Booking.com has hotels and stays in nearly every city in the world, and most bookings come with free cancellation. The price shown is not always the final price; local taxes and fees are sometimes added at the last step.
Best in Listings and coverageBest in Price and feesBest in Trust and listing accuracyBest in Booking, contracts and support
Founded
1996
Based in
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Business model
Hotel and stay booking
Available in
Most countries, except Iran
Score by criterion, against the category
The tick on each bar is the category average; the signed number is the distance from it.
Listings and coverage97+3
Price and fees82+6
Trust and listing accuracy88+5
Smart viewing and matching82-2
Booking, contracts and support80+5
Good fit for
Booking a hotel for travel abroad
Anyone who wants free cancellation and flexibility
Quick comparison of prices and guest reviews
Less suited when
People in Iran; payment and accounts from Iran are not possible
Anyone who wants flights and hotel together from a local seller
Strengths
Millions of properties in almost every country
Free cancellation on a large share of bookings
Reviews from guests who actually stayed
The Genius loyalty programme with discounts for frequent travellers
Opportunities for improvement
Room for improvement in: Local taxes and fees are sometimes shown only at the last step
Room for improvement in: Support quality in disputes with a property is uneven
Room for improvement in: The cheapest rate is sometimes non-refundable
Verdict
The best place to start for hotels abroad; before paying, check the final price with taxes and the cancellation terms again.
What Booking.com actually is
Booking.com started in Amsterdam in 1996 and is now part of Booking Holdings. Its core is hotel booking, but it also sells apartments, villas, car rental and tickets. In Iran, Alibaba.ir and Jabama cover part of the same role.
What you pay and what you get
Some bookings are paid at the property and some online. The price depends on the cancellation terms: non-refundable rates are usually cheaper.
Where it is strong
Global coverage, free cancellation and verified guest reviews make it dependable for travel abroad. The app handles booking, changes and messaging with the property smoothly.
How it can improve, and what we could not verify
Support in disputes with a property is uneven. Booking.com is not available to users in Iran and does not sell stays in Iran.
Questions about Booking.com
Can Booking.com be used from Iran?
No; payment and accounts from Iran are not possible, and it is not in the Iran view.
Is free cancellation really free?
Yes, up to the deadline on the booking page; after that the property's penalty applies.
Is Booking.com cheaper than booking direct?
Sometimes the hotel is cheaper direct; compare both.
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