10 Best Hotel Booking Sites In Canada (2024): Get The Best Deals

Are you looking for the best hotel deals?

Whether you’re going on vacation, visiting family, or planning a business trip, hotel booking sites can help you find great deals by allowing you to compare hotels side-by-side.

You may also find better deals than booking directly through the hotel. With hotel prices skyrocketing in popular cities like Toronto, it helps to save every dollar you can.

Below, I’ll compare the best hotel booking sites in Canada and perform a live test of each platform to see what type of prices I get. Are you ready to save big on your next trip?

Can You Really Save Money With Hotel Booking Sites?

If you ask frequent travellers about the best ways to save money on hotels, you’ll likely get a mix of different tips, such as:

• Book your hotels last-minute and ask for cancellations
• Book your hotel stays several months in advance
• Compare rates from multiple hotels
• Use a travel rewards credit card (such as the AMEX Cobalt Card)
• Avoid peak travel dates

Each platform has an algorithm that automatically scans top hotels that match your criteria (dates, room size, number of beds, hotel rating, etc.).

To help you find the best rates, each site may factor in multiple details, such as recent room cancellations, promotions offered by hotels, savings for booking multiple nights, and other factors.

One of the best ways that a hotel booking site can help you save is by allowing you to compare hotel rates side-by-side for the same dates.

Additionally, some hotels offer special deals for customers booking through a comparison platform. There’s greater competition since customers are comparing multiple stays side-by-side, so hotels are incentivized to offer better rates.

• Related Reading: 11 Ways To Travel For Free (Or Cheap)

Hotel Booking Site Comparison

There are a number of hotel booking sites in Canada that all claim to offer the best deals.

So, to help my readers out, I decided to compare the rates I got from 10 of the top hotel booking platforms based on booking a three-day trip to Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal on the dates: July 18th – July 21st, 2023.

To keep things consistent, I wanted to choose a date that was farther out to ensure that my chosen hotels weren’t booked out (a common occurrence in major cities like these).

For reference, I’m writing this towards the end of April, which means I’m booking my trip more than two months in advance. Rates can increase if you book a trip closer to your travel date.

To ensure the rates were somewhat similar, I decided to stick with Hilton Hotels, as they’re popular, moderately-priced, 4-star hotels for families, business trips, and vacations alike.

Here are the locations and addresses that I searched for:

• Hilton Toronto: 145 Richmond St W
• Hilton Vancouver Downtown: 433 Robson St
• Embassy Suites By Hilton Montreal: 208 Rue Saint-Antoine O

Hotel Booking Site	Toronto: Hilton	Vancouver: Hilton Downtown	Montreal: Embassy Suites by Hilton
Hotels.com	$472/night	$602/night	$292/night
TripAdvisor*	$472/night	$602/night	$292/night
Kayak*	$473/night	$602/night	$238/night
Priceline	$471/night	$671/night	$290/night
Google Hotels*	$468/night	$596/night	$290/night
Expedia	$469/night	$597/night	$290/night
Hopper	$470/night	$601/night	$292/night
Trip.com	$469/night	$597/night	$334/night
Agoda	$469/night	$597/night	$290/night
Booking.com	$469/night	$598/night	$290/night

Interestingly enough, most platforms offered the same booking prices, within a few dollars of each other. Certain sites offered better deals in one city, which is where the variance can take place.

To be fair, rates and deals can change in an instant. One week, Expedia may offer the best deals, and the next week, TripAdvisor could offer even better deals. This is why it can be helpful to compare rates from multiple hotel booking sites.

Another thing to remember is that certain hotel booking sites may offer loyalty deals to frequent users. Sometimes, it pays to simply stick with one reliable booking site.

Best Hotel Booking Sites In Canada: Try These Before Your Next Trip

Now that you’ve had a chance to see a side-by-side comparison of the best hotel booking sites in Canada, let’s take a closer look at each and examine some of the pros and cons I found while testing and researching each platform.

1. Hotels.com

• Check Rates Today: hotels.com

Hotels.com is a popular hotel booking site that offers a user-friendly interface and a variety of accommodation options throughout Canada and internationally.

They have an excellent rewards program that offers one free night for every ten nights booked through the platform and provide genuine guest reviews to help travellers make informed decisions.

2. TripAdvisor

• Check Rates Today: tripadvisor.ca

TripAdvisor is a well-known travel platform that offers hotel booking services, flight booking, car rentals, experiences, dining, and more. What makes TripAdvisor such a great platform is that it has a large global user base and features public reviews, similar to Yelp! or Google.

If you’re looking for the nitty-gritty pros and cons of a certain hotel or restaurant, you’ll find the truth on TripAdvisor.

That being said, TripAdvisor is more of a review site than it is a booking site. When you “book” a hotel or trip through the platform, TripAdvisor automatically runs your request through its affiliated booking platforms, which include Expedia, Hotels.com, and many of the other platforms I mentioned on this list.

So if you want to compare the best rates across multiple platforms, TripAdvisor should be your go-to.

The downside of TripAdvisor is that it doesn’t offer a loyalty program like other platforms. Since it’s not a booking site itself, there’s no point. However, it’s a great place to start your research and find authentic reviews of hotels before you book them on another platform.

3. Kayak

• Check Rates Today: kayak.com

Kayak is a comprehensive travel search engine that allows users to find and book hotels, flights, and rental cars. Its powerful search and filter options make it easy to find the best hotel deals in Canada, while the platform’s travel planning tools can streamline your trip organization.

Similar to TripAdvisor, Kayak isn’t a booking platform itself. It’s partnered with third-party booking platforms like Priceline, Expedia, and Hotels.com. Once you begin searching for stays, Kayak will help you find the best booking platform with the lowest prices.

The real benefit of the Kayak platform is that you can book your entire vacation, from the hotel to dining reservations, flights, and even car rentals. It has a great user interface and saves all of your recent searches, making it great for planning purposes.

4. Priceline

• Check Rates Today: priceline.ca

Priceline allows users to bid on hotel rooms through their “Name Your Own Price” feature. This, coupled with their Express Deals, provides travellers with significant savings on hotel stays in Canada.

Where Priceline really stands out is that it offers some incredible bundle deals. If you’re trying to book an all-inclusive vacation to the Caribbean or book a trip to Toronto that includes the flight, hotel room, and rental car, this is a great platform to deal-hunt on.

You can also sign up for the VIP program to get special rates, alerts on cheap vacation packages, and more.

5. Google Hotels

• Check Rates Today: google.com/travel

Google Hotels is a hotel search and booking tool integrated within the Google ecosystem.

It lets users quickly compare hotel prices, view photos, and read Google reviews. Its integration with Google Maps makes it easy to explore the surrounding areas of hotels.

You can’t book hotels directly through Google Hotels. However, the platform will give you the best rates with third-party hotel booking sites. The unique feature here is that you can also view the price offered by the hotel itself, so you can see if it’s better to book directly or through a booking platform.

I also really like the user interface. Some of the other travel search engines I’ve mentioned can be slow, clunky, and have annoying pop-up ads and prompts. Google’s travel search engine is clean, doesn’t have any banner ads, and generates accurate results quickly.

6. Expedia.ca

• Check Rates Today: expedia.ca

Expedia.ca is a leading travel booking site tailored specifically for Canadian users. The platform offers a wide range of hotels across Canada and offers bundling options for flights and hotels. Expedia is also a great platform for booking cruises.

It has a clean, no-nonsense user interface, which makes it easy to load.

7. Hopper

• Check Rates Today: hopper.com

Hopper is a mobile app that uses data-driven insights to predict hotel prices and help users save on bookings. It offers price tracking and notifications, which can be sent directly to your phone, helping you to lock in the best prices possible.

The only downside of Hopper is that it’s mobile-only. It doesn’t offer a desktop app or website, which could be a dealbreaker for some. However, I really like how it’s mobile alert system is set up, and you can find some really great last-minute deals on the app.

8. Trip.com

• Check Rates Today: trip.com

Trip.com is a global travel booking site that offers a wide range of accommodation options in Canada and internationally. Travellers can easily search and book hotels, flights, activities, cruises, and even trains (which no other platform I’ve looked at offers).

The platform also provides 24/7 customer support and offers a rewards program for loyal users.

However, I really dislike the website’s user interface. It’s covered with pop-ups and banner ads that make everything load slowly. It also constantly prompts you to create an account, which can be annoying for casual browsers.

9. Agoda

• Check Rates Today: agoda.com

Agoda is a hotel booking site focusing on international travellers. It offers various accommodation options in Canada, including hotels, hostels, and vacation rentals.

The platform provides useful search filters and offers competitive prices, making it a popular choice for travellers seeking unique Canadian stays.

You can even search for hostels, which is great for those travelling on a tight budget or looking for a more authentic experience.

10. Booking.com

• Check Rates Today: booking.com

Booking.com is a leading hotel booking site that allows users to book hotels, flights, attractions, rental cars, and bundles. The platform has a relatively user-friendly interface, and there aren’t too many pop-ups or clunky ads. It also features flexible booking options and genuine guest reviews, similar to TripAdvisor.

Alternative: Booking Travel Reservations Through Your Credit Card Company

Another great way to save money on booking hotels is through your credit card company. For example, both Capital One and American Express offer their own travel booking platform that allows cardholders to find excellent deals on hotels, flights, car rentals, and more.

When you combine a good travel rewards credit card with the card’s accompanying travel booking platform, you’ll often receive a higher percentage off or have the opportunity to earn more travel rewards points.

Want to learn more? Check out my list of the best travel rewards credit cards in Canada!

Picking The Best Hotel Booking Site: Things To Keep In Mind

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you’re comparing hotel booking sites in Canada.

Cancellation Policy

Each hotel booking platform has a different cancellation policy. Some platforms offer free cancellation within a certain time period, while others may charge a fee. Some may upcharge users by allowing them to purchase some form of cancellation insurance.

Hidden Fees

Top-rated hotel booking sites tend to be upfront about all of their fees. However, some booking sites may only give you an estimated price. By the time you check out, room prices may have changed, and the platform may add currency exchange fees, additional taxes, or even middleman fees.

How Do Hotel Booking Sites Make Money?

If hotel booking sites allow users to save money, you may be wondering how the booking platforms themselves make money. Here’s how:

• Hotel partnerships/subscriptions: Hotels often pay membership fees so that their listings are included on the booking site
• Banner ads: You’ll notice that many hotel booking sites feature banner ads and pop-ups, which generate ad revenue for the site
• Third-party apps: Third-party hotel booking platforms, car rental agencies, airlines, cruise lines, and tourism companies often pay booking sites to refer them customers

Conclusion – What’s The Best Hotel Booking Site In Canada?

Out of the booking sites above, I have to say that Google Hotels is my favourite. I like how simple, fast-loading and accurate the results are. You don’t have to deal with annoying ads and pop-ups, and you can read authentic customer reviews about each hotel.

Have you been bitten by the “travel bug?” If so, keep on reading to see all the interesting ways that travelling can help you earn more money!