August 5, 2025, 11:01 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Online booking platforms such as Booking.com, Expedia, or Trivago promise quick overviews and convenient reservations—but assuming you’ll get the lowest price could lead to overpaying. The German consumer organization Stiftung Warentest has examined why it might be worthwhile to take a closer look when booking a hotel room.
Although booking platforms simplify hotel searches, they don’t always guarantee the best price. According to “Stiftung Warentest,” travelers should also check the room price directly with the hotel—either on its website or by phone. Often, a better deal can be found there: “The desired room might cost even less if booked directly.”
Misleading Availability Notices
When booking through online portals, users frequently encounter urgent messages like “Only one room left at this price” or “Many other users are looking at this offer right now.” Such notices are intended to pressure bookers. “Stiftung Warentest” advises not to be unsettled by them and to remain calm.
If a hotel room is marked as sold out on a portal, it doesn’t necessarily mean there are no rooms available. It might be that the portal only has access to a limited number of rooms. Therefore, it’s advisable to continue searching on other platforms or inquire directly with the hotel—sometimes this leads to a booking opportunity. Occasionally, portals only offer certain room allocations from a hotel.
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Filter and Book Hotel Rooms Better
To find the right offer, it’s also worth sorting the search results specifically. Filtering by price or rating, for example, yields more relevant results. The order of suggestions often isn’t based on objective criteria. At Booking.com, for instance, it’s transparently stated: “The commission paid for bookings and other factors can influence a property’s ranking.”
Wave of Lawsuits Against Booking.com
Booking.com is by far the largest provider of hotel bookings in Europe. However, the market leader is under pressure: More than 10,000 hotels have filed a class-action lawsuit against the company. They are seeking damages for so-called best price clauses, which prevented them from offering their rooms at lower prices outside the portal—such as on their own website.
In 2024, these clauses were abolished in the European Economic Area after the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into effect. The suing hotels are now demanding compensation for the period from 2004 to 2024.
With material from dpa