Hotels.com

Overview

Hotels.com is a global accommodation-focused online travel agency owned by Expedia Group. Originating as Hotel Reservations Network in 1991, the brand was rebranded Hotels.com in 2002 and acquired by Expedia, where it has remained a leading hotel-only consumer brand ever since.

Business Model

Hotels.com sells exclusively accommodation, ranging from major hotel chains to independent properties, hostels and serviced apartments. It runs primarily on a merchant model leveraging Expedia Group's central supply and payments platform. The brand's marketing has historically emphasized loyalty value rather than packaged trip products.

Market Position

Hotels.com is among the most recognized hotel-only OTA brands worldwide and was historically the strongest challenger to Booking.com on hotel-specific search. Inside Expedia Group it serves customers who specifically want a hotel-first booking experience, complementing Expedia.com's full-service positioning.

Key Facts

Hotels.com is famous for its long-running Welcome Rewards program, which gave one reward night for every ten nights booked. That program was sunset in 2023 and replaced by participation in Expedia Group's One Key program, ending one of the longest-running hotel loyalty propositions in the OTA sector. The brand operates more than 85 localized websites in 35+ languages.