If you’re looking for hotels, apartments, or vacation rentals online, there’s a very good chance you’ll end up on Booking.com. It’s actually one of the biggest accommodation booking sites in the world, but if you’ve never used it before, you might be wondering: Is Booking.com legit?
To give you the short answer, yes, Booking.com is legitimate. We use it all the time when we travel! In fact, it’s usually the first place we check when looking for accommodation.
In this Booking.com review, we’ll explain why we trust the site and what we like about using it, but we’ll also share a few things that we think you should watch out for to help you get the most out of the platform. Let’s get into it!
Is Booking.com legit?
Yes! Booking.com is a legitimate website. In fact, with over 3 million listings worldwide, they’re the largest online travel agent in the world!Â
But they don’t just offer hotels – you can also find apartments, homes, and B&Bs on Booking.com. And for every listing, you’ll be able to read real travelers’ reviews so that you can hear about the pros and cons of a property before you book, from people who have actually stayed there.Â
It’s not all about accommodation, either. You can even book rental cars and flights through Booking.com! In fact, booking a flight with them once saved me about $300 USD, so it’s worth looking into.
Are hotels more expensive on Booking.com?
No! A lot of people think that hotels will increase prices when listed on a third-party site like Booking.com, but the prices actually aren’t any higher. In our experience, they’re often lower because you can unlock Genius and mobile-only discounts.Â
Plus, when you go through Booking.com, you often benefit from free cancellation or the option to reserve now and pay at the property. We really like this because it gives you a bit of extra flexibility if your plans change.Â
What are the benefits of booking hotels through Booking.com?
Free Cancellation
One of the best things about Booking.com is that most hotels on the site offer free cancellation 24 to 48 hours before your check-in time. This can vary a bit by destination, but we find that flexible cancellation is much more common on Booking.com than when booking direct. This is a huge perk, especially if your plans aren’t set in stone yet. It means you can lock in a good hotel early without fully committing, which is ideal for busy destinations where the best places sell out quickly.
Reserve now, pay later
Another thing we love about Booking.com is that many hotels allow you to reserve now and pay at the property. This means you can secure your room in advance, but you don’t actually have to pay until you arrive.
We find this really useful for budgeting, especially when planning a big trip with lots of expenses. It’s also handy if you’re still finalizing your itinerary. You can book a place to stay while keeping your plans flexible, and then pay closer to the time when you know everything is definitely going ahead.
Genius Discounts
Booking.com’s Genius loyalty program is another great way to save money, especially if you use the site often (which we do!) It’s free to join, and once you create an account, you can start unlocking Genius discounts on select stays.
The program has different tiers, so the more you book, the more perks you can access. At the higher levels, you can get discounts of up to 20% on select stays, as well as extras like free breakfast or room upgrades at participating properties.
We always recommend signing in before you search, because Genius prices are only shown when you’re logged into your account. Booking.com also offers mobile-only discounts, which can be pretty substantial, so it’s definitely worth downloading the app before you book! Between Genius discounts and app-only deals, you can often save a decent amount without doing much extra work.
Real traveler’s reviews
Reviews matter so much when booking accommodation, and this is one of the main reasons we like using Booking.com. You can read reviews from real travelers who have actually stayed at the property, which makes it much easier to know what to expect. Plus, great reviews always make us feel much more confident about booking!
In fact, our personal rule of thumb is to book places with a rating of 8 or higher, and plenty of reviews to back that score up. You don’t want to rely on just one or two opinions!
We also find that reviews can be really helpful for practical tips. Sometimes, travelers will mention handy details like the easiest way to get to the hotel or whether it’s worth booking breakfast.
Side-by-side comparison to other hotels
There are thousands of hotels available on Booking.com, so it’s easy to find several options in an area you like. Then you can narrow it down by price and filter by rating, cancellation policy, and even by amenity type. We find this much easier than opening a bunch of individual hotel websites and manually comparing everything!
Easy booking process
Booking.com is really easy to use. In fact, you can book a room in just a few clicks. Their checkout process is super smooth, and we also really appreciate how easy it is to find and manage your bookings later on.
It’s also super easy to filter your search so that you only see hotels that match your preferences, and you can also sort the hotels in various ways, such as by price or rating. The map feature is especially useful, because we always like to see exactly where a hotel is before booking it!Â
What are the negatives of booking through Booking.com?
Third-party sites can be tricky
Booking through a third party can sometimes have its own drawbacks. If there’s a problem with your reservation, you’re not dealing with the hotel directly from the very beginning, which can sometimes add an extra step.
However, this is actually one of the reasons we like using Booking.com! In our experience, it’s easier to handle cancellations and refunds with them instead of having to chase up individual hotels.
Rumors of scams
Since Booking.com has so many listings, it’s not surprising that there are a few horror stories online. We’ve all seen those posts about travelers booking a hotel, only to arrive and find that the property isn’t what they expected, but this is exactly why reviews are so important!Â
We only book hotels with a rating of 8 or higher, and we make sure there are plenty of real reviews to back that score up. It’s also important to check recent reviews, as these give you a much better idea of what the property is like now.
You know how some people on dating apps use photos from a decade ago? Every now and then, hotels do that too! But recent reviews can reassure you that guests are still having a great experience.
We also check the photos, location, cancellation policy, and recent guest comments before booking. Doing a few minutes of homework makes a big difference, and we’ve personally never had an issue with a fake or sub-par hotel when booking this way.
What is Booking.com’s customer service like?
Booking.com offers 24/7 customer service, and it’s easy to speak to an agent via the app. Not to brag, but since we’re good about doing our homework and only pick hotels with lots of great reviews, we’ve only ever needed to reach out to Booking.com once or twice. However, in the times that we have had to do it, the representatives were very responsive and helpful.
What has been our personal experience with Booking.com?
Fantastic! We almost always book accommodation through Booking.com – doesn’t that say it all?
We love the site because it’s easy to find hotels in the location we want, read reviews, and get in touch with the property if necessary. It’s simple to make and manage reservations, and free cancellation allows you to lock in a great deal while staying flexible. No matter where we are in the world, we always feel secure booking a hotel through Booking.com!Â
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Thanks for reading!
We hope this blog and our personal experience with Booking.com have been helpful as you plan your upcoming trip. After using this platform for years and years, we are loyal customers for a reason and easily recommend it to fellow travelers!
If you liked this blog, check out some of our other top travel tips. We’ve got a few similar platforms that we consistently use, and will make your travels effortless!
Is Viator Legit? Our Viator Review based on Experience
Is Discover Cars Legit? Our Honest Review After Over 10 Rentals!
Is Motorhome Republic Legit? Our Review After 4 Road Trips
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From hotels to guided tours, we only recommend services we know and trust. Here are our recommended partners so you can explore Costa Rica with confidence.
