By hannover-web.com Recent research conducted by British media reveals a significant price discrepancy when booking hotel accommodations on Booking.com. According to the findings, reserving hotels in the UK or Europe via a computer could be up to 50% more expensive than using the mobile app. For instance, bookings at the same hotel in London can result in a staggering difference of £200 (approximately $377) per night.
The Sunday Mail’s investigation analyzed rates from 35 hotels across popular holiday destinations in the UK and Europe, including Tenerife and Mallorca. The study particularly focused on pricing for three guests in one room and four guests in two rooms on the night of October 31, coinciding with Halloween.
The results revealed that bookings made via desktop or laptop were, on average, £50 more expensive per night—an increase of 16%. The most striking case was at The Cumberland Hotel in London, where booking through the Booking.com app for two rooms for four guests cost £388, while using the website soared to £588, marking a 52% increase.
Overall, the data showed that of the 35 hotels surveyed, 30 had price differences ranging from 4% to 52%. On average, booking via the website for two rooms for four guests resulted in an additional cost of £49 per night, while for three guests in one room, it averaged an extra £36.
Experts noted that this pricing mechanism could lead some families to “unintentionally and unfairly” pay beyond the normal average costs. The investigation also found that for two adults without children, only six hotels showed an average price increase of 10%.
While some mobile apps explicitly advertise “mobile-only” rates, many do not proactively inform users, and the website does not indicate that lower prices might be available through the app.
In response to these findings, a spokesperson for Booking.com stated that pricing is determined solely by the hotels themselves and added, “Our accommodation partners provide mobile-exclusive offers to attract customers.”
