Booking.com Content Audit

I conducted a content audit of Booking.com's mobile booking flow, focusing on 7 types of content across the user journey. The 3 highest-priority findings are:

1. Pricing Transparency Failure - "Includes taxes and fees" is misleading (see annotated Screenshot 1)
2. Inflated Anchor Pricing - Strikethrough prices may be fake (see Screenshot 2)
3. Hidden Cancellation Terms - Policy buried behind links (see Screenshot 3)

Each finding includes specific, actionable copy recommendations to improve conversion and user trust.

Booking.com Content Audit

Platform: Mobile (iPhone Safari)

Date: October 11, 2025

Search Results – Property Cards

Current Content:

‘₪3,586 ₪2,117 - Includes taxes and fees’ with strikethrough price

URL/Location: booking.com/searchresults.html

Issue Type: Clarity & Honesty

Status: Update

• Improvement Steps:

1. Remove inflated strikethrough or label as “Standard rate” vs “Deal rate”
2. Change “Includes taxes and fees” to “Base price + most taxes” (resort/city fees apply later)
3. Show complete total: “₪2,117/night + property fees at check-in”
4. Priority: HIGH

Room Selection – Price Disclosure

Current Content:

States “Includes taxes and fees” but hidden resort fee (₪65.47) + city tax (₪11.46) = ₪77 additional

URL/Location: booking.com/hotel/pod-times-square

Issue Type: Clarity & Trust

Status: Update

• Improvement Steps:

1. Replace “Includes taxes and fees” with “Includes 14.75% tax. Resort fee (₪65) + city tax (₪11) charged at property.”
2. Show breakdown: “₪2,117 + ₪77 property fees = ₪2,194 total/night”
3. Add expandable tooltip explaining fee structure
4. Priority: HIGH

Cancellation Policy – Throughout Flow

Current Content:

‘Total cost to cancel’ label but actual policy hidden behind “More details” link

URL/Location: Multiple pages in booking flow

Issue Type: Findability & Clarity

• Status: Update
• Improvement Steps:

1. Show deadline upfront: “Free cancellation until Oct 8” or “Non-refundable”
2. Add visual indicators: ✅ = Free cancellation / ❌ = Non-refundable
3. Display on room cards before clicking
4. Use plain language: “Cancel by [date] for full refund” vs “Total cost to cancel”
5. Priority: HIGH

Urgency Messaging

Current Content:

“Only 5 rooms left at this price on our site” and “We have 5 left” / “We have 1 left”

URL/Location: Search results & room selection pages

Issue Type: Clarity & Brand Voice

• Status: Update
• Improvement Steps:

1. Clarify scope: “on our site” vs “at this property” — specify whether inventory or price availability
2. Be specific: “5 Bunk Pod rooms available” instead of vague “We have 5 left”
3. Remove if scarcity is price-based (dark pattern)
4. Ensure consistent tone — friendly or informative
5. Priority: MEDIUM

Checkout – Price Breakdown

Current Content:

Itemized: Original price, discount, 14.75% tax (₪270.59), Resort fee (₪65.47), City tax (₪11.46), Damage deposit

URL/Location: secure.booking.com/book.html

Issue Type: N/A – Best Practice

• Status: KEEP
• Notes:
• Excellent transparency. Issue: Users only see this level of detail at checkout.
• Recommendation: Apply this same itemized breakdown earlier in the booking flow (search results and property pages).
• Priority: N/A

Homepage – Value Props

Current Content:

“FREE cancellation on most rooms” / “2+ million properties” / “Trusted 24/7 customer service”

URL/Location: booking.com homepage

Issue Type: Readability & Clarity

• Status: Update
• Improvement Steps:

1. Define “most rooms” — e.g., “FREE cancellation on 80% of properties”
2. Improve visual hierarchy with clearer spacing
3. Make icons more distinctive for faster scanning
4. Priority: LOW

Currency Conversion Warning

Current Content:

“Price converted to ILS. You’ll pay in USD. Exchange rate might change before you pay.”

URL/Location: Checkout – Price Information section

Issue Type: N/A – Best Practice

Status: KEEP

• Notes:
• Excellent transparency regarding conversion and rate changes. Warns about foreign transaction fees.
• Recommendation: None – maintain current messaging.
• Priority: N/A

Audit Goals

1. Increase booking completion by improving price transparency
2. Reduce user confusion about fees and cancellation policies
3. Build trust through accurate property descriptions and honest pricing
4. Improve help/support content findability

Key Finding

Price transparency is inconsistent across the user journey — excellent at final checkout but misleading in earlier stages.

This inconsistency erodes trust and contributes to booking abandonment.