Are you looking for a hotel, flight, or rental car but are worried about its legitimacy? If so, we can help! Read below to learn all about this booking website and what you need to know before doing business with them.
Is Booking.com Legit?
Booking.com is definitely legit as it is owned by Booking Holdings, the world’s leader in online travel. However, booking through Booking.com carries a higher risk of issues than booking directly as it acts as a middleman between the traveler and the host.
When booking online, it is possible that things could go wrong which would then cause additional costs such as flights to be canceled or bookings not being completed.
Why are the risks associated with Booking.com high?
It all started because of my eagerness to find accommodations for the family trip during busy Thanksgiving. And this didn’t look easy at all. So, in order to make a breakthrough (without resorting to any questionable sources), I found out about what goes down when booking online through third-party travel sites.
Through our intermediation services, we will be responsible for taking care of any issues related to your booking – because it is handled through us. With this service, you’ll also get specialized assistance from one of our representatives who can help fix whatever problems might arise.
In case of any disputes, you should refer to the customer service that deals specifically with this kind of issue. Though it can be difficult to reach them at times due to high call volume or inconvenience hour
From first contact to resolving issues, customer service is paramount. This is truer than ever with an increased dependency on technology. Customer care lacks in every area of business nowadays, especially within the sphere of booking airfares or lodging accommodations. Relying exclusively on an OTA (online travel agent) will often result in an inadequate level of customer service because most budget airlines and hotels are so competitively priced that they must skimp out on certain features such as a 24/7 telephone number or chat function for immediate communications, which includes dealing with problems immediately rather than days later after you’ve waited for multiple replies from the company involved.
However, there is a possibility that you might not receive an immediate response from us even though this may be an emergency situation if we don’t have anyone available for customer service.
Nevertheless, you cannot change or cancel anything that has been originally booked with these companies. Not only does it take a lot of time for these corporations to process refunds but also keep in mind – after making significant alterations to flights (whether just changing one day around or altogether canceling the flight) and airlines specifically, it’s near-impossible to move everything back onto another date because they both fly full.
In fact, it is almost impossible to cancel or change flights booked through Booking.com.
The problem with booking flights through bookings or airbnb, is that if there are any setbacks or unfulfilled promises made about a place you booked without any second thoughts – for example if it’s infested with bed bugs and not just one bug but many; the company you paid for won’t take responsibility for giving you your money back because technically they were never supposed to give it to you in the first place- which leaves travelers helpless.
Making changes, cancellations or settling up with hotels is much more expedient if you booked direct- we need no middlemen when it comes to communication between ourselves. Furthermore, booking direct gives the hotel, airline and car rental companies preferential treatment which may lead to discounts or upgrades for the customer of such establishments.
The reason is simple:
They’re able to earn more money than usual because they don’t have to give anything away, which means less overhead when it comes time to making more profits. For instance, hotel owners are less burdened by maintaining multiple reservations for their establishment through an online travel agency. In addition, handling customer inquiries is made simpler because anyone who calls or emails the hotel is assured that all of the information was taken care of upfront so there would be no double-dealing.
This leads to unfortunate consequences like other guests being disappointed due to some rooms having already been booked up. Another instance is when a guest makes an advanced reservation but does not receive the confirmation upon arrival- resulting in feeling lost or frantic about being stuck in a foreign city with no accommodations set up. Booking directly means this will never happen because once you have bought the room, it’ll be reserved exclusively for your own use– so to conclude I would say it’s safer and less stressful.
Booking.com is just fine until something goes wrong.
With the recent rise of travelers who take to social media sites such as Instagram and Facebook for everything from cooking demonstrations to fashion advice, booking services are now focusing more heavily on online marketing campaigns that can allow for other ways of promotion.
Direct booking may cost you a few more dollars, but it offers many other perks- like being able to talk to customer service easily if there are any problems and being able to change or cancel your reservations whenever necessary.
Now coming to the main question, is Booking.com legit?
Although Booking .com comes with risks and a lower level of security than booking directly, it is unquestionably reliable given its longevity. My own personal experience using this site (booking a hotel) was positive enough for me to return. Of course, individual experiences vary. But we cannot dismiss this company based on the opinions of others without considering the benefits of 27 years of existence behind them.
Even if the company isn’t legitimate, chances are it would have died years ago because scams just don’t last that long. But now they’re ranked number one among all travel sites so they’re obviously doing something right!
One of the largest online travel companies in the world, Booking Holdings has set out to make life easier for travelers everywhere. Their umbrella includes some of the most prominent sites today like Priceline and Travelocity.
Furthermore, Booking Holdings trades on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, and they are listed in it. What makes this a lot better than other companies is that they’re on the NASDAQ 100 list which features American companies worth $5 billion or more that trade on the NASDAQ. And if they weren’t legitimate enough as it is, their parent company also happens to be active there – (Booking Holdings). Given all these facts about them being worth this much, you can conclude how trustworthy this company truly is.
Should You Book Through Booking.com or Directly?
When comparing the price of booking online and on the ground, most people go for what would be less hassle. If there is a similar price difference between both sites or the cost of one ticket ends up being cheaper than the other-it generally comes down to which one will provide them with more comfort.
Personally, I highly recommend you to AVOID booking flights through Booking.com
As you may already know, it is best to go direct with the airlines if there is any need for change, cancellation, or even resolving other problems. Though booking a flight might seem like an easier task at first due to being accessible all year round through one website – it only became more complicated once faced with some bumps in the road. Through my personal experience working with them and what they were able to provide- I would choose to pay more than come back here again just because of how difficult they made it just when anything happened wrong.
Additionally, I recommend Expedia for booking car rentals, airport taxis, and attractions.
I only recommend Booking.com for booking accommodation but only under these conditions:
- The price difference is significant between booking directly and through Booking.com.
Booking an average hotel, not an expensive luxury hotel.
Not making reservations for a large number of days at once.
Apart from these conditions, there are others you need to take into account:
8 Tips To Book Safely on Booking.com
Here are eight crucial tips that will make your Booking experience memorable and pleasant while minimizing the risk of having a bad time or getting ripped off:
1. Choose a Safe Destination
In addition to its 28 million listings, Booking.com has more than 6.2 million listings of apartments, homes, and other unique accommodations.
As much as you may want to visit every place that has ever interested you, it is important that you do your research before going anywhere. No matter where you plan on staying, make sure to learn about the people there and what they are like so that when traveling or living somewhere new, you can know what to expect from them.
I can’t stress how important it is to ensure you always reserve your stays in urban areas when travelling. Being surrounded by many other people has its benefits – for example, it increases the likelihood of finding someone who speaks English if you struggle. Many listings also include details about accessible features such as stores and cafes so that way you’ll know which hotel or apartment building to choose from before making a reservation!
Look for an area that appears safe and friendly.
After selecting a suitable destination for your stay, you should:
2. Take A Look At The Pictures of Hotel & Its Rooms
In order to get a good idea of what a property looks like, look at pictures of it from different angles.
If the property looks appealing to you, make sure that you take a look at some of the photos from inside.
When the listing has few pictures, it can be tempting to book but try not to. When looking at a hotel, note how they present themselves because that’s what will make it seem most appealing when staying there. This way you can see an accurate picture of the place before making a decision about whether or not this is where you want to stay for your next vacation.
3. Read Guest Reviews
Before booking your accommodation, take time to read other people’s reviews of it first. They can give you an idea of what the accommodation is like and provide some important information so that you can choose wisely when it comes to where you’ll stay. Be sure to look for accommodations that have at least 100+ reviews and a rating of 8 or higher- no less than this if you want peace of mind about your decision!
This will ensure that you’re able to get plenty of behind-the-scenes insights into what the accommodation is like before making your reservation. If you’re wondering:
Are the reviews on the properties listed on Booking.com real?
Yes, because reviews can only be submitted by people who have actually been guests at the property.
4. Be Aware of Policies
It’s easy to forget about those pesky policies when you’re first booking – but it can come back and bite you. Be sure that you know what cancelation, return or no-show fees are ahead of time so that you don’t end up paying unexpected fees for something that was avoidable. For example, if a hotel has such fees associated with it and these are not mentioned on their webpage – then this needs to be pointed out as some hotels do require deposits upfront for reserving rooms for certain number of nights.
5. Check Facilities
Let’s check out the amenities of the hotel.
In addition, make sure that the room you’re considering has all of the amenities which you require.
By following the tips listed above, you’re ready to book an accommodation. Before doing so, though, please keep these things in mind:
6. Make Sure The Booking Details Are Correct
Providing false or misleading information during the booking process may lead to unpleasant experiences. For example, this includes falsely claiming an airline seat so that someone else may occupy it- which could result in your inability to fly home because of an overbooked flight. Additionally, making any necessary changes after a reservation has been made is almost impossible – but don’t worry; just be sure the information you input during the initial steps is accurate for best results.
7. Confirm Your Booking
One of the major risks associated with booking a hotel through Booking.com is that the hotel might not receive the confirmation of your booking.
This could result in no room availability when you arrive at the property.
In order to avoid these types of problems, you must confirm your reservation through the hotel once you make it and before arriving at the establishment.
The final tip for you:
8. Print Out Your Itineraries
After successfully booking an accommodation through us, you will receive an email outlining the entire process for your reservation including details about which services are included in your package, cancellation and refund policies, as well as any other important info that needs to be communicated.
You can show an electronic copy of your booking confirmation at check-in, but it is advisable to print out your itineraries before you go on vacation so you’re prepared for every situation.
There you have it!
By following these eight tips, you will lessen the likelihood of running into any problems.
Why Booking.com Is Cheaper Than Booking Directly?
Because of these two primary business models, Booking.com allows you to book for less than booking directly:
- Merchant Model
- Agency Model
1. Merchant Model
When we are trying to find hotels for travelers or for ourselves, we typically look at many different sites. Sites like Expedia or Travelocity use aggregate buying power in order to negotiate discounted rates and reduce expenses which they share with us in turn. For example, suppose a traveler wanted to stay somewhere tonight but didn’t want to spend too much money on one night’s accommodations. They might visit these aggregate websites because they offer pricing information that sometimes helps people find cheaper deals.
For example, a booking website would book 50 rooms from one hotel for the price of 100 dollars each nightly rate. The current market pricing is around 150 dollars for these nights.
Booking.com resells those rooms at a higher rate over time, but not at the hotel’s current market rate.
Example:
- Booking.com gradually resells those 50 rooms for $130 per night.
- Booking.com profits $30 if one customer books a room through them.
- If you want to book below the current market price for this hotel, you are unable to do so because we currently have rooms available at or near $150.
The hotel chain made money by selling the same space to different parties at different rates and still provided travelers with cheaper alternatives. Employing a sale process similar to that of other establishments including airlines, hotels sell rooms one after another which act as ‘merchants’ in the industry. These various merchants come together, creating packages with several flights or cars that work well together.
It is these two aspects of being able to book hotels so much cheaper that make up for the time you save by not having to check availability on multiple websites.
2. Agency Model
In the agency model, we are acting as a broker for hotels and other travel agencies where we facilitate transactions for our clients’ services. For these commissions, we partner up with many different suppliers to keep them happy – so they can share in this success together!
This can be beneficial since you would not have to pay anything upfront and only incur costs if your property goes unsold after a certain period of time.
When you book through these sites, they pay commissions to themselves in order to provide lower prices.
FAQs About Is booking.com Legit
What is Booking.com’s cancelation policy?
The cancellation policy is not hosted by Booking.com itself. It is the hotel or airline’s cancellation policy that you’ll be dealing with as a third-party site. There is a clear explanation on each booking page.
Is Booking.com or Expedia better?
It takes some patience to find hotels at the best rates using these popular booking sites. They both allow you to do this for flights, rental cars, and hotels.
Is Booking.com legit for flights?
Yes! You can find low prices for flights across a wide range of airlines at Booking.com.
I can’t find my confirmation email from Booking.com. What do I do?
Booking.com sends a confirmation email with every booking that you can save for your next trip. If you don’t receive your email in your main inbox, double check your junk folder. If you still haven’t received it, you can go into your account and resend it to yourself.
Conclusion
You can book accommodation safely and securely on Booking.com. Though there are those with unfortunate experiences, most people find the booking website easy to use and favorable when they purchase travel arrangements such as hotel rooms, flight tickets, rental cars, or even holiday packages. It has been beneficial for me in planning my trips and I urge you to do so too if you haven’t already done so.
I hope this breakdown of who Booking.com is for and how to use it was helpful to you! If you book anything else soon, I’d love to hear about it. Tell me where you’re going! Once I’ve stayed somewhere I booked through Booking.com, I’ll let you know!
