💥 I don’t get it, is it me, am I losing my way? Yes, booking.com exists, it’s convenient, especially if you’re on the road and make a random stop… ok, I get it. But… a summer vacation? With two months to spare? 🤨
MANUEL LUQUE from the Colon, from the 80’s, SAID IT AS IT WAS IN THE 80’s…. Search, compare and if you find something better…. BOOK ITOOOOOOOOOOO
I DON’T SEE IT. I really don’t.
🎯 Try it out for yourself.
👉 Go to mastorrencito.com and search for a week in July, for example from the 7th to the 13th. There is still availability. Price: XXXX euritos. A whole week.
Now open another tab, you go to booking.com. Me being Genius 3 and all… with super discounts and blah blah… and you know what?
💸 OVER 200 EUROS DIFFERENCE. Yes, yes, 2️⃣0️⃣ 0️⃣ € less on my website.
And now I will explain why:
- I raise the price on Booking for two reasons:
- Because I don’t want you to book that way.
- Because they charge me a 17% commission (and on top of that I don’t get a tax deduction 😤). So I have to raise the price by 27% or more… otherwise I’ll be ruined!
🔺OF COURSE IT SEEMS EXPENSIVE ON BOOKING OR EXPEDIA! 🔺
CLAROOOOOOOOO! But if you compare it with my website, well… you’re in for a shock.
And then the typical sentence:
“Oh, I just didn’t know… I was afraid of running out of room…”
😮💨 BUT THERE ARE MORE THAN TWO MONTHS LEFT! In some cases up to 6 months before the reservation is already made.
It annoys me, of course… but I can’t go calling all of you who book through Booking to tell you: “Hey, it’s MUCH cheaper through my web…”.
Sometimes I have done it, I confess. Once, some foreigners booked 15 days for three people through Booking. I wrote to them and said:
👉 “If you want, cancel and book through my website. It’s cheaper and I’ll include free breakfasts.”
💡 NOTE: I was not lowering the price by one euro. Same conditions, same room, only cheaper through my website. Just like that Trivago ad that keeps coming up…
And you know what they did?
📢 I WAS REPORTED TO BOOKING 😐
Yes, as you read it.
Karma is wise… because that reservation was non-refundable, paid in advance…
And just a week before coming… I don’t know what happened to them, but they asked to cancel it free of charge.
And what do you think I did? 😏
👉 I’ll tell you tomorrow…
Reflection
Yes, come on… I admit it: Booking is a useful tool.
For an impromptu trip, an express getaway, a night out… it’s great.
It gives you quick options, locates you on the map, shows you photos, ratings, filters for whatever… it’s good!
🔎 It can serve as a guide, even as a showcase.
But be careful… that does not mean that you have to book blindly there.
Because many times, it is NOT the cheapest option. Not by far.
👉 Use Booking to look, compare, discover… but when you find something that fits you, look for it also on the accommodation’s website.
📉 Many times you get a surprise:
The same place, the same room, the same dates… and 100, 200 euros less.
And why? Because Booking charges high commissions, and many accommodations are forced to raise the price there in order not to lose money.
⚠️ So it’s not about hating Booking. No.
It’s about being smart. It’s about comparison shopping. About supporting the small business directly if you can. It’s about thinking outside the box.
Because sometimes, for not giving two clicks more, you end up overpaying…
And then, of course, come the regrets:
“Oh, I didn’t know…”
“I was just afraid of running out of room…”
🎯 Well, Booking yes… but with head.
It is not always the best option. Sometimes it is only the first step. Not the last.
From MasTorrencito we wish you a good day and may your dogs be with you!!!!
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If you want, you can see our vouchers for weekends, retirees vouchers, at an incredible price… go to www.mastorrencito.com or if you want you can read more history and anecdotes that have happened to us in MasTorrencito… Click here … https://casaruralconperrosgirona.com
