Booking.com and Hotels.com are the two largest hotel booking platforms, but they take different approaches to pricing, loyalty, and user experience. Here's how they compare for European hotel bookings.
Comparison Table
Provider
Price
Property Selection
Loyalty Programme
User Experience
Cancellation Policy
Customer Support
Booking.com
★★★★☆
★★★★★
★★★★☆
★★★★★
★★★★☆
★★★★☆
Hotels.com
★★★★☆
★★★★☆
★★★☆☆
★★★☆☆
★★★☆☆
★★★☆☆
ℹ️ Good to Know
Scores are based on our hands-on testing, user reviews, and price monitoring across multiple European countries.
1. Booking.com
Pros
Largest selection — 28+ million listings worldwide including apartments, hostels, and B&Bs
Genius loyalty programme offers 10-20% discounts after just 2 bookings
Many properties offer free cancellation until 24-48 hours before arrival
Excellent user interface with real photos, detailed reviews, and map-based search
Cons
'Genius deals' aren't always genuine discounts — some properties inflate base prices
Hidden resort fees and city taxes sometimes not shown until final checkout step
Overwhelming number of results can make comparison difficult
Customer support quality has declined — increasingly bot-driven
Booking.com wins for most travellers — larger selection, better interface, and the Genius programme provides immediate discounts without accumulating stays. Hotels.com's 'buy 10, get 1 free' is better for very frequent travellers who book 10+ nights per year on the same platform. For any specific booking, check both plus the hotel's direct website — direct booking often matches OTA prices and provides better cancellation terms and loyalty points with the hotel's own programme.
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BTS
BestTravelScout Editorial Team
Our editorial team researches and tests travel products hands-on, comparing prices and policies across dozens of providers to bring you honest, data-backed recommendations.