Apps are now part of our daily lives.
Almost all the services you need for daily activities now exist in the form of an app.
Whether it’s shopping, ordering food, finding a cab, or even seeking accommodation, there’s an app that’s got you covered.
If you travel a lot whether for business, vacation, or tourism, you’d agree that accommodation is an important aspect of trips. Fortunately, there are a lot of available apps (free and paid) that can help to fulfill accommodation needs.
In Australia, there has been a steady increase in the number of apps that are being developed to fulfill accommodation needs. This comes as no surprise because Australia is among the top tourist destinations in the world.
Top 8 Accommodation Apps in Australia
In this article, you’ll get the list of the best apps for finding accommodation in Australia. Whether it’s a short-term or long-term stay, the apps on this list will get you the best accommodation in Australia for your trip.
1. HotelsCombined
HotelsCombined is quite unique in its realm because it’s not your ordinary hotel booking website. It is a metasearch engine for hotel booking websites.
What this means is that the app maintains a huge database of hotels and their prices as obtainable on different hotel booking websites.
So, when you search for a hotel using this app, you’re not just getting results from one source. Rather, you’re getting deals from different hotel booking websites combined. This gives you the option of customizing your search results based on your preference and budget while being sure that you’re getting the best deals.
After searching and choosing a hotel, you will then be redirected to the original hotel booking website that the hotel deal was sourced to complete your booking and transaction.
HotelsCombined is a subsidiary company currently owned and managed by Booking Holdings whose headquarters is in Sydney, Australia. They’ve partnered with top travel websites in Australia and around the world to make sure users get the best deals.
Platforms
- Android
- iOS
- Facebook Messenger
- Web
Pros
- It’s easy to use; the interface of the app is clean, simple, and straightforward
- It’s available on different platforms. You can even get hotel deals directly from your Facebook messenger app
- The app offers you great deals from different travel websites including the ones you’ve never heard of
Cons
- Because HotelsCombined works with many travel sites, you might get deals from sites with a questionable reputation. Hence, it’s your duty to make proper findings and research about any website offered to you (if you’ve never heard of them)
2. LastMinute
LastMinute is a UK-based OTA (online travel agency) that has been in operation for over 20 years. Although they’re a UK-based company, they offer their services to Australia and other countries.
The app offers almost all travel and leisure services you will need for your trip as a traveler. You get services like hotel reservations, flight booking, car hire, restaurant reservation, and so much more.
Just like most travel apps and websites, it promises amazing offers at the best-valued prices.
LastMinute was founded in 1998 and currently has its headquarters in London, UK. Over the years, it has received a lot of criticisms, especially in regards to its partnerships and customer support. But it’s still arguably one of the most popular travel agencies in Australia.
Platforms
- Android
- iOS
- Web
Pros
- It is available on most major platforms
- Nice and easy to use interface
- It features real-time notification for deals and offers
Cons
- There are lots of negative reviews about the services offered
- Poor customer support
3. 10Travlr
This is one of the new players in the online travel marketplace. It was created as a result of a partnership between Tens Network Holdings (an Australian media company) and Travlr (an existing travel agency).
10Travlr was designed to be a platform that can be used to present branded travel offerings to existing audiences and advertisers of the Tens Media Networks. The app offers most of the things you need as a traveler or tourist. By using it, you can book flights, make hotel and restaurant reservations, and do other things.
It also features a list of activities and places you can explore in Australia. This is very useful for tourists who are visiting the country for the first time.
Platforms
- Android
- iOS
- Web
Pros
- It is well suited for use in Australia
- You can use it as a guide for places to explore
- You get a clean and easy to use interface
- It supports most major platforms
Cons
- The app is relatively new, so it might not have as many offers and deals as existing apps
4. Agoda
With a reported listing of over 2 million properties globally, Agoda can also be regarded as a major player in the travel industry. Being a subsidiary company of Booking Holdings, Agoda serves as a travel agency and a metasearch engine for hotels, vacation centers, flights, among other things.
It offers its services internationally to different countries including Australia. With the Agoda app, users can book a flight, pay for accommodation, rent a car, and do other things — all at affordable prices.
Agoda was founded in 2003 and was acquired by Booking Holdings in 2007. Their app is available on all major platforms with their initial Android and iOS versions launched in 2011.
Platforms
- Android
- iOS
- Web
Pros
- The app features great deals from different travel websites
- It provides many offers to choose from
- Easy to use
Cons
- Agoda has faced a lot of criticisms, especially in the aspect of offering refunds to customers
5. Hotels.com
Just like its name suggests, Hotels.com is an online platform majorly for booking hotel rooms. You can also use it to book apartments, B&Bs, condos, and other types of commercial lodgings.
They offer their services to various countries including Australia and have reported a listing of over 300,000 hotels in over 19,000 locations.
As a hotel booking platform, one of its most popular features is its reward system. For every 10 nights you spend in a hotel after using their platform, you get one night for free.
Hotels.com was established in 1991 and is currently an operating company of Expedia Group — an online travel agency.
Platforms
- Android
- iOS
- Web
Pros
- Available on all major platforms
- It features a very nice reward system
- Very easy to use
- It has many hotel listings for most cities
Cons
- Prices might not be the cheapest
- It lacks offers for bigger hotel chains
6. Wotif
Wotif is an international online platform for making hotel reservations. Its services are available in different countries with established offices in New Zealand, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
Apart from hotel reservations, Wotif also offers additional services like flight bookings, car rentals, and so on. Like most hotel reservation platforms, this platform also promises exclusive offers and deals with free cancellation of hotel reservations.
Wotif was established in March 2000 and is now owned by Expedia.
Platforms
- Android
- iOS
- Web
Pros
- Offers a lot of travel services
- Features real-time travel alert and updates
- Its user interface is simple and easy to navigate
- Offers amazing deals with free cancellation of reservation
Cons
- There are many negative reviews about the services rendered
- Poor customer relation
- Customer support needs improvement
7. Booking.com
If you’re a regular traveler who makes reservations using online travel agencies, then you might have heard of Booking.com.
It’s one of the most popular online travel agencies (OTA) with thousands of accommodation options available through its mobile app and website. With Booking.com, you have a variety of accommodation options to choose from — ranging from something as simple as a basic condo all the way to a 5-star luxury hotel.
Apart from accommodation reservations, you can also book a flight, pay for a train ride, rent a car, and book a reservation in a restaurant.
Booking.com is one of the oldest travel agencies and was first established in 1996. It is a subsidiary company of Booking Holdings Inc. and its headquarters is currently in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Platforms
- Android
- iOS
- Web
Pros
- This is one of the oldest and most reliable travel agencies
- You get thousands of accommodation options to choose from
- It is suited for use in Australia and several countries
Cons
- Customer support and relation is quite unimpressive
8. Expedia.com
This is one of the oldest travel agencies available. It is a sister company of Expedia Group alongside other popular online travel agencies like Hotels.com, Trivago, and HomeAway.
It provides great deals and offers for different travel services like hotel accommodation, flight booking, car rental, and cruise ships. It also features a reward system where users earn points for every transaction performed. These points can later be utilized to access amazing deals and offers.
The app also offers free hotel cancellation, and it’s one of the few online travel agencies that allow users to pay for their services using cryptocurrencies like bitcoin.
Expedia was initially founded in 1996 as a division of Microsoft. But it was later announced as a public company in 1999 before it was eventually purchased by USA Networks Inc. in 2001.
Platforms
- Android
- iOS
- Web
Pros
- Easy to use
- Offers a wide variety of services
- Features real-time updates, alerts, and a reward system
- Available on all major platforms
- Supports cryptocurrency payment
Cons
- It has also faced some criticisms, especially in regards to user privacy
- Listed hotel photos can sometimes be deceitful — looking better than they actually are
Conclusion
Australia is a country with lots of amazing places to visit. Unlike what some people might imagine, getting accommodation – even as a foreigner – isn’t very difficult. It can be easily achieved by using your smartphone.
