Originally Posted by
Tourist in MSN
My bike tours, I usually start well before the tourist season, and I am doing camping 90 percent of the time. Thus, I almost never need to make reservations. I almost always can show up and find a campground that has room. Or if I am looking for a motel, if it is a Mon thru Thur there aways is a room available.
But my 2024 tour, one bad day, campground on the map had gone out of business. Decided to head to a motel that was in my planned direction of travel. Got to the location, asked the gas station manager where the motel was. He said it closed, was torn down, the gas station was on the same property that used to be the motel. So, aimed for the next motel on my map. Photo below:
This ended up being a 14+ hour day, that included one border crossing, two ferries, 85+ miles of riding. Made camp after sunset.
I am sure someone here will tell me it as all my fault for not using a booking/travel agent service.
We are all individuals who build our lives around our own preferences. Your extensive experience and the way you embrace the adventures you construct are beyond the judgment of others. Whether some plan extensively while others fly by the seat of their pants—and every style in between—it is all a matter of choice; one approach is no better than the other.
This thread suggested that Booking.com is a poor company and, by implication, dishonest. My point is that they are an integral part of the accommodation industry and a clear market leader. They have achieved this level of success by providing excellent service to both customers and vendors. While I’m sure outliers still exist and provide some value, they are exactly that—"outliers"—and not a reliable or scalable alternative.
I also mentioned the old wives' tale that contacting a property directly will reliably provide savings and benefits. This is simply no longer the case, as accommodations gain substantial value from Booking.com in exchange for the fees charged. Booking.com would not be so universally accepted by vendors if the advantages didn't clearly outweigh the costs.