Online travel agencies (OTAs) are considered to be convenient, especially for booking hotels. Their travel packages can simplify travel bookings. A one-stop shop to get all your travel booking completed sounds good.
But did you know that you pay a higher price for your OTA-booked hotel room? Also, the hotel views you as the OTA’s guest rather than as its own. The hotel’s own guests will always be its priority. In this article, we’re going to explain all the benefits of booking directly with the hotel.
Booking Fees and Commission
Booking through an OTA will cost more. The OTA deducts its own fee before paying for your reservation.
So, when you book directly with the hotel through phone, email or online booking, you get a more economical rate. You also get a chance to form a more personal relationship with the hotel. It’s a good way to prepare for your stay.
Loyalty Program Points
When you book directly with a hotel, you get loyalty points for every booking. Over time, the loyalty points add up and can be used as a discount on future bookings. Bookings made through an OTA don’t get these valuable loyalty points for you.
Tailor-Made Stays
When you book your hotel room directly, you can make your particular requirements known to the hotel. If you’re celebrating a birthday or an anniversary during your visit, you can mention it at the time of booking and the hotel can do something to make your visit extra special for the occasion.
That cannot be done if you book your stay through an OTA. A personal touch with your hotel stay is possible with a direct booking.
Booking Without Unpleasant Surprises
It’s an open secret in the travel industry that overbookings are made on a regular basis. Rooms in hotels and seats on flights are often subject to cancellations.
Therefore, overbooking ensures that there’s always another guest to fill the seat or room that suddenly becomes vacant. But if overbooking leads to guests having no accommodation, they need to be adjusted elsewhere.
Hotel guests who have booked their room directly are the last to be moved, as they are considered to be actual hotel guests, having booked directly. Those who have booked through OTAs are not considered to be on the same level, being guests of the OTA through which they have booked.
Customer Service
Guests who book their hotel rooms directly are considered to be true hotel guests and enjoy all the privileges. Problems faced by the OTA-booked guests are considered the responsibility of the OTA. The hotel always prioritizes genuine guests who booked directly.
Catalonia Hotels
Catalonia Hotels is an international hotel brand present in western Europe, central America, and the Caribbean. It offers unrivaled hospitality, conveniently located to serve its guests.
In its set of services, it offers Catalonia Rewards which is a scheme set up by the Catalonia brand to reward loyal customers and designed to pamper them during their stays. You can earn travel cash on each reservation to redeem hotel services and enjoy discounts. Also, you have the opportunity of taking advantage of early or late check-in and check-out, which is fantastic while traveling. Even more, you can get free breakfast.
If you register for Catalonia Rewards you’ll enjoy special privileges like these.
Also, the brand seeks to give great service by providing for guests’ every possible need and keeping up with the latest hospitality trends. Catalonia always seeks to renew its hotels’ look while retaining its traditional charm.
As you have read, hotel direct booking offers many advantages to their guests, even more if they have a hotel rewards program for loyal customers. Enjoy their benefits and do not miss the chance of getting a more personalized service.
