Hotel Booking Prices Not Making Sense

TerryTightwad on 01/05/2026 - 16:47
Last edited 01/05/2026 - 17:36 by 1 other user

Booking hotels and trying to get the absolute best prices.

What I am noticing, even with cashback, I am seeing some sites offering better prices on google. If you independently go on trip.com or klook.com which were offering the best price for a particular hotel, it is hundreds more even with cashback. So I elected to not use cashback. I have heard of sites jacking up the prices if you click through from a cashback site, but this seems different and actually a search engine thing.

Is there any method or tip in getting the best prices for hotels? Because I find it can be really random and quite confusing. You find a good price and add up the cash back and then go to book it, and it doubles! But not due to the cashback (Which can happen) but due to getting the good price via google.

Anyone noticed this or any other tactics which make using cashback not possible?

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  • jv on 01/05/2026 - 18:05
    +12

    Is there any method or tip in getting the best prices for hotels?

    I usually book direct with the hotel.

    • try2bhelpful on 03/05/2026 - 00:06
      +4

      Absolutely. They usually match the booking price of the reputable websites and may even throw in a room upgrade because they aren’t paying a percentage to a third party booking website.

    • wetsandwich on 07/05/2026 - 11:22
      +1

      I've never had them willing to match, personally. I've literally had to use the hotel's wifi in the reception to book it myself on booking .com for $50, because the front desk wouldn't go below $100 (made up prices, but point remains).

      • try2bhelpful on 07/05/2026 - 14:10

        Interesting. Never had an issue booking direct.

  • Muppet Detector on 01/05/2026 - 17:26
    +9

    These cash back mechanisms are often a false economy when combining with room accomodation. Nobody is losing money. What you think you are receiving in the right hand, they're secretly taking out of your left hand.

    Ignoring seasonal influences, if one accomodation provider appears to be offering substantial discounts (for what they are) or other inclusions, run. Run very fast. There is a reason why people are choosing their equally equipped competitors and those dudes are undercutting themselves to beg for your business.

    A method that usually produces excellent results is to research prices through an online third party like booking.com, capturing proof of that offer, the price and inclusions etc) and then directly approaching the hotel yourself and asking them if they can offer a different price or inclusions.

    When booking in person, whilst price will likely be the most significant consideration for both parties, when dealing direct, there is opportunity to negotiate for extra room inclusions, upgrades, complimentary breakfasts or other goodies, access to otherwise excluded sections, gift cards for on site spa or beauty services, free hire of relevant equipment, a free drink with dinner, discounted dinner, free dessert with room service.

    Then of course, the greater scope for flexibility if you need to alter your booking.

    The price of an hotel room does not usually remain static across a day or week. It has a rack rate, a minimum rate and a cost at which it is better to leave a room empty than fill it. So many things happen across a day that influence the price offered for a room from moment to moment.

    Many of the larger ones like Hyatt, Hilton & Marriott etc will often have a price match guarantee.

    • Stewardo on 01/05/2026 - 18:36
      +2

      The price match Guarantee is a scam, if you have higher tier status with booking, Agoda etc the hotel chains won’t pay out on the offer you receive, only the offer listed for non members which will be the same price as theirs.
      The top booking sites only promote the hotels that give them heavy discounts. Hotels need the booking sites to sell volume.
      So if you book direct you’ll often pay more, but won’t get a good room necessarily, if you book direct you’ll often pay more but you’ll be more likely to get upgrades and other perks that come with hotel status.
      You can blame the budget airlines for this, once upon a time airfares and hotels were a set price.
      Now we are all part of the dynamic pricing algorithm, for better or worse.

      • TerryTightwad on 01/05/2026 - 19:55
        +2

        Agree. They seem to have all these little loopholes like the same room with 20 different configurations, without breakfast, with free cancellation, or vice versa, or some deal where they offer a transit card for free, or a sim card, and then they would have absolutely no way of having to honor a price match, a bit like how stores here try to have variants of products, or exclusives so they cant be matched. I have been in contact with trip.com today who seem to display their price match guarantee badge nicely and I admit it was the cherry on the top to what made me book with them. Found a cheaper price, and thought lets try it but they rejected it straight away due to not being able to find the price I screenshot. and its only about $20 difference, I thought they would happily accept it but they do absolutely everything to avoid it.

      • Muppet Detector on 01/05/2026 - 20:40
        +1

        Many of the larger ones like Hyatt, Hilton & Marriott etc will often have a price match guarantee.

        I meant between each other when personally approaching them.

        I thought I was pretty discouraging about using third party booking platforms.

        • mskeggs on 02/05/2026 - 02:40
          +1

          Third party platforms are a great example of enshittification.
          They used to offer late rooms and good discounts, but now just charge fat fees.
          I use them to find some potential sites, then try the hotel website, then ring them up and ask if they can do anything.
          I do the opposite if I am late to book, and check for online rates before walking into the reception to seek a room.

  • tsunamisurfer on 01/05/2026 - 19:14
    +6

    There is no secret method.

    I check :
    - Booking (with / without cash back sites).
    - Expedia (with / without cash back sites).
    - Others like Wotif,
    - Direct with the hotel / group, for example if you have a IHG or Hilton or some other membership.
    - General googling.

    • Some Random Guy on 03/05/2026 - 14:53
      +1

      I add also calling hotels directly and negotiating

      • tsunamisurfer on 03/05/2026 - 16:24

        Good idea I never tried that

    • nekro on 03/05/2026 - 11:23

      This is what i do.

  • Eeples on 01/05/2026 - 21:42
    +3

    In my experience google 'priceless Mastercard expedia' then click on the Australia link and use MASTERAU8 which only works if you click thru (not on the Expedia site directly) as a good baseline for the lowest price.

    It can be beaten occasionally on booking dot com or other specials on other sites but it is a good baseline imo.

  • Muppet Detector on 03/05/2026 - 02:40
    +3

    Currently an Alcoholics Anonymous convention. 1000 people registered each day, 400 staying in house. They have a bar discount. Room service very busy.

    • try2bhelpful on 03/05/2026 - 09:43

      Please tell me this is a pisstake.

      • Muppet Detector on 03/05/2026 - 22:43
        +2

        No, true story.

        • try2bhelpful on 05/05/2026 - 18:44

          Really sad.thanks for the update.

          • Muppet Detector on 05/05/2026 - 19:20

            @try2bhelpful: To be fair, it should be mentioned that the bars do sell non alcoholic drinks and beverages etc, so not necessarily purchasing alcoholic beverages (as I initially assumed before having a think) and I would expect that most (if not all) rooms had at least two people in them (or even visiting) some of whom may not have been members of AA (so a partner or friends maybe?),

            It just seemed really weird to me to even have alcohol readily available, far less potentially discounted at a confrence for what I presume were largely recovering alcoholics (maybe the conference participants weren't even AA members but program organisers or people being trained to support the AA members, sort of thing?

            Like, the conference organisers (3 day conference) made no plans for any food, leaving that all up to the conference delegates to sort out - so not even any food discounts for those in-house, but they organised discounted bar tab.

            Was just weird.

  • keji on 01/05/2026 - 17:04
    +2

    This is an issue typically seen when a hotel doesn't apply rate parity, so some locations charge more than others. Best bet is to call the hotel and ask for the reservation price. If you find a lower price, then use it as a contest point

  • surfingedge on 01/05/2026 - 18:13
    +2

    Online travel agents like booking.com can charge hotels up to 25% commission. So if the booking sites are willing to accept a "lower" commission they can charge you less, while still paying the hotel the same amount they would otherwise.

    Likewise, as long as the hotel isn't contractually constrained, they may be willing to drop the price by up to 20% as they would have to pay it to a travel agent anyway. Sometimes hotels won't let you have money off, but will instead add things like free breakfast / dining credit / upgrades.

    Booking sites sometimes prepurchase hotel room nights in bulk. So the hotel gets paid anyway and the agent takes the risk that nobody books the room. In this case the booking site may accept making a loss on some rooms since anything is better than nothing.

  • MahjongKing on 02/05/2026 - 07:29
    +2

    And occasionally there are cheaper prices booking via an app such as Agoda. But generally don't bother using cashback with Agoda as they jack up the price

  • admira on 02/05/2026 - 18:55
    +1

    Direct with the hotel. If theres a problem at checkin, good luck getting expedia/kayak/whatever to try and fix it for you. Go direct and they have no choice, I got bitten once with a mixup with expedia (I had a confirmed booking but hotel didn't have it in their system) and have gone direct ever since.

    • TerryTightwad on 02/05/2026 - 22:37

      Then its at the hotels discretion, they can lie about a problem with the booking. Have booked with booking sites for 25+ years with no issue. If there was any issue, even with overbooking a room for example, the hotel would be liable with booking through a booking site, and failing that the booking site would help arrange alternate accommodation. I don't really think you are more protected with a hotel directly, just means less options and they will also know you cant make any review about the hotel as its booked with them.

      • try2bhelpful on 03/05/2026 - 00:13
        +1

        You have the paperwork directly with the hotel so there is nobody else either party can blame. Best of luck trying to get anyone from a third party website involved in an expeditious manner if there is an issue.

        Of course you can put reviews up on things like Google and Trip Advisor about experiences when booking directly with à hotel.

        Been booking directly with hotels for over 30 years and haven’t had an issue yet.

        Use the third part websites to identify likely places to stay. Go directly to the hotel website, join their loyalty program and book directly.

        • TerryTightwad on 03/05/2026 - 00:36

          In other countries, Ive seen many of their own sites are quite dodgy, bad security etc. It might be worth it if its cheaper but dont think ive ever seen it cheaper. They may say we have no booking, and blame it solely on you. At-least with a booking site, you have the booking with them, have all the details, can chase it up with the big corporation, plus the hotel. If its just with the hotel, it can be chased up. In Australia I can see your point, and if its cheaper. Ive had no issues with booking sites (touch wood) Apart from in China when the hotel charged me for the stay again, and said they had no agreement with Agoda, but this was 15 or so years ago. If its working for you then great, but I don't think its any more risky.

          • try2bhelpful on 03/05/2026 - 08:50

            @TerryTightwad: Sounds like horses for courses. I don’t tend to stay at dodgy hotels. I pick mid range ones with decent reviews. If you look at the reviews for some of the third party booking sites they can be a nightmare.

            I’ve only limited experience in travelling in Asia, and haven’t been to China, so I can’t comment either way there.

  • JimmyF on 01/05/2026 - 19:50

    Booking hotels and trying to get the absolute best prices.

    Well they're not in the business of giving the rooms away.

    • TerryTightwad on 01/05/2026 - 19:56
      -3

      Thats not been My experience at all, They give them away especially if they are at risk of being empty. They have certain quotas that need to be full, like 80% I would say. Have had some amazing deals. 5 star hotels for less than $50 in Asia including breakfast and cashback often sweetens the deal to be even better!

      • Muppet Detector on 02/05/2026 - 07:12

        They give them away especially if they are at risk of being empty. They have certain quotas that need to be full, like 80% I would say.

        Sort of, sometimes, but not really.

        Example, it would be unusual for them to open up an entire floor (or equivalent) for one or two rooms or rooms on the opposite side of a resort.

  • Benno007 on 02/05/2026 - 08:50

    As an Expedia platinum member… I now almost exclusively book direct. Hasn’t been cheaper for me since Covid to use booking sites

  • TerryTightwad on 03/05/2026 - 00:46

    Just to add to it, The reverse can also happen. If a price on booking site (Say trip.com) is say $339 for a flight, and you go on google to check it out, it comes up with higher prices for trip.com. Clicking on it, it comes up with the higher advertised price on google. Im assuming they are part of some affiliate program but instead of you getting the cashback, Google pockets this.

    Had one flight that was $20 less when I checked 20 mins after booking, so I immediately cancelled it and was refunded, booked the other one with no issue. Already winning if everything goes to plan, because Trip.com reluctantly price matched a hotel and credited it as coins. It was much appreciated. So far, would reccommend them highly apart from fluctuating prices. Time will tell if theres any issues on the trip.

  • petestrash on 05/05/2026 - 14:10

    What you have found is correct, booking via cashback links is often higher then not using those links.

    Also it's sometimes cheaper not to login to a booking site.

    It's getting harder to find true deals these days as a lot of the sites are owned by the same corporations.

    Depends on the counrties your visiting, but I find I am using sites like booking.com a lot less these days, and I'm booking a lot more hotels direct (if they are not part of a big chain).

    Often due to agreements the hotels sign with the booking agencies they cannot show rates lower than offered via the booking sites.

    But they can offer lower rates if you join their free membership club. Some also post the same rates as the booking sites, but will include extras in the rates they show Free Breakfast, airport transfers etc.

    Trip.com has been reasonable recently for asian hotels.

    Also if book refundable rooms, try using hotelslash to track prices. they will email you if they find a room cheaper with the same conditions.

  • Wiadro on 01/05/2026 - 20:14
    -3

    ADAHBHS

    • TerryTightwad on 01/05/2026 - 20:19

      Haha no, Generally had good experiences with cashback but they do occasionally affect prices on some hotel booking sites where it becomes a scam.

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