What Are the Benefits of Using Hotel Booking Sites?

 

Even with the economic downturn of 2008, world travel has remained one of the most popular activities in the world. According to Visit Britain, the United Kingdom still draws in more than 30 million tourists every year. London alone, according to BBC News, attracts more than 50% of those visitors.

Especially when visiting a cosmopolitan powerhouse like London, finding the best hotels for the best price can be difficult. After all, the city is home to 120,000 hotel rooms, with an additional 8,000 expected to be added by the end of 2013, according to London Loves Business. If you’re having a hard time deciding between the Big Smoke’s hotels, consider using hotel booking sites.

What Are the Benefits of Hotel Booking Sites?
Most people use hotel booking sites for two reasons: convenience and savings. As MoneySavingExpert.com shows, using a hotel search on hotel booking sites can save you over £1,600 on your hotel bookings. Additionally, since many of the best hotel booking sites now offer apps for mobile platforms, both smartphones and tablets, you can literally search for hotels, airfare, and more wherever you are.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is that the benefits of hotel booking sites will quickly go out the window if you wait too long to make arrangements. As Kiplinger suggests, for every day you put off booking your hotel, your rates are likely to rise by £5. Hotel booking sites may be convenient and great for saving money, but they can’t shield you from the normal forces of the market.

Three of the Best Hotel Booking Sites
As you might expect, not all hotel booking sites are created equal. Many offer little to no savings over the prices you’d get from a company website. If you want to save, then choose one of these hotel booking sites.

• Kayak

Kayak is one of the most popular hotel booking sites because it allows you to search multiple travel sites at once. Say, for example, you are searching for hotels near London’s Camden Town. Kayak will search Expedia, Travelocity, and other sites at the same time, allowing you to quickly compare prices and choose the best deal on the fly.

• Quikbook

Hotel Chatter writes that Quikbook is the best of all hotel booking sites. The website does not charge your credit card immediately after booking, unlike other sites, and doesn’t add any additional booking fees. Since Quikbook is well known for offering deals on the best hotels in London, New York, and elsewhere, it is likely the best hotel booking site for travelers looking to vacation in style.

• TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor, according to TNooz, a news organization devoted to travel news, is one of the fastest growing hotel booking sites out there. In fact, from 2012 to 2013, TripAdvisor increased its earnings by 25%. What makes the site so successful? Not only does it offer the metasearch capabilities of Kayak, but it also features an extensive library of reviews for local restaurants, getaways, and entertainment possibilities. In short, it has everything you need to plan a great vacation.

Whether you’re traveling to London or Timbuktu, using hotel booking sites is a great way to find accommodations cheaply and conveniently. Use one of the sites we’ve recommended for the best results, and have a wonderful vacation! More: www.comfortinnandsuiteskingscross.co.uk