6. KAYAK: Best Hotel Search Engine
Sometimes it’s just nice to use a simple search site with a clean, friendly interface, and KAYAK certainly has that down pat for hotels.
Unlike many sites on this list, you can’t book hotels directly through Kayak. Instead, it is just a search engine that scans through thousands of hotel chain websites, online travel agencies, and more to find discounted hotel rooms. You’ll be directed to a different site to book directly with the hotel or through a different travel website.
KAYAK actually searches for more than just hotels. You can also find flights, cars, vacations, things to do, trains, and even cruises. And yet, despite doing all that, KAYAK is an absolute pleasure to use.
Another thing I love about KAYAK: it has an excellent price predictor tool, so that when you’re searching for a hotel room (or any type of accommodation), it’ll let you know if you should sit it out for a while. Kayak uses trends for certain times of the year to predict whether a hotel room with be cheap, mid-range, or expensive. You can also sign up to get alerts about price changes.
If you want an easy way to book hotels online, KAYAK is your site.
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Pros
- Simple, no-frills website
- You can book a full vacation, including flights and packages
- Has a handy price predictor tool
- You book via the hotel’s website, so you’ll collect hotel points if you’re in a loyalty program
Cons
- Sometimes the prices on the hotel website are cheaper
- You can’t book cheap hotel rooms directly on the Kayak website