Accommodation is the most expensive and yet an essential part of any journey. It’s pretty hard to imagine that a traveler could be happy living in uncomfortable conditions, even if he has access to the most thrilling and unique attractions. On the other hand, if the traveler spends all his money on accommodation and has to save money on activities, he’ll not be happy as well. To make matters worse, there is often an additional problem of booking accommodation and being sure that it will be just the same as described.
The Internet offers many great opportunities to book any type of accommodation - from cheap hostels to exclusive luxury villas. The only question is - how to book the most affordable option without any risk? Experienced travelers prefer big websites, the so-called aggregators, where the best accommodation offers can be found and booked.
It is not easy to compare booking websites because they usually offer different types of services or use other business models. We’ll focus on two hotel booking service types - the ones that offer direct booking, allow booking accommodation directly on the website, and metasearch platforms - particular marketplaces that compare hundreds of booking sites and enable the users to choose the best possible option for them.