel, and car deals so you don't have to go through the headache of looking separately and trying to coordinate all the deals. 

The "My Trips" section is helpful for managing your entire itinerary in one place, so you don't have to search through endless emails and accounts to figure out your vacation plan. 

If you sign up as a member, you can earn Expedia+ points to use toward future trips. Use the mobile app to earn 2x Expedia+ points. 

Like Booking.com, Expedia also offers suggestions for date shifts, date extensions, and route changes to get you to the cheapest deal. 

• Hotel, flight, and car bundles 
• Coordinating your whole vacation itinerary 
• Reward points system
• Single bookings. The site is best utilized for its bundle packaging.

Book a trip with Expedia

Tripadvisor.

TripAdvisor offers booking for flights,  hotels, vacation rentals, restaurants, and things to do.

It's well-known for its user-generated reviews, so as you're booking, you get the added benefit of reading reviews all in the same place. While I'm partial to Yelp for food recommendations and believe it to be better for US destinations, TripAdvisor is much more widely used in the international community. 

TripAdvisor is the most experience-driven travel site. You are not just booking somewhere to live — you're signing up to experience and explore a destination. 

• Detailed filtering (e.g. style for hotels and distinctive features for vacation rentals) 
• Comparing deals across aggregators 
• Strong user-generated review community 
• Bundling hotel, flight, and car packages 

Book a trip with TripAdvisor  

CheapOair offers booking for  flights, hotels, and rental cars.  Clicking on its cruises  tab takes you to another site, Cheap Cruises.  

The "Travel by Interest" section offers special deals for senior , military , student , and last minute travel . The military and student discounts emphasize keeping costs low, while the senior discount focuses on senior friendly destinations at an affordable price. 

Whether you're coordinating a reunion, wedding, or corporate event, a Group Travel Request is a good option. You can work with an agent on your travel needs. 

• Specific travelers like senior citizens, military, students, and large groups
• Higher than usual service fees (e.g. $32 per night per room for hotel bookings)

Book a trip with CheapOair

Hotwire offers booking for  flights, hotels, and rental cars.

Hotwire gives you all the filters and options you need but maintains the balance of not giving you too much. It keeps its sections simple, so you don't need to worry about something you may be missing out on. 

Thanks to partnerships with other travel sites like Hotels.com and Expedia, Hotwire can offer extremely low prices. There is also a free 24-hour cancellation policy on most flights. 

• Focused searchers who do not want to be distracted or overwhelmed by too many options, things to do, and city guides. Destination guides and inspiration can be found on a separate blog page. 
• Travelers on a budget
• Travelers with very specific preferences like hotel brand or car brand

Book a trip with Hotwire

Travelocity.

Travelocity offers booking for  flights, hotels, vacation rentals, rental cars, cruises and things to do.  And no, you're not seeing double. Expedia owns Travelocity, which may explain why the two homepages look almost exactly the same. 

From what we can tell, the most noticeable difference is Travelocity's Roaming Gnome, which represents the inspiration and wanderlust of traveling. The "Inspiration" section contains interesting articles like "Best Foodie Finds in Airports Around the World" and themes like "Luxury" or "Romantic." Expedia's travel blog, on the other hand, is relegated to an easy-to-miss link near the bottom of the page. 

• All the benefits of Expedia but with a more exploratory inspiration angle 
•  Single bookings. The site is best utilized for its bundle packaging.

Book a trip with Travelocity

Priceline offers booking for  flights, hotels, rental cars, and cruises.  

The " Express Deals " option rewards flexible travelers with up to 60% savings on hotels. The site will give you the location and star rating, but not the name of the hotel. You can still choose the bed type for many of the options. 

Another way to save is the Name Your Own Price feature where you input the location, star rating, and price bid for a hotel. 

For car rentals, you can also Name Your Own Price and bid for a car. If you don't have big preferences on the car brand, you'll be able to find a car for a price less than the search listings give you. For example, I was able to get an economy car with unlimited mileage for $30 a day, while the general search yielded cars that were all at least $37 a day. 

The cruise section is clear and easy to navigate. The search option is similar to searching for flights, with more dropdown selections than other sites. This feature is ideal for travelers who know exactly what they want for their cruise experience, and are not merely shopping around. 

• Travelers with low hotel and car brand loyalty who want to find a great deal
• Having a more focused cruise search process 
• Travel inspiration or destination guides
• Low risk takers who like to know exactly what they're getting

Book a trip with Priceline

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The complete guide to the Booking.com Genius loyalty program

I look to maximize every hotel stay with both the benefits I receive on-property and the hotel points I earn for my booking. Typically, that means booking directly with a large hotel chain on its website to ensure I earn elite status-qualifying nights, enjoy elite-status benefits and earn points. For those reasons, I haven't delved much into the Booking.com loyalty program called Genius.

That said, it does exist. While it might not be as rewarding as some of the other third-party booking sites, such as Hotels.com Rewards, it is an option. Here's everything you need to know about the program.

Booking.com Genius basics

Booking.com is an online accommodation booking platform with more than 28 million total accommodation listings. The site is available in 43 languages and has almost 200 support offices in 70 countries. It's not a hotel chain, and nor does it have its own properties. Instead, it just lists hotel properties that you can book, similar to Skyscanner or Google Flights for flights .

It also owns Priceline, Kayak, Agoda, RentalCars and OpenTable.

You won't receive your normal hotel program points or elite status nights when you book through a third party, so why choose Booking.com rather than booking directly through the hotel ?

If you complete any two stays booked through Booking.com within two years, you will earn Genius Level 1 for life. While this is a very low threshold to meet, and lifetime membership sounds awesome, the only benefit of Genius Level 1 is a 10% discount on select properties that are part of the Genius program. Booking.com promises that these properties that have joined the Genius program have a rating of at least 7.5/10, so you can expect a quality property.

Related: 17 of the best hotel gyms in the world

Where you see a Genius logo next to a property, you can claim the discount. I logged in to my Genius account to check how many select properties were included that 10% discount. On a sample search for properties in Westminster, London , only 14 of the 36 available included the Genius discount. I also performed the same search without logging into my Genius account and the prices for those 14 Genius properties were around 10% higher when not logged in, so this is a genuine discount where available.

If you complete five stays within two years you will move up to Genius Level 2, where you will receive:

• 10%-15% discount at select properties
• Free breakfast at select properties
• Free room upgrade at select properties

Though I don't use Booking.com much, my account says I'm Genius Level 2. I logged in to my account to perform a search to see just how many properties included these listed benefits. Using the Westminster, London search, of the 14 out of 36 with Genius benefits:

• All 14 properties offered at least a 10% discount
• Only two out of 14 offered the higher 15% discount
• None offered free breakfast
• Only 1 out of the 14 offered a free room upgrade

While only a small sample size, I would expect a 10% discount on some of the properties with Genius Level 2 with the very occasional room upgrade, 15% discount or free breakfast, though this will be rare and unexpected. I would not consider these to be regular benefits you can rely on receiving.

Related: How to avoid booking a bad hotel

There are only two levels of "status" with Genius: Genius Level 1 and Genius Level 2. Even if you use the program much more than five stays within two years, your benefits will be capped to the above at the Genius Level 2 tier.

When to use Booking.com

If you're going to stay regularly at large hotel chains like Hilton , Hyatt , Marriott and Radisson , then I believe it's still best to book directly with those properties and earn hotel elite status, benefits and points. It's best to use Booking.com when looking at remote destinations, if you want to book a boutique hotel or a unique property or you know you have a one-off stay at a chain you'll never (or almost never) utilize again. Also, if you're a "free agent" with no loyalty to any one particular hotel chain or program and will never stay enough to earn elite benefits with an individual hotel loyalty program, Booking.com can be a good way to receive some benefits (like that 10% discount) at lots of different, unaffiliated properties.

Remember, if you're looking to book a luxury property, it could be best to utilize a Virtuoso agent or Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts and compare the benefits you'll receive over any savings toward a future stay with Booking.com.

Bottom line

If you book enough of the big-box chain hotels to carry elite status and earn hotel points, Booking.com may not make sense for you. Remember that for bookings made with online travel agencies like Booking.com, in most cases, you won't earn hotel points or elite credit, and the properties don't have to honor your existing elite status (though some do anyway). I also find upgrades to be less generous and room assignment poor when booking through online travel agencies compared to booking direct.

I do like the very low thresholds to reach the two different Genius levels, though note that unlike with the Hotels.com Rewards program where you can receive your 10% discount on virtually all properties (via its 11th-night-free deal), the discounts as a Genius are only on a limited number of properties. Genius Level 2 additional benefits like room upgrades and free breakfasts are a bit misleading, as not every property actually offers them, so this should be looked at as an occasional perk.

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An Essayist Who Revels in Glorious Chaos

In her third essay collection, the poet and critic Elisa Gabbert celebrates literature and life through a voracious engagement with the world.

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By Lily Meyer

Lily Meyer is a writer, critic and translator. Her debut novel, “Short War,” came out in April.

ANY PERSON IS THE ONLY SELF: Essays , by Elisa Gabbert

“Any Person Is the Only Self,” the poet and critic Elisa Gabbert’s third collection of nonfiction, opens with an essay that should be, but isn’t quite, a mission statement. She starts by describing the Denver Public Library’s shelf for recent returns, a miscellaneous display of disconnected works she habitually browsed in the years she lived in Colorado. In part, Gabbert (who is also the Book Review’s poetry columnist) was drawn to the shelf for its “negative hype,” its opposition to the churn of literary publicity. But mainly, she enjoyed playing the odds. “Randomness is interesting,” she writes; “randomness looks beautiful to me.” At the essay’s end, she declares, “I need randomness to be happy.”

So does her prose. When “Any Person Is the Only Self” embraces the random, it’s terrific. When Gabbert neatens or narrows her essays, though, they can feel more dutiful.

“Any Person Is the Only Self” — a seemingly random title, and one to ignore; it’s fussier and vaguer than any of Gabbert’s actual prose — is primarily a collection about reading, akin to Anne Fadiman’s “Ex Libris” or Alejandro Zambra’s “Not to Read.” But it is also a loose meditation on the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on Gabbert’s life. During lockdown, she found herself yearning for the “subconscious energy” she gets “from strangers and from crowds, a complicating energy that produces ideas,” and relying on literature as a replacement. She developed a habit of listening to many hours of author interviews, seeking the social life she couldn’t have in person.

Unsurprisingly, this led to some soul-searching on the subject of writing, which appears in the gloriously scattershot “Somethingness (or, Why Write?).” In this essay, Gabbert is at her best. She strings together more than 30 writers’ reasons for writing, variously testing, mocking, admiring and relating to them. In doing this, she gives readers a kaleidoscopic view of ambition and inspiration, always looking toward the random or inexplicable elements of both. In her own case, she adds, she’s become obsessed with leaving behind a body of work, which, she’s decided, is “seven books, even short, minor books. … When I finish, if I finish, seven books I can retire from writing, or die.”

“Any Person Is the Only Self” is Gabbert’s seventh book, and although nothing about it is morbid, death shadows the text throughout. Of course, reflecting on Covid invites thoughts of mortality, but she also writes about her father-in-law’s passing, Sylvia Plath’s suicide and the recent trend of denouncing books by dead writers, as if it were “poor form to die.” (Gabbert, rightly, judges this both tacky and strange.)

But in literature, Gabbert finds not only life after death — she talks about the “metalife” of writing — but also a reason to live and engage with the world. “Any Person Is the Only Self” seems decidedly unlike the work of somebody who plans to retire from writing. Rather, it feels like an expression of gratitude for both the act of reading in itself and for reading as a route to conversation, a means of socializing, a way to connect.

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Booking.com

3,089 reviews

Charged $500 for no booking - no refund or customer service

My accommodation got cancelled without notification

Booking.com: STAY AWAY!!!!

Flight ticket - no refund and

The cost is going up and I've not even got there yet!

Instant refund

Very Poor !

Worst cancellation policy

We trusted Booking.com for many years but not any more

Hire car SCAM , discounts on the online payment form reduce the price but the full price is charged to the bank account

Bad experience

NEVER AGAIN

Appalling customer service

Public health safety issues and pandemic

Questions & Answers

One funny thing I noticed with booking.com. Might line up with the many experiences of reviewers here, about booking cancellations. I tried to book direct with a number of Singapore hotels and could not, because they were all booked up. An example is Somerset Bencoolen. My fault for last minute booking of accommodation. Then I went onto booking.com and voila, those hotels were shown as "available". I wonder why that is. A delay in communication between hotel and booking.com ? If I had booked through booking.com, no doubt the booking would have been cancelled due to the fact that the hotel itself was showing no vacancy on its own website. Or else the booking date would have changed to a time when the hotel had vacancy. Then money would have been taken out of my account no doubt, even with the cancellation on their part. It was for 14 days so well over $4000. Thank goodness I read reviews first before committing that amount of money. Thank you everyone, Your efforts have paid off by preventing more people from falling into this hole.

Hi .. Been looking to book accommodation, Amsterdam, Budapest and Prague plus more for next year 2024 August to October I need an explanation Why from yesterday to today the price jump up $400 in 1 properly in Amsterdam

Need To arrange extra baggage before booking a flight and having difficulty as to how plesae provide information or contact number

Sydney to Denpasar Bali, Denpasar Bali to Ho Chi Minh City, Siem Reap to Sydney

Sydney (SYD) to Denpasar Bali (DPS) Tue 19 Dec · 06:35 - Tue 19 Dec · 10:00 Direct · 6h 25m · Economy Direct 6 hours 25 minutes Economy

View flight details VietJet Aviation Denpasar Bali (DPS) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) Sat 23 Dec · 15:35 - Sat 23 Dec · 18:25 Direct · 3h 50m · Economy Direct 3 hours 50 minutes Economy

View flight details Air Asia Airasiax SDN BHD Siem Reap (REP) to Sydney (SYD) Fri 5 Jan · 15:05 - Sat 6 Jan · 10:35 1 stop · 15h 30m · Economy

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A new ‘Hunger Games’ book — and movie — is coming

FILE - Suzanne Collins arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1" at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on Nov. 17, 2014. Collins is returning to the ravaged, post-apocalyptic land of Panem for a new “The Hunger Games” novel. Scholastic announced Thursday that “Sunrise on the Reaping” will be published March 18, 2025. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

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NEW YORK (AP) — Inspired by an 18th century Scottish philosopher and the modern scourge of misinformation, Suzanne Collins is returning to the ravaged, post-apocalyptic land of Panem for a new “The Hunger Games” novel.

Scholastic announced Thursday that “Sunrise on the Reaping,” the fifth volume of Collins’ blockbuster dystopian series, will be published March 18, 2025. The new book begins with the reaping of the Fiftieth Hunger Games, set 24 years before the original “Hunger Games” novel, which came out in 2008, and 40 years after Collins’ most recent book, “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.”

Lionsgate, which has released film adaptations of all four previous “Hunger Games” books, announced later on Thursday that “Sunrise on the Reaping” will open in theaters on Nov. 20, 2026. Francis Lawrence, who has worked on all but the first “Hunger Games” movie, will return as director.

The first four “Hunger Games” books have sold more than 100 million copies and been translated into dozens of languages. Collins had seemingly ended the series after the 2010 publication of “Mockingjay,” writing in 2015 that it was “time to move on to other lands.” But four years later, she stunned readers and the publishing world when she revealed she was working on what became “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” released in 2020 and set 64 years before the first book.

Collins has drawn upon Greek mythology and the Roman gladiator games for her earlier “Hunger Games” books. But for the upcoming novel, she cites the Scottish Enlightenment philosopher David Hume.

“With ‘Sunrise on the Reaping,’ I was inspired by David Hume’s idea of implicit submission and, in his words, ‘the easiness with which the many are governed by the few,’” Collins said in a statement. “The story also lent itself to a deeper dive into the use of propaganda and the power of those who control the narrative. The question ‘Real or not real?’ seems more pressing to me every day.”

The “Hunger Games” movies are a multibillion dollar franchise for Lionsgate. Jennifer Lawrence portrayed heroine Katniss Everdeen in the film versions of “The Hunger Games,” “Catching Fire” and “Mockingjay,” the last of which came out in two installments. Other featured actors have included Philip Seymour Hoffman, Josh Hutcherson, Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland.

“Suzanne Collins is a master storyteller and our creative north star,” Lionsgate chair Adam Fogelson said in a statement. “We couldn’t be more fortunate than to be guided and trusted by a collaborator whose talent and imagination are so consistently brilliant.”

The film version of “Songbirds and Snakes,” starring Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler, came out last year. This fall, a “Hunger Games” stage production is scheduled to debut in London.

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Mature rental integrator with a poor mobile app

Pros: Easy-to-use service with a friendly UI and a wide variety of rental companies Cons: Functionally poor mobile app, you have to use the website to manage your reservations Strange cookie policy on the website, I've to explicitly log in any other day I open it, which is very annoying.

Date of experience : May 27, 2024

Reply from EconomyBookings

Thank you for your feedback, Svyatoslav. We're glad to hear you found our service easy to use and appreciated the variety of rental companies we offer. We're sorry to hear about the issues with our mobile app and the cookie policy on our website. Your concerns are important to us, and we'll look into these matters to improve your experience.

Fast and get batter price than any…

Fast and get batter price than any website but it not clear about where office of rent car in airport or out ** no Arabic language 😅

Date of experience : June 07, 2024

Thank you for your feedback, Mohammad Ali. We're glad to hear you found our prices competitive. We apologize for any confusion regarding the rental car office location. Please check your booking voucher for detailed pickup instructions, or visit our help center for further assistance: http://bit.ly/3IJGuDF.

Easy Booking Fair price

Easy Booking Fair price Process was straight forward and easy to navigate. Default inclusion of options is annoying. Would like to see a pay at pick up option.

Thank you for your feedback, Michael Lee. We're glad to hear that you found the booking process straightforward and fairly priced. We appreciate your suggestion regarding the pay at pick-up option and will consider it for future improvements. Your comments about the default inclusion of options are noted, and we'll work on making this aspect more user-friendly.

Found amazing deal

Found amazing deal. Half price compared to hertz website. was not sure so called support line with reference number and they confirmed I had the right price.

Thank you for sharing your positive experience, Patrick. We are delighted to hear that you found an amazing deal and received confirmation from our support team. If you have any further questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Booked a car for a holiday in the Gold…

Booked a car for a holiday in the Gold Coast quick and easy also cheaper than most others. I've only booked at this time still to use the service. Car hire booked for October

Thank you for your feedback, John Lewis. We're glad to hear that you found the booking process quick and easy, and that our prices are competitive. We hope you have a fantastic holiday in the Gold Coast and enjoy your rental experience. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out.

My experience was easy

My experience was easy, fast and very cost efficient. Great app for a great product. I couldn’t find a better price anywhere else.

Date of experience : June 08, 2024

Thank you, Aaron Brown! We're delighted to hear that you found our service easy, fast, and cost-efficient. Your positive feedback is greatly appreciated. We look forward to serving you again in the future!

It was very easy and able to understandto get my rental snd economy is fighting me about my refund

Date of experience : June 05, 2024

Thank you for sharing your positive experience, Gena Terry. We're glad to hear that you found our service easy to understand. Your satisfaction is important to us, and we look forward to serving you again in the future.

easy booking

Finding a company that fit my need was the reason for booking with Dollar.

Thank you for sharing your positive experience, John. We're glad to hear that Dollar met your needs and that you had a satisfactory booking experience with us. If you have any other feedback or need further assistance, please let us know.

Informative

Informative. However For Canadian customers need to identify in listing that charge is in US$ and will be converted to the estimate price shown,

Thank you for your feedback. We understand the importance of clarity in pricing, especially for our Canadian customers. Please note that while we process payments in EUR, USD, and GBP, our website provides estimated prices in other currencies based on the daily exchange rate. We will take your suggestion into consideration to improve our service.

It was quick

It was quick, plain to follow, easy to understand and pretty seamless.

Thank you for your positive feedback, Peina Smith! We're delighted to hear that you found the process quick and easy to follow. Your satisfaction is our priority, and we appreciate your kind words.

Simple, not click heavy, easy to follow. Good price as well. Now, hopefully I'll get the model of car I've booked.

Thank you, Mark, for your positive feedback! We're glad to hear you found our service easy to use and well-priced. We hope you enjoy your rental and receive the car model you booked. If you have any concerns, feel free to reach out to us.

easy to understand and choose the…

easy to understand and choose the options I wanted. lots of options on car companies.

Thank you for your feedback, Cindy Hogan. We're glad to hear that you found the process easy and appreciated the variety of car rental options available. If you have any suggestions for further improvement, feel free to let us know.

First time. So far so good but waiting for the end of the car rental for a meaningful review.

Thank you, Etienne, for sharing your initial impressions. We hope the rest of your rental experience meets your expectations, and we look forward to your final review. If you have any questions or need assistance during your rental period, please let us know.

Great but not sure how to change to…

Great but not sure how to change to different drop off location

Thank you for your feedback, Corie Thompson. Unfortunately, most booking details, including the drop-off location, cannot be changed without canceling the current booking. If you need further assistance, please visit our help center: http://bit.ly/3IJGuDF.

Actually my Visa was not accepted the…

Actually my Visa was not accepted the first time and I don’t know why.

I'm sorry to hear about the issue with your Visa card, Eric. Sometimes, payment failures can occur due to various reasons such as bank restrictions or incorrect card details. Please try using a different payment method or contact your bank for more information. If the problem persists, our customer support team is available to assist you.

The interface is easy to use

The interface is easy to use, the rate is very affordable.

Thank you, Teck Teng, for your positive feedback! We're delighted to hear that you found our interface user-friendly and our rates affordable. Your satisfaction is our priority, and we hope to serve you again soon.

This was a very easy process to book…

This was a very easy process to book and pay. I’m glad they accept debit card. Very safe and secure

Date of experience : June 03, 2024

Thank you for your positive feedback, Ginger Quinn. We're delighted to hear that you found the booking process easy and secure. Your satisfaction is our priority, and we appreciate your support!

Terrible customer service

Terrible customer service. We arrived to Dallas to pick up our car and sadly my partner forgot his credit card and they refused to take a debit card. We called customer service explaining the situation and the customer service representative was nice and explained how to get a refund. We sent an email to the address provided and haven’t heard back. We called the customer service again. We spoke to a very rude gentleman this time that told us we violated terms and conditions and we won’t be getting any refund even if we did make a new booking as suggested through them and spent even more money. I understand not having the credit card was our fault but take money for a service that was not provided and speaking to someone this rude is a daylight robbery. Avoid at all cost.

I am truly sorry to hear about your experience, Pavla. Our policy requires a credit card for vehicle pick-up as stated in the terms and conditions. While I understand your frustration, our customer support team is here to help, and I apologize for any rudeness you encountered. Please fill out a form at our help center (http://bit.ly/3IJGuDF) with your booking number and issue details, and our team will assist you further.

no detailed breakdown of fees and…

no detailed breakdown of fees and costs. unable to expense for reimbursement so unlikely to use again. help support only directs to online information without personal support. Unable to clearly confirm that my e-credit was/will be used.

I'm sorry to hear about your experience, David. We strive for transparency in pricing, and the final rental price is always presented during the booking process. For specific billing concerns and to confirm the use of your e-credit, please fill out a form at our help center (http://bit.ly/3IJGuDF) with your booking number and issue details. Our Customer Support team will address your inquiry as promptly as possible.

Very smooth to use and alot of variety

Very smooth to use and alot of variety Its my first time hopefully will be amazing

Thank you, Hussien Tahoon! We're thrilled to hear that you found our platform smooth to use and appreciated the variety. We hope your first experience with us is amazing. If you need any assistance, feel free to reach out.