Overall Findings: Direct Booking vs. Booking.com in Austria

Our research covered 83 hotel bookings across Austria, carefully comparing prices between direct hotel websites and Online Travel Agents (OTAs) like Booking.com. We examined 65 bookings in mountain villages (for a full 7-night stay wherever possible) and 18 bookings in cities (for a shorter weekend stay). Every effort was made to ensure a fair comparison by matching room type, meal plans, and cancellation policies—a task that often proved more challenging than expected. The research on booking was done with genius level 1 active.

We started our search like 75% of all travellers on Booking.com. Then the researchers used the BookBetterDirect browser extension to find the official hotel website. Just by using this tool, we saved the team an estimated 20 hours of search frustration. Instead of opening a new browser tab, copying the hotel name and address, pasting it into Google search, and locating the official website, the tool does all the work instantly. You can try it out for yourself here: https://bookbetterdirect.com/what-is-your-browser/ . Heads up, we are also working on a mobile app!

But it still was not easy. As one of our researchers, aptly put it:

“The longer I researched, the faster I became. You have to get into the system. Interestingly, I started noticing some of Booking.com’s tricks. They always list the free cancellation date as ‘before March 14,’ while hotels write ‘until March 13.’ Small things like that make you look behind the scenes. Another interesting thing: Why does Booking.com sometimes offer better cancellation policies than hotels? Are they negotiating different deals? Also, I don’t quite understand why city-taxes are always included in Booking.com’s prices, whereas hotels usually list them separately? That makes it frustrating to compare the price. On top of that the city tax varies quite a bit in Austria.”

Beyond formatting differences, availability was also a major hurdle. Some hotels were only bookable for certain lengths of stay on Booking.com, making direct comparisons difficult. Another issue was advance payments and cancellation policies – sometimes differing significantly between Booking.com and the direct hotel. This highlights a crucial question: What is the financial value of more flexible cancellation terms when comparing prices?

Key 🇦🇹 Austria-Wide Results:

• The largest direct booking saving was €1119 (-44.39%) in Ischgl.
• On average, direct bookings were cheaper in 72.62% of cases.
• Mountain villages overwhelmingly favoured direct booking (81.54% of cases), while cities showed the opposite trend (only 38.89% of direct bookings were cheaper).
• Booking.com was cheaper in 61.11% of city stays, but only 18.46% of mountain village stays.
• Overall, travellers can save an average of €309,13 (-12.95%) by booking the hotel directly.

This means that travellers heading to Austria’s ski regions should check hotel websites first, as they are far more likely to offer better deals than Booking.com. Meanwhile, city travellers need to compare both options carefully, as OTAs often provide competitive pricing.

According to the HOTREC study 2024, direct bookings in Austria have been steadily declining since 2011. Back then, 70.8% of bookings were direct. By 2021, this number had dropped to 62.7%, and by 2023, it fell further to 59.1%.

This is a puzzling contradiction as our research shows that a direct booking is better in 72.62% of cases overall, and in mountain villages, it is even higher at 81.54%. Yet, travellers continue shifting towards OTAs rather than booking directly. In our article The Direct Booking Paradox: Why Are Travelers Still Choosing OTAs in 🇦🇹 Austria? we are trying to find an answer.

We published the full report below but might move it to our blog.

Mountain Village Hotel Pricing Insights: Where to Find the Best Direct Booking Deals

Austria’s mountain villages are a hotspot for winter sports, summer hiking, and breath-taking landscapes. But when it comes to booking a hotel, travellers often face the choice between booking directly with the hotel or through an OTA like Bookingcom. Our research across six key mountain villages — Ischgl, Obertauern, Flachau, St. Anton, Lech, and Zell am See—reveals some fascinating insights into where travellers can save the most.

Research period: March, 2 Adults in a double room for 7 nights.

1. Ischgl (Mountain Village)

Direct Booking Insights:

• Direct booking was cheaper in 100% of cases.
• Highest discount when booking direct: €1119 saved (-44.39% off the OTA price).
• Lowest discount when booking direct: €28 saved (-1.33% off the OTA price).
• Average discount when booking direct: €477,72 saved on average (-13,34% off the OTA price).

Key Takeaways for Travelers:

• Ischgl is the best destination for direct booking savings, with every hotel offering a better deal than Booking.com.
• Massive savings potential, with some hotels discounting over 40%.
• Even the smallest direct booking discount (-1.33%) still offers a better deal than OTA prices.
• Travelers heading to Ischgl should always check the hotel’s official website first.

2. Obertauern (Mountain Village)

Direct Booking Insights:

• Direct booking was cheaper in 81.82% of cases.
• Highest discount when booking direct: €622 saved (-38.23% off the OTA price).
• Lowest discount when booking direct: €4 saved (-0.18% off the OTA price).
• Average discount when booking direct: €199,73 saved on average (-8.50% off the OTA price).

Key Takeaways for Travelers:

• Obertauern still favours direct bookings, but not as consistently as Ischgl.
• Savings vary significantly, from minor (€4) to major (€622).
• Booking.com was cheaper in 18.18% of cases with the biggest savin of €288 (12.1% of the OTA price), meaning travellers should compare before booking.

3. Flachau (Mountain Village)

Direct Booking Insights:

• Direct booking was cheaper in 60% of cases.
• Highest discount in Flachau when booking direct: €420 saved or -25.47% off the OTA price.
• Lowest discount when booking direct: €69 saved or -3.71% off the OTA price.
• Average discount when booking direct: €128,02 saved on average (-12.73% off the OTA price).

Key Takeaways for Travelers:

• Direct booking is still dominant, but Booking.com offers better deals more frequently than in Obertauern and Ischgl.
• Savings can be significant (-25.47%) but are generally lower than in Ischgl.
• Booking.com was cheaper in 40% of cases, so travellers should compare.

4. St. Anton (Mountain Village)

Direct Booking Insights:

• Direct booking was cheaper in 70% of cases.
• Highest discount when booking direct: €520,60 saved (-17.07% off the OTA price). The highest discount was -38.29% off the OTA price.
• Lowest discount when booking direct: €16 saved (-0.72% off the OTA price).
• Average discount when booking direct: €198.43 saved on average (-13.21% off the OTA price).

Key Takeaways for Travelers:

• St. Anton offers similar direct booking advantages as Flachau, but with some larger discounts.
• Booking.com was cheaper in 30% of cases, meaning it’s always worth comparing both options.
• Travelers booking high-end accommodations in St. Anton can benefit from large savings.

5. Lech (Mountain Village)

Direct Booking Insights:

• Direct booking was cheaper in 100% of cases.
• Highest discount when booking direct: €843 saved (-35.63% off the OTA price).
• Lowest discount when booking direct: €63 saved (-3% off the OTA price).
• Average discount when booking direct: €358,24 saved on average (-13.32% off the OTA price).

Key Takeaways for Travelers:

• Like Ischgl, Lech is a clear winner for direct booking savings (100% of cases).
• Huge potential savings for travellers, especially in luxury hotels.
• Lech’s direct discounts are not as extreme as Ischgl’s, but still very significant.

6. Zell am See (Mountain Village)

Direct Booking Insights:

• Direct booking in Zell am See was cheaper in 70% of cases.
• Highest discount when booking direct: €524 saved -38.23% off the OTA price
• Lowest discount when booking direct: €18.20 saved (-1.30% off the OTA price).
• Average discount when booking direct: €155,48 saved on average (-08.55% off the OTA price).

Key Takeaways for Travelers:

• Similar to St. Anton and Flachau, Zell am See offers mixed savings.
• Booking.com was cheaper in 30% of cases.
• Large discounts exist, but they are not as widespread as in Ischgl or Lech.

City Comparison: Vienna, Graz, and Bregenz

While mountain villages strongly favour direct bookings, Austrian cities show a different pattern.

• Direct booking was cheaper in only 38.89% of cases, while Booking.com had better deals in 61.11% of cases.
• Vienna had the most instances where Booking.com was cheaper, making it the most OTA-friendly destination.
• Graz and Bregenz showed a slightly better balance but still leaned toward OTA discounts.
• Unlike mountain villages, where hotels actively encourage direct booking, urban hotels often rely on OTAs for visibility and competitive pricing.

This shows that while direct booking is the best strategy for mountain resorts, city travellers should carefully compare before deciding where to book. 🚀

Conclusion

That was it for now. We hope you found this information useful! If you are interested in the dataset, please connect with me on LinkedIn.

Tomorrow, we will take it a bit easier and have a look at one very beautiful city: Prague in the Czech Republic. 🇨🇿✨

Will it be better to book a hotel in Prague direct? Or will the statistic have a better direct booking advantages as the Austrian Cities?