Booking.com Logo
star star star star star_border

5.2

Overall Score

Author: Kalicia Bateman

LAST UPDATED: January 26th, 2022

Booking.com is based out of Amsterdam and is owned by the renowned Priceline Group (which also owns a number of other online booking and travel sites/services). Booking.com is backed by an extensive support system around the world by 165 offices in 63 countries. Booking.com seeks to be the world leader in booking accommodations online since 1996 and guarantees the best prices for any type of property including small, family-run bed and breakfasts to executive apartments. Booking.com is available in more than 40 languages and offers more than 640,000 properties in 212 countries. The online travel company not only is available for independent and family travelers, but also for business travelers as shown by its homepage. 

Keep reading for pros and cons, plus Booking.com reviews from real customers. 

Top Ranked Companies

thumb_up

The Good

  • One-Stop Shop
  • Free Cancelations
  • Language and Currency Catering
  • Suggestions
  • Mobile App
  • Filtering

One-Stop Shop

Booking.com has created a one-stop shop for travelers looking to research, book, and subsequently manage all of their travel accommodations. The platform also allows travelers to "explore designations" which allows travelers to get the most out of their next vacation.

Free Cancelations

Sometimes, travelers are hesitant when making travel arrangements due to the fear that something may come up and they will not be able to go on their trip. With Booking.com, users no longer have to suppress this apprehension as they allow free cancellation on most rooms. This option gives travelers the ability to make changes if needed. This is not an additional to cost for users either, whereas most booking agencies do require a hefty fee for this added backing.

Language and Currency Catering

Another plus travelers experience when using Booking.com is its catering to the language and currency needs of international travelers. Their currency calculator helps travelers figure out just how much a foreign vacation will end up costing. Booking.com is consistently updated with the top currencies in the world such as the:

  • U.S. Dollar
  • Euro
  • Singporean Dollar
  • Pound Sterling
  • Canadian Dollar
  • Australian Dollar
  • Property's Currency

While these are not the only currency configurations provided through Booking.com's tool, they are the most used. Other currencies Booking.com allows for include: Argentine Peso, Brazilian Real, Chinese Yuan, Jordanian Diner, New Israeli Sheqel, and Thai Baht. In addition to "translating" the financial figures, Booking.com also allows users to set the language feature. Language translation is provided in: French, German, Russian, Latvian, Indonesian, and Vietnamese.

Suggestions

Booking.com also sets itself apart from other travel agencies due to its search engine which allows travelers to decide where to travel to based on their interests. It also lists several suggestions on its destination finder page with reasons why a customer may be interested. For example, Booking.com will most likely recommend Las Vegas to a traveler interested in:

  • Gambling
  • Entertainment
  • Nightlife
  • Shopping
  • Sightseeing
  • Museums
  • Adventurous activities

Mobile App

For the mobile traveler, Booking.com's app (available for both Apple and Android users) allows travelers to easily switch between their computer, smartphone and tablet.The mobile app makes offline confirmations possible eliminating the need for printers and internet when checking in. It also makes it easy for travelers to add extra night who aren't ready to return home or cancel a booking. Creating and signing into a Booking.com account makes it possible for travelers to sync:

  • Previous searches
  • Viewed hotels
  • Stored credit cards

Filtering

Booking.com also includes a feature that allows travelers to specify the type of travel they are looking to book. For example, travelers can specify whether the trip is for business or pleasure which helps sort and narrow down results to provide the best research listings. This helps users save time during the research portion of the trip management.

thumb_down

The Bad

  • No Rewards Program
  • Complaints
  • No Complete Travel Protection Services

No Rewards Program

Although it has a vast offering to travelers everywhere from Indonesia to France, Booking.com does not have an established rewards program like its competition. The best customers can experience is a 10 percent discount at many hotels for being a Booking.com genius. Regardless of how loyal a customer may be, there isn't a significant return for regularly choosing Booking.com.

Complaints

Booking.com helps thousands of travelers each month plan, manage, and even alter their travel plans. With the sheer volume of users, there are still holes that come with a large-scale service. Common complaints of those who use Booking.com for their online booking needs include:

  • Incorrect descriptions of accommodations
  • Incorrect processing of payments
  • Loss of money due to exchange rates

No Complete Travel Protection Services

While travelers can change and cancel hotel reservations (some exclusions apply), they do not offer a complete travel protection service available for purchase. That means that if a user books flights or rental cars, they are not necessarily going to be able to back out of that reservation. Travelers need to be aware of the stipulations attached to each hotel's cancellation policy contrary to Booking.com saying is easy to cancel or change bookings. Customers may not have insurance in the case of:

  • Booking cancellations
  • Less than satisfactory rooms
  • Fire
  • Damage to property or loss of property
gavel

The Bottom Line

Booking.com provides a number of valuable tools and resources for those starting the vacation research process. Their website includes insight into specific destinations and also has features where travelers can get ideas for their upcoming trip. While they are missing a number of services commonly found on other online booking sites, users cannot ignore the simple interface and sorting tool the reduces the time spent conducting research. Booking.com does understand the international market and helps customers book hotels in their own language and use their own currency for greater convenience. Travelers interested in boarding options in more than 200 countries and more than 600,000 properties just might appreciate the platform. Those that use Booking.com can expect the following from the service:

  1. Sorting, currency, language tools
  2. Travel Management
  3. Bundle and save option
  4. No travel insurance
  5. No rewards program

View Best Travel Sites

Was this content helpful?
thumb_up Yes thumb_down No

Star Rating

info

4.2

star star star star star_border

70 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

56%

4 grade

26%

3 grade

6%

2 grade

7%

1 grade

6%

Sentiment Criteria

Value

star star star star star_half

Quality

star star star star star_half

Service

star star star star star_half

Trustworthiness

star star star star star_half
cancel
info
star star star_border star_border star_border

Breanna Jones Salt Lake City, UT

Booking.com is a good place to try and find a deal. I don't think there is anything special or no extra service is provided. But it is an extra place to check when booking travel to see what deals you can find.

9 years ago

star star star_border star_border star_border

r vido Provo, UT

I tried to get a hotel through Booking.com but they kept trying to charge me all these fees that didn't make any sense! The site was easy to use, however

5 years ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star_border star_border star_border

Hannah Barth Tallahassee, FL

Booking.com did not have that great of customer service when I needed to cancel my trip to Florida due to a family emergency.

4 years ago

star star star_border star_border star_border

Roxy G

Customer service has no control over rental owners keeping their word

7 years ago

star star star_border star_border star_border

Ken Cave

Indiferent. price given in ad was not what they billed me after I signed in

7 years ago