Wanna Get Away? #BookDirect
So, you’re thinking about getting away – maybe for a weekend or even longer. Or maybe you have to travel for business. When you’re searching for a place to stay – whether it’s a bed and breakfast, a hotel or a guest house, where do you start your search? Google? Bing? Yahoo? #BookDirect for the best deal.
Here’s the scoop, it really doesn’t matter how you find the place you want to stay. Most likely you will see the same results or very, very similar results everywhere you look. Why?
Expedia, Bookingdotcom, Tripadviser, AirBnB, Travelocity, the list goes on are all fighting for your lodging dollars. Why?
They make their money by charging a commission to the hotels, bed and breakfasts and guest houses that are listed on their websites. So the more rooms you (the guest) book through Expedia, booking, travelocity, etc. the more money they make.
As a consumer, what does this mean for you when you book through one of these travel agencies?
- Best price?
- Wide variety?
- Easy to book and cancel?
- That’s what their ads all say, but are you sure?
Hotels, bed and breakfasts and Guest Houses want you to know that you will be getting the best lodging, in your ideal location at the best price by booking directly with the property.
#BookDirect. What does that mean for you? I can only speak for Carriage Corner, but these generally apply across the board:
- you will get the lowest available rates;
- you get perks, like loyalty nights with us and extras, like freshly baked cookies on arrival;
- special offers;
- your dietary concerns with be honored; and
- you will actually be communicating with us – the people who will check you in and fix your food.
So, you’ve done your search and found your ideal place. Now what? #BookDirect
You can make a reservation right where you are or #BookDirect with your ideal place by going to their website.
Once you’ve found your ideal accommodation, simply type the name of the bed and breakfast, hotel or guest house into the search box to find THEIR website. Sounds easy enough, right? However, what you will find is a list with the name of the hotel but with a link to expedia, bookingdotcom,etc.
Scroll down below all of those ads to find the name of the hotel. There may even be more places listed who do not use the travel sites. And, if we’re doing things right, well, hopefully, we’ll be at the top of the list.
Why should you care?
Book on a travel site and you are their customer. Need to cancel? It can be a challenge because the travel site is the middle man. Our cancellation policy with the travel sites is basically – no cancellation. Their policies are very limited and their options don’t align well with what we offer to our guests. Want a refund? Well, you’re going to have to deal with the travel agency. Change dates? if you can find your reservation, you might be able to change your dates. But, if you are my guest, all you have to do is give me a call, send a text or email and if the dates are available, they’ll get moved.