There are lots of websites out there to help you book hotels, and Trivago is a site that helps you compare prices from all of those booking websites.
Similar to other metasearch engines like Kayak and Skyscanner, you can use the site to search for hotel prices, but not to book a hotel room. However, unlike those other metasearch engines, you’ll only be able to find hotels on Trivago — the site doesn’t offer flights, cars, cruises, or vacation packages.
In this post, we’ll show you how to use Trivago to compare hotel prices, plus we’ll do some price comparisons to see if you can save money.
What is Trivago?
Trivago is a German company, started by 3 friends in a garage. It’s been around since 2005 and U.S.-based Expedia now owns a majority of the company’s stock.
This metasearch engine helps you find cheap hotel prices. You won’t actually book a hotel through Trivago — you’ll use the site to compare prices on booking websites and independent hotel chains to help you find the cheapest prices.
Trivago is an easy-to-use site without many bells and whistles. There’s no Trivago credit card or loyalty program. You’ll simply use the site to search for a hotel, then you’ll be transferred to a different site to complete your booking.
Trivago searches prices and deals on hundreds of websites. Some are popular and some are sites you may not have heard of before including:
How to Use Trivago
Using Trivago to search for a hotel room is simple and only requires a few steps. Since Trivago is a metasearch engine, you’ll use it to conduct your search, but you’ll be transferred to another website to complete your booking.
First, enter your destination (a specific hotel, city, or landmark), travel dates, and type of room you’re looking for (1-person, 2-person, family room, or multiple rooms).
Next, you’ll be able to filter and sort your results list using the criteria listed above the results. Or search for a hotel by location using the map at the right of your screen.
If you’re looking for specific hotel features, use the More filters drop-down box. You’ll be able to filter your results list by very specific criteria including:
- 24-hour room service
- Adults-only
- Airport shuttle
- Balcony
- Beach
- Bike rental
- Free cancellation
- Free Wi-Fi
- Gym
- Halal food
- Pool
- Sauna
- Spa
- Towels at the pool
- Washing machine
- Whirlpool/hot tub
Each listing will display information about the hotel along with a few different prices. To expand the list to show all of the prices, use the dropdown arrow. When you click on a price, you’ll be taken to a separate website (either the hotel’s website or an online travel agency) to book.
Using the Trivago Map Feature
Trivago has a great interactive map feature to help you find a great hotel based on location. After you enter your search criteria, you’ll get a list of results as well as a map.
The map will mark each hotel with the price per night so you can easily know which hotels are within your budget. If you hover over the price, more information about the hotel will pop up. Then you can click the pop-up to get transferred to the booking website to complete your reservation.
Trivago Mobile App
The Trivago mobile app makes it easy to search for a hotel room while you’re on the go. You can even use the app to search by your current location so you can easily find a hotel close to where you are.
Searching for a hotel on the mobile app is similar to searching on the website. You’ll input your destination and travel dates, search and filter your results, and compare prices.
Trivago Magazine
Trivago Magazine is a travel blog that you’ll find on the homepage of Trivago.
Through Trivago Magazine, you’ll find over 800 articles on all things travel — from family vacations to romantic getaways for 2; from fantastic hotels to incredible destinations all over the world.
Price Comparisons
Let’s take a look to see if Trivago can help you find the best prices on hotels.
Example #1
For this example, we priced out a week-long stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Cancun, Mexico (now the Kempinski Cancun). Prices are for the lowest cost room available for 1 week and include all taxes and fees.
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Hotel | Trivago | Hotel’s Website | Expedia | Hotels.com | Booking.com | Orbitz |
Ritz-Carlton Cancun | $1,723.52 | $2,715.89 | $2,705.22 | $2,705.22 | $2,747,85 | $2,705.22 |
As you can see, in this price comparison, Trivago blows the other websites out of the water in terms of price. You’d save almost $1,000 by searching through Trivago (booking through TravelUp).
Hot Tip: One thing to remember is that when you book a hotel that has a loyalty programthrough a third party website, you generally won’t earn points, and any status you have may not be recognized by the hotel.
Example #2
In this example, let’s look at a week-long stay at The Oxford Hotel in Denver, Colorado. Prices are for the lowest cost room available for 1 week and include all taxes and fees.
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Hotel | Trivago | Hotel’s Website | Expedia | Hotels.com | Booking.com | Orbitz |
The Oxford Hotel | $1,812.36 | $1,833.95 | $1,812.36 | $1,812.36 | N/A | $1,812.36 |
In this example, Trivago’s lowest price (through Hotels.com) was the same as the other booking websites. In this instance, your best bet would be to book through an online travel agency that has a loyalty program like Hotels.com or Orbitz.
Bottom Line: The good news is that in both of these examples, Trivago offered the lowest price. However, it’s always good to price out your hotel stay on a few different websites before you book. Check out our guide to the best websites to book hotels for some guidance.
Final Thoughts
Trivago is a metasearch engine that compares prices on hundreds of other websites to find you the best hotel deal. Once you find a deal you like, you’ll be transferred to a booking website to complete your reservation.
If you aren’t sure where to book the hotel for your next vacation, Trivago can be a great place to start. It’s free to use and you’ll be able to quickly see prices for your chosen hotel on many different websites all at once so you can make an informed decision.
