What is the difference between booking direct and booking through an OTA?
When you book through an online travel agency (OTA) such as Booking.com or Expedia, the platform sits in the middle: it lists the rate, manages your reservation and charges the hotel a commission on every stay it sells. When you book direct, you deal with the hotel itself through its official booking engine, phone, email or WhatsApp.
How booking platforms make money
According to Booking.com's own partner help pages, commission is a set percentage of the total booking amount, including the room rate and extra fees. The exact percentage depends on the country, the property type and the contract, and it goes up when a hotel joins visibility programs such as Preferred Partner or Visibility Booster. You never see that cost on your invoice, but it explains why many hotels would rather you book with them and reward you for it.
Is it cheaper to book direct with a hotel?
Not always, but because the hotel pays no OTA commission on its own channel, it can often match or beat the OTA price, or add perks instead. For years some platforms stopped hotels from selling cheaper on their own websites; in Europe, regulators and courts have been reining those clauses in. Always compare the final price.
Rate parity clauses in plain English
A parity clause requires a hotel not to sell for less on other channels, including its own website. Germany's Federal Cartel Office had already found such clauses anticompetitive in 2015. In July 2024, Spain's competition authority (CNMC) fined Booking.com 413 million euros for abusing a dominant position; one of the practices it cited was a clause preventing hotels from offering lower prices on their own sites than on the platform. Booking said it would appeal. In September 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union held that such clauses cannot be treated as ancillary to the booking service, because they have not been shown to be objectively necessary for it to work or proportionate.
All of this happened in Europe. In Colombia, what each hotel can do depends on its contract with each platform, so the reliable test is pricing your exact dates on both.
The direct-booking perk isn't always a lower number
Many hotels keep similar prices everywhere and add value for direct guests instead: a welcome code, more flexibility, help before arrival, or assistance with transfers and tours. Compare what each rate includes, not just what it costs.
Booking direct vs OTAs at a glance
An OTA wins when you need to compare many options, read reviews and keep every reservation in one app. Booking direct wins once you've chosen your hotel and want the best treatment: no middleman on the price, perks the hotel keeps for its own channel, and a real conversation to plan your arrival and any special requests.
| Factor | OTA (Booking.com, Expedia and similar) | Direct with the hotel |
|---|---|---|
| Comparing many hotels | Very easy, with filters, photos and a map | You see one hotel |
| Reviews | Plenty, all in one place | Checked separately, for example on Google Maps |
| Price | The hotel pays commission on what you pay | No OTA commission, so the hotel has more room to improve the offer |
| Perks | Those of the platform's loyalty program | Those the hotel keeps for its own channel |
| Special requests | Via a form or the platform's messaging | A direct conversation with the team |
| Changes and complaints | Handled through the platform | Handled with the hotel, no middleman |
When does an OTA like Booking.com or Expedia still make sense?
An OTA makes sense while you're still comparing neighborhoods and hotels, when your loyalty tier gives you a genuine discount or points you will actually use, or when the OTA rate includes free cancellation and the direct one doesn't. It's also handy on multi-city trips, when you want every stay managed in one place.
The smartest approach uses both: browse and filter on the platform, then open the hotel's official website and price your exact dates. Still deciding where to stay? Start with our guide on how to choose a hotel in Medellín.
Why book direct with a hotel? What you gain at a boutique property
At a boutique hotel, with few rooms and a close-knit team, booking direct connects you from the very first message with the people who will welcome you. That makes it easier to choose the right room, plan your arrival time, arrange an airport transfer or set up a special occasion without your requests going through a middleman.
New to the concept? Read what a boutique hotel is and how to spot one. These are the requests that usually go smoother when you talk to the hotel directly:
- Early arrivals or late flights: ask whether you can leave your bags before check-in or after check-out.
- Airport transfer: share your flight details well in advance.
- Celebrations: ask what decoration or special-touch options there are and what they cost.
- Long stays: a quote for weeks or months depending on the room; if you're weighing options, see aparthotel vs hotel vs apartment in Medellín.
- The exact room: size, bed type, balcony or kitchen, depending on how you'll use the space.
Booking direct at Living by Armóniko: channels and what's included
At Living by Armóniko, a boutique hotel in Laureles with 14 apartment-style suites facing Segundo Parque de Laureles, you can book direct on the official engine behind the "Book Now" button, on WhatsApp at +57 301 143 2786, by phone at +57 604 429 0110 or at reservas@livingbyarmoniko.com. The website states a best-price guarantee when you book direct.
Booking direct lets you settle these details with the team before you travel:
- Choosing among the four categories of apartment-style suites: Deluxe (62 m², King bed, up to 3 guests), Superior (32 m²), Comfort (27 m²) and Standard (20 m²), all with an equipped kitchen and private balcony. Each one has a 360° tour on the website.
- Arranging an airport transfer on prior request; transport is not included in the room rate.
- Leaving your luggage in storage before check-in (3 p.m.) or after check-out (noon).
- Asking whether special decorations are possible for a celebration (extra cost).
- Getting a long-stay quote on WhatsApp, since the hotel doesn't publish monthly rates.
Your stay includes an à la carte breakfast at Botswana Café Bar, on the second floor, until 10 a.m., plus high-speed WiFi and a coworking space. As a guest you also get 10% off the entire menu at 123 Wok and Torrealta (at Torrealta, from 3 p.m.), both in the same building. See all the hotel services.
How do you book direct safely?
To book direct safely, reach the hotel's official website by typing the address yourself or through its Google Maps listing, pay only in its booking engine or through channels the hotel itself publishes, and check that it holds a Colombian National Tourism Registry (RNT) number. Be wary of any payment link sent in an unexpected message.
- Check the RNT. In Colombia, hotels must register in the National Tourism Registry before operating and renew it every year. You can look it up on the official RNT portal; Living by Armóniko's number is 146593.
- Check the web address. Make sure the booking engine is the one linked from the official website and that the connection is secure (https).
- Never share card details over chat. In 2023, BBC News reported fraudsters messaging Booking.com customers through the platform's own app, posing as their hotel and asking for payment; fake emails and WhatsApp messages were reported too. If you get an unexpected payment request, call the hotel to confirm it.
- Keep your confirmation. It should show the booking number, dates, room type, total price and cancellation terms.
What should you compare before you pay?
Before paying, compare the final price including taxes and fees, the cancellation and change terms, what the rate includes and the house rules. Two rates with the same nightly price can end up costing different amounts if one includes breakfast or free cancellation and the other doesn't.
- Taxes: check whether the displayed price includes them. Under article 481 of Colombia's Tax Code, hotel services provided to non-residents by hotels registered in the RNT are exempt from VAT (IVA), subject to regulatory requirements; if you don't live in Colombia, ask how this applies to your booking.
- Cancellation and early departure: every rate has its own rules. At Living by Armóniko, if you end your stay early you must give at least 24 hours' notice; otherwise, one extra night is charged.
- What's included and what isn't: at Living by Armóniko the rate does not include extra food and drinks, minibar, laundry, transport, special decorations, taxes or insurance.
- House rules: check-in and check-out times, visitors, pets and the no-smoking policy. The hotel's are summarized in its frequently asked questions.
