I don’t know if it’s the same for you, but for me the process of booking a hotel is one of my favorite things to do while I’m preparing for or already am on a trip.
I love to compare locations, prices and accommodations until I find what’s right for me.
And naturally, as it happens to all of us, sometimes I do well and sometimes not so well.
Of course I confess that I’m one of the lucky ones who usually find what they’re looking for.
So what is the best way to book a room in Amorgos?
This is 2021 and, like everywhere else, here too the new technologies are the ones that play the most important role when booking.
Let’s see what your options are:
- You can book through the platforms booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb etc.
This option is the most common and probably the one that comes to mind first.
PROS:
One upside is that hoteliers usually offer their best rooms, knowing that they’re likely to receive positive reviews from you.
Also, hosts often offer flexible booking and cancellation terms, especially now during the covid-19 pandemic.
Finally, in case of any problem during your stay, you can call the customer service of the platform and they will look for a solution.
CONS:
The main downside is that the price is usually increased due to the commissions received by the platform companies.
Another disadvantage is that during the peak season the room is not always what you want, since more often than not the host puts photos of his best rooms on the platform page.
The accommodation, if they choose to, retain the right to pre-approve the amount of the reservation on your credit card. This is indicated in the terms of the reservation.
- You can book directly from the accommodation’s website if it has a booking engine or via email.
If the accommodation has a booking engine then this is a very good choice because
PROS:
The prices are better given that no third party platform receives commission.
Also, usually on the website’s booking engine you can see what the room of your choice really looks like.
If you opt to book via email, then you can ask the host to send you photos from the room they plan to give you.
CONS:
Usually the best rooms are given through the platforms, although more and more accommodations now put all the rooms in their booking engine.
It’ll take much longer (if you opt for email) to complete the reservation, since hosts don’t respond directly to their emails.
You’ll need to pay a deposit depending on the accommodation’s policy, usually by sending money to a bank account.
- You can make a reservation directly by phone with the host.
This should definitely be your last choice.
PROS:
It can be very useful if you are already on the island and looking for a room.
CONS:
In this case the drawbacks are many and it’s really easy to mix up:
Most of the times, understanding and communication problems arise.
You generally don’t know what room you’ll get.
You haven’t received any written confirmation of the reservation.
