Why You Should Book Hotels Directly in Europe

Direct VS Third-Party Booking Sites

To book directly with a hotel means you either emailed the hotel, booked a room via their website, called to reserve a room (yep, that's possible) or you booked a room via the Tourism board association (counts in many places as a direct booking).

On the other hand, third-party sites provide an online platform for hotels, B&Bs and apartment rentals. It's basically a search engine for accommodations, and the hotel business receives a lot more attention. The cost is, most typically, a 30% cut on every booking.

Popular, global third-party sites include Booking, Expedia, Agoda and for apartment and private room rentals it's VRBO, OYO and AirBNB. You will also come across niche type third-party sites such as Agriturismo farm stays in Italy or, for the French world, the Gîtes de France.

This guide will talk about why you should book hotels directly in Europe. We'll be doing a separate post talking about the pros of booking with third-party sites in Europe.

Better Prices

Most older family-run hotels loathe third-party sites because they cut into their earnings, and hotel chains prefer direct bookings to hook their customers for the same reason. Unpleasant late payments by third-party sites didn't improve the feeling about the industry.

Third-party sites take mostly 30% cuts on every booking, and that's a considerable chunk of money when a night costs USD 200 per adult per night.

So, to make up for the loss, hotels, who typically prefer direct bookings (that's not every hotel, btw!), will increase the room price on the third-party sites. To promote direct bookings, they will offer the “normal” and better rate on their website or hotel brochure.

I recommend comparing hotel prices with third-party site rates. Especially during shoulder seasons, hotels love to offer special prices if you contact them directly.

The Better Hotels don't use Third-Party Booking Site

Several stellar establishments opt not to appear on third-party booking sites. The reasons are manifold.

A major establishment that comes to my mind, is the 5-star Bio- and Wellnesshotel Stanglwirt in Austria. This hotel has been frequented by well-known figures such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Buzz Aldrin.

Numerous smaller pensions and charming B&Bs and boutique establishments have never budged to the trend of having to be on a third-party site, and they are still thriving with a quality clientele.

A few might appear on a third-party booking site with a single room, just so that travelers “see” them.

Direct Loyalty Programs

Direct loyalty programs are also known as hotel memberships. You can collect points, but only if you book directly via the program.

You may already be a part of a hotel chain loyalty program. The most popular ones include the Marriott Bonvoy membership program, the Hilton Honors program, or, in Europe, Accor Live for the Sofitel, Raffles, and Fairmont brands.

Do your research and pick 1-2 hotel chain memberships. We selected our memberships based on the availability of hotels in the areas we frequent and the benefits offered.

Every booking will accumulate incentives such as better priced rooms, late checkout, or other unique perks.

Family-run upscale hotels may offer memberships, and this might be interesting if you frequent the same destination. I recommend asking the front desk.

You will be treated like a VIP

In most cases, direct bookings are always prioritized, except if the hotel doesn't accept direct bookings (I'll explain why some hotels tick this way in another post).

Guests that book directly are better treated; that means you will get better rooms, the staff will be much nicer, and the service will be exceptional.

In the industry, there is the belief that people that book directly are also considered better guests in general.

If you book with a third-party site, you might not get the welcome champagne, or they might not offer you other perks. Some hotels will surprise you with a gift on your birthday or on your wedding anniversary, and I can guarantee that you will definitely enjoy the preferential treatment.

Direct bookings are easier to Adjust

When you book directly, you get direct access, and you don't have to deal with a third party.

Hotels are more inclined to waive penalties in case of a modification if you are a direct customer.

Even if it appears as if the cancellation time is more flexible on a third-party site, it might not be all that they promised. The fine print explains it in detail, and the best way to deal with late emergency cancelations or changes is to talk to the hotel.

They can address the situation immediately and without having to involve a third party’s policies or approval. Third-party sites in 2025 will have you chat with an unhelpful AI chatbot.

That said, no matter if you book directly or with a third-party site, always purchase travel insurance for a prolonged vacation trip. If you need to cancel 24 hours before your trip due to an emergency in the peak tourist season, you will be glad to have your insurance take care of it 100%.

Support Local Business

Not everybody cares about supporting local businesses, but your direct booking most definitely contributes to a more reliable booking model for local businesses in certain regions.

Your booking goes 100% into the hands of the one who's welcoming and accommodating all your needs.

Especially smaller or family-owned hotels will pay you back in such a way that your experience will be more meaningful with true human connections.

Authentic smaller places can transform your trip into a rewarding personal journey.

How to Book a Room Directly

Search for hotels on Google Maps, Google Search, with ChatGPT, or on the local tourism website. You can book directly via a website, by emailing them, or by calling the establishment.

If you prefer to talk to someone on the phone to ask questions, you can do so. Not every hotel accepts call bookings, and many might ask you to send in a request email first.

If you book a room on a call, make sure to have them send you a booking confirmation by email or via a messaging app. Smaller places, such as pensions and private people, take WhatsApp bookings, but this might be a trend in some regions and not others.

The booking needs to be in written form in case of a dispute; besides, it's helpful to have it on record if you mix up dates or locations (some areas have similar sounding hotel names).

Whenever you share your details with the hotel, double-check the spelling and phone number. I can't tell you how many times I saw emails bouncing because the address was wrong. If you haven’t received a clear booking confirmation, contact the hotel again.

A room inquiry is not a booking confirmation. I have had people show up with a proposal because they thought that this was the actual booking confirmation.

When you contact hotels via email or their website for an inquiry, you will receive a proposal for 1–3 rooms (if available). Be upfront with the count of adults and children. You can choose a room, and in some cases you can try to negotiate.

Once you decide, let the hotel establishment know clearly that you would like to book the chosen room and that they should send through a binding booking confirmation ASAP.

Don't waste time because they won't hold a room for you if there is high demand. You can ask them nicely to hold the room for a few hours or a day so that you can discuss it with your family.

Several hotels have a direct booking option on their websites as well, which we personally prefer. That said, countless family-run hotels get more inquiries than direct bookings because older generations are used to that in Europe, and they like to negotiate.

Something nobody will tell you: in Central Europe, it's also still commonplace to book directly with the local tourism board. Systems, such as Feratel, provide a commission-free direct booking system, and they offer a hotel search engine for travelers.