Travel News
Hotel Resort Fees in 2026: One Year After the FTC's Junk Fees Rule
The FTC's rule on hidden fees took effect a year ago. Here's what actually changed, what didn't, and how to avoid resort fee traps in 2026.
· 6 min read
Hotel Industry
Guides and stories about hotel industry from Best.
Hotel Industry
How Hotel Pricing Actually Works (And Why You're Paying Too Much)
Most travelers think hotels set prices the way restaurants do. Calculate the costs, add a margin, post the number. That's not what happens. Hotel rates are calculated by software running on yield management models that adjust prices dozens of times per day based on demand signals you can't see. Two travelers booking the same room for the same night a few hours apart will routinely pay different prices. We've spent a lot of time inside this industry building Best, and the pricing logic is more i
· 7 min read
Travel News
How AI Is Changing the Way People Book Hotels
78% of travelers now say they've booked a hotel primarily based on an AI recommendation. That number, from a 2026 research report by TakeUp AI, reflects something that's been building for two or three years and is now clearly past the tipping point. The way people research and book hotels has shifted faster than most of the hotel industry was prepared for. OTAs (online travel agencies like Booking.com and Expedia) overtook search engines as the primary starting point for hotel research in 2026,
· 5 min read
Travel Savings
Hotels Are Charging for Everything Now. Here's What to Know.
Hotels are charging for things they used to include. Not just the resort fees you've been paying for years. Early check-in is a fee. Late checkout is a fee. Daily housekeeping is a fee at some properties. The industry calls it "unbundling." Your bill calls it something else. This is worth understanding because it's accelerating. And because there's a right way to navigate it that most travelers don't know yet. What's Actually Happening The hotel industry spent the last decade bundling amenit
· 5 min read
Travel Savings
Hotel Prices Are Up 5.7% This Spring
US hotels averaged $167 per night the week of April 18, up 5.7% year-over-year. Here's what the spring data means for summer bookings and where to find value.
· 3 min read
Travel Savings
Why Your Hotel Price Changes Every Time You Refresh
Hotel prices move 10 to 15% within a band as algorithms run. Here's how dynamic pricing works and how to book when rates drop.
· 6 min read
Travel News
Why Choice Just Beat Marriott for the #1 Hotel Loyalty Program
Choice Privileges just unseated Marriott Bonvoy in the 2025-2026 hotel loyalty rankings. Here's what changed and how travelers should think about it.
· 6 min read