Among the wide choice of online hotel booking platforms, Zenhotels has carved out its own place among competitors with properties in over 220 countries worldwide. We’ve reviewed the website below.
(Photo: Zenhotels.com)
Overview
Based in Limassol, Cyprus, Zenhotels was founded back in 2010 and quickly grew to become a respected player in a hugely competitive online marketplace. The site offers travellers over 2.5 million accommodation options, with varying category types including hotels, hostels and apartments, and with all budgets and tastes catered for, from no-frills guesthouses to the very pinnacle in luxury.
User Experience, Pricing, and Customer Feedback
The first thing you notice is that the website’s search and booking flow feels familiar compared to other online travel agencies, with the option to filter by dates, location, price and property type. Once selected, the booking process is generally completed quickly with instant confirmation. On Trustpilot, a significant portion of users say Zenhotels delivers on its promise of low prices, reporting finding cheaper rates than on mainstream booking sites and the search filters making it fairly simple to locate hotels in their preferred area.
However, overall customer feedback on Zenhotels is notably mixed, especially when compared with larger booking sites. Reviews on Trustpilot frequently point to frustrations around pricing clarity and reliability. For example, users have reported currency switching, unexpected charges, or confirmations that didn’t match what was shown during booking.
(Photo: Zenhotels.com)
Cancellation Policies
Zenhotels’ cancellation policy is pretty straightforward once you understand how each booking type works. For refundable rates, provided you are still within the free cancellation window, you can cancel directly through your Zenhotels account and the amount you paid will be returned to your original payment method. For non-refundable bookings or cancellations requested after the free window has passed, Zenhotels will still contact the hotel or supplier on your behalf to see whether a refund or reduced fee is possible. The company is transparent that the final decision rests with the accommodation provider, so there’s no guarantees, but the platform does make an effort to negotiate on the traveller’s behalf and keep them updated by email throughout the process.
(Photo: Zenhotels.com)
Booking.com vs. Zenhotels.com: Which Should You Choose?
When comparing Zenhotels.com with a major online travel agency like Booking.com, the obvious difference is that Booking.com is one of the largest hotel booking platforms in the world, with all the benefits that come from its size and long-standing market presence, including 24/7 customer support and verified guest reviews.
When it comes to user experience, there probably isn’t much in it, with both Zenhotels.com and Booking.com’s interfaces polished and intuitive. The one area where Zenhotels seem to have an advantage is in slightly more competitive pricing – most likely due to charging providers a lower commission than Booking.com. However, its smaller scale means fewer built-in protections, which appears to contribute to the mixed experiences reported by users.
Therefore, on balance, we would recommend Booking.com thanks to their robust support infrastructure and generally stronger reliability.
By Paul Joseph