#32: Third-Party Power
Wow, a lot of hotel workers really recommend steering clear of third-party travel websites. This hotel employee reiterated the fact that you will often be charged more when booking on a travel website versus booking directly with the hotel. They also pointed out that your reservation contract is with the third party, not the hotel directly. That means cancellations, refunds, and accommodations are out of the hotel’s hands.
Hotels can’t do much to accommodate any changes to a reservation made on another website, so any complaints have to be directed to the travel site instead. If you see a better deal on a travel site, try calling the hotel directly to see if they price-match. They usually will, because they want to avoid paying fees to the travel site you’re using. The more you know!