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Our pricing explained

Updated 11/15/2025

Our Pricing Explained

PriceRoom shows transparent, all-inclusive pricing with no hidden fees.

Quick Answer

Price shown = Price you pay

We include:

  • ✅ Room rate
  • ✅ Taxes (in most cases)
  • ✅ Service fees (if any)
  • ✅ Mandatory charges

We never add:

  • ❌ Booking fees
  • ❌ Service charges
  • ❌ Hidden costs

Price Breakdown

What's Included

Room Rate:

  • Nightly rate × number of nights
  • Base accommodation cost
  • Varies by season, demand

Taxes:

  • VAT/Sales tax (where applicable)
  • City tax
  • Tourism tax
  • Hotel occupancy tax

Mandatory Fees:

  • Resort fees (if applicable)
  • Cleaning fees
  • Service charges

Total Price

Example Breakdown:

Room Rate: $100 × 3 nights = $300
City Tax: 5% = $15
VAT: 10% = $30
Resort Fee: $20/night × 3 = $60
────────────────────────────
Total: $405

Where to See Pricing

Search Results Page

Price shown:

  • Total for entire stay
  • Includes taxes and fees
  • Per night rate also shown
  • Multiple supplier prices

Compare easily:

Hotel ABC
RateHawk: $405 total ($135/night)
Hotelbeds: $420 total ($140/night)
GoGlobal: $410 total ($137/night)

Hotel Detail Page

Click "View Deal Details" to see:

  • Nightly rate breakdown
  • Number of nights
  • Subtotal
  • Tax breakdown
  • Mandatory fees
  • Total amount

Checkout Page

Final breakdown shows:

3 nights at Grand Hotel
Room Only

Nightly Rate: $100 × 3 nights = $300
City Tax (5%): $15
VAT (10%): $30  
Resort Fee: $60
────────────────────────────
Total: $405

Payment: Credit Card
Currency: USD

Taxes Explained

Included in Price

Usually included:

  • VAT/Sales Tax
  • Room occupancy tax
  • Service tax

Always clearly shown:

  • Breakdown visible
  • Percentage listed
  • Amount calculated

Pay at Hotel (Sometimes)

Some locations require:

  • City/Tourism tax paid at hotel
  • Per person per night
  • Cash only sometimes
  • Cannot be prepaid

Common in:

  • Many European cities
  • Some Asian destinations
  • Resort areas

Example:

Prepaid: $405 (room + most taxes)
At hotel: €3/person/night city tax

We always notify you if taxes payable at hotel!

Mandatory Fees

Resort Fees

What they are:

  • Daily fee for resort amenities
  • Pools, gym, WiFi, etc.
  • Common in resort destinations
  • Mandatory (can't opt out)

Included in our price: Yes

Cleaning Fees

Sometimes applied:

  • Serviced apartments
  • Long stays
  • Holiday rentals

Included in our price: Yes

Service Charges

Hotel service fees:

  • Gratuity/service charge
  • Added by hotel
  • Percentage of room rate

Included in our price: Yes

What's NOT Included

Optional Extras

Room serviceMinibarSpa treatmentsParking (unless specified) ❌ Breakfast (unless specified) ❌ Airport transfersLate checkoutEarly check-in

These are:

  • Optional
  • Pay at hotel
  • Your choice
  • Not part of room rate

Incidentals

Hotel may authorize card for:

  • Incidental charges
  • Room service
  • Damage deposit
  • Usually $50-200/night

This is:

  • Authorization hold (not charge)
  • Released at checkout
  • Standard practice
  • Not part of booking price

Meal Plans

Room Only

Standard booking:

  • Accommodation only
  • No meals included
  • Lowest price
  • Most common

Breakfast Included

Price includes:

  • Room + breakfast
  • Usually buffet
  • Per person
  • Higher price than room only

Shown as:

Room Only: $100/night
With Breakfast: $125/night
(Breakfast = $25/person)

Half Board / Full Board

Half Board:

  • Breakfast + Dinner
  • Or Breakfast + Lunch

Full Board:

  • All meals included
  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner

All-Inclusive:

  • All meals
  • Drinks
  • Activities
  • Highest price

Price Comparison

Multiple Suppliers

Same hotel, different prices because:

Different contracts:

  • Supplier negotiated rates
  • Exclusive deals
  • Volume discounts

Different policies:

  • Non-refundable cheaper
  • Free cancellation costs more
  • Flexible rates higher

Different inclusions:

  • Breakfast included vs not
  • Meal plans
  • Room type

Example:

Hotel ABC - Standard Room

RateHawk: $150 (non-refundable)
Hotelbeds: $165 (free cancellation)
GoGlobal: $155 (breakfast included)

Deal Scores

Value Indicator

Our score (0-100) shows:

  • How good the price is
  • Compared to historical data
  • Compared to similar hotels
  • Compared to current market

90-100: Exceptional deal
75-89: Great value
60-74: Good price
40-59: Fair
<40: Consider alternatives

Not same as price:

  • High score = good value
  • Low price ≠ high score always
  • Considers quality + price

Price Changes

Before Booking

Prices can change:

  • Real-time availability
  • Demand fluctuates
  • Other people booking
  • Time passes

Not guaranteed until:

  • You complete booking
  • Payment processes
  • Confirmation received

Why Price Changed

Common reasons:

  • Room sold out at lower rate
  • Dates in high demand
  • Last room at this price
  • Someone else booked it
  • Currency fluctuation

Solution: Book quickly when you see good price!

After Booking

Price is locked:

  • Cannot increase
  • What you paid is final
  • Guaranteed

Even if:

  • Prices rise later
  • Hotel raises rates
  • Demand increases

Our Commission

How We Make Money

From suppliers:

  • Small commission per booking
  • Paid by supplier to us
  • NOT added to your price
  • You pay supplier's rate

We don't:

  • ❌ Add markup
  • ❌ Increase prices
  • ❌ Hide cheaper options
  • ❌ Charge booking fees

Completely transparent

Comparing Prices

PriceRoom vs Direct

Usually same or better:

  • We show supplier rates
  • Same as booking direct with supplier
  • Sometimes have exclusive deals
  • Never higher

Benefits of PriceRoom:

  • Compare multiple suppliers
  • See all options
  • Choose best deal
  • One place for all bookings

Price Match

Found Lower Price?

Contact us with:

  • Your booking reference
  • Where you found lower price
  • Screenshot of lower price
  • Same hotel, dates, room

We'll:

  • Verify the price
  • Check if legitimate
  • Match if applicable
  • Or explain difference

Common differences:

  • Different room type
  • Different cancellation policy
  • Different meal plan
  • Member-only rates
  • Loyalty program prices

FAQ

Q: Are there any hidden fees? A: No. Price shown = price you pay (plus optional extras you choose).

Q: Why do prices vary between suppliers? A: Different contracts, cancellation policies, and inclusions.

Q: Can prices increase after I book? A: No. Your price is locked when you complete booking.

Q: What's included in the price? A: Room, taxes, and mandatory fees. Optional extras are separate.

Q: Do you add booking fees? A: No. We never charge booking fees.

Q: Why is direct booking sometimes cheaper? A: Usually member rates or loyalty program prices. Regular rates are same.

Understanding Your Invoice

Shows breakdown:

  • Nightly rate
  • Number of nights
  • Subtotal
  • Each tax (name, %, amount)
  • Each fee
  • Total

Matches booking confirmation

Need Clarification?

Price questions?

Contact Support

We'll explain:

  • Your specific pricing
  • Breakdown details
  • Any charges
  • Comparison questions

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