The Two Minute Check Before You Book a Hotel

The two minute check means looking at the price of your room on the hotel's official site just before you book and comparing it with the platform where you were about to pay, for the same hotel, the same room and the same dates.

In short

• Before you hit book, open the hotel's official site and compare its price with the platform for the same room and the same dates.
• Make sure you are on the hotel's official site and not a lookalike: check the domain and be wary of the first search adverts.
• Compare the total price with taxes in, not just the per night figure, and see what is included: breakfast, cancellation and deposit.
• If you book direct with a chain and the same room later shows up cheaper, most let you claim the best price guarantee within 24 hours.
• The Directo extension runs that comparison while you browse, so you do not repeat the step by hand on every booking.

Why it pays to check the price before you book

Checking the price before you book spares you the costliest and most common mistake: overpaying for the same room without realising it. For years, parity agreements limited how far a hotel could cut its public price, so it barely mattered where you looked. That has changed: in the European Economic Area, Booking.com removed those parity clauses in late 2024 following the EU digital markets rules, so a hotel can now publish a lower price on its own site. That is why booking direct with the hotel is worth a look again before you confirm.

The two minute check, step by step

The two minute check is a short routine you run right before you confirm, without leaving your search. Here are the steps.

1. Copy the exact hotel name and keep your dates and guest count to hand.
2. Open the hotel's official site: search for it by name, go to its own domain and steer clear of pages that imitate it.
3. Look for the same room for the same dates and note the total price with taxes included.
4. Go back to the platform and compare that total with theirs, not just the per night price.
5. Check what each option includes: breakfast, cancellation policy and whether you are asked to pay upfront.
6. Book wherever you come out ahead, on price or on terms.

What to look at besides the price

Looking only at the big number is the easiest way to slip up, because two rates at the same price can be very different. A slightly cheaper rate may be non refundable and demand full payment upfront, while the other lets you cancel up to the day before. Check too whether breakfast is included and whether the tourist tax is inside the price or added on arrival. The option that gives you more room if your plans change wins.

What to do if the platform is cheaper after you book direct

If you already booked direct with a chain and then spot the same room cheaper on another public site, you still hold a card: the best price guarantee. Marriott, Hilton and IHG match that rate if you claim it in time, almost always within 24 hours of booking. Hilton matches the price and takes a further 25% off per night, and Marriott matches and lets you choose an extra 25% off or 5,000 Bonvoy points. Here is how the best price guarantee works and how to claim it.

When you do not need to run the check

The two minute check does not always change anything, and knowing when to skip it saves you time too. You can let it go in these cases.

• When the lower rate you see needs a login, a coupon or membership: it is not public, so you cannot compare it fairly or claim against it.
• When the hotel is small enough that it has no booking engine of its own and the platform is its only route online.
• When the gap is only in the taxes or the exchange rate, not in the room price itself.
• When you already booked a non refundable rate: checking then only helps you claim a guarantee, not switch channel.

How to run the check in one click

Running the check by hand works, but repeating it on every search wears thin, and that is where the tool comes in. The Directo extension compares the hotel's direct price while you browse and shows you where the best rate for the same stay is, without you opening every site. More than 600,000 travellers use it, and where you book stays your call: it only shows you the real price.

Frequently asked questions

How long does checking the price really take?

Not long, hence the name. With the hotel name and your dates to hand, opening the official site and comparing the total with the platform takes a couple of minutes. The first time takes a little longer; from the second it is almost automatic.

How do I know I am on the hotel's official site and not a copy?

Look at the domain: it is usually the hotel or chain name with no odd words bolted on. Be wary of the top results marked as adverts and of pages that ask for your details before they show you a price or availability.

Which price do I compare, per night or the total?

Always the total with taxes and fees included, for the same dates. The per night figure misleads because it leaves out cleaning, tourist tax and extras that only surface at the end. Compare what you will actually pay, not the headline.

What if the hotel has no site of its own to book on?

Some small hotels have no booking engine and only appear on platforms. In that case, booking through the platform is normal. Even so, you can call or email the hotel and ask whether it will match or beat the price you have seen.

Is there any point checking once I have booked?

Yes, if you booked direct with a chain. If you then see the same room cheaper on a public site, you can claim the best price guarantee, almost always within 24 hours of booking. With a non refundable platform rate, though, there is little room.

Is the Directo extension free?

Yes. Directo is a free tool used by more than 600,000 travellers to check whether their hotel can be booked for less. It sits in your browser and compares the direct price as you search, at no cost and without changing where you book.