Book Direct
Book Direct and Love Lake District Locals, Like Us
You know the adverts. Those names are nailed into your brain. Tri-Va-Go. Travel Supermarket. Go CompareEE! They save you time and money, right? It’s the ONLY way to book accommodation in the 21st century, surely?!
Well, not any more it seems.
A growing number of tourists are turning down the convenience that travel platforms offer. And you may well wonder why – what is it that they’re gaining in return? Well, these four things are what…
- By Booking Direct they get to breakaway for less
We’re told over and over that holiday comparison websites save us money – it’s practically ingrained into us as savvy consumers. But what you’ve been told isn’t quite the whole story. Because the commission for EVERY booking made through such websites includes a pretty hefty chunk for the travel platform.
Book Direct and save
On Booking.com it’s 15%.
Trivago also 15%.
Expedia 20 – 25%.
…..and some cottage lettings firms are taking 30% !!!
Ouch.
Needless to say, these ransoms have pushed up the average cost of getting away from it all.
By Booking Direct, you cut out the multi-millionaire middlemen like Booking.com, which are usually based in another country or hidden away in a tax haven. Speaking of which…
- By Booking Direct travellers LOVE the local knowledge
Behind the pixels of Trivago is a marketing team based in Düsseldorf. They know their Bratwurst from their Berg Brauerei. But ask them about Bassenthwaite Lake or Blea Water, and they’ll probably be stumped. That also goes for Expedia, based in the US of A. Or Booking.com, in Amsterdam.
When you Book Direct, you deal with locals, like us – Wayne and Jo, who have walked (and loved) the Lakes since childhood.
I was brought up on a farm and my wife, as a trained nurse, now teaches resuscitation all around the county. We know a scant amount about Amsterdam café culture or little-known facts about the Statue of Liberty, but what we don’t know about the peaks and lakes of Lakeland isn’t worth knowing.
When you Book Direct, you get people like us telling you about the best walks for two + your furry friend (we offer dog friendly accommodation); you can ask about the local history, and get advice on the must-visit attractions for your little ones.
- By Booking Direct, you can grab special offers with both hands
With loftily high commission rates paid to each holiday platform, it should come as little surprise that accommodation owners can put together special offers that benefit you – the traveller, rather than the boardroom and shareholders of some company halfway around the world.
Take our latest Booking Direct deal as the perfect example… BOOK A MARCH MIDWEEK BREAK BETWEEN NOW AND THE 31st MARCH TO GET 15% OFF
***Sometimes, especially off-peak, we can also offer free upgrades when you choose to book direct.
- And finally… THIS warm and fuzzy feeling is all yours
We LOVE what we do, despite the elbow grease, late nights and early mornings. We’ve been running our holiday lets for couples since July 2011. And today more than one-third of our business is repeat guests; many of whom have been 20 to 30 times before. We keep our prices low just for that kind of customer.
Needless to say, it’s SO important for us to keep our reputation growing. And we do this by ensuring guests choose the best cottage for them, and make the most of their visit while they’re with us. Ultimately Booking Direct is the only way we’re able to deliver this level of experience from beginning to end.
And when you DO Book Direct, you become an eco-tourist – a traveller who holidays while leaving a positive impact behind them. In our case, we endeavour to ensure that as much as possible goes straight back into our local economy – helping the Lake District to thrive, so this special part of the UK continues to be a place that’s just as you remember it when you next return.
Holiday websites rip the guts out of the tourist industry. Sky-high commissions have left everyone out of pocket (not only when it comes to money, but also the extra advice and local insight).
Now, with Book Direct, the tides are finally turning, and not a minute too soon.
