How can I get the best deals on premium hotels in India?

The most consistent way to access better rates on premium hotels in India is through trade rate pricing — the rates that travel companies negotiate with hotels that are not publicly available on retail platforms like MakeMyTrip or Booking.com. These rates are typically 10 to 27% below retail depending on the property. INFARE gives independent travellers direct access to these rates through a Trip Pass or annual Subscription — without needing to book a holiday package or go through a travel agent who adds their own margin on top.

Should I book hotels through MakeMyTrip, Goibibo or a travel agent?

Retail platforms like MakeMyTrip and Goibibo show you the publicly available rate — which is what individual travellers pay. A travel agent with access to trade rates pays less for the hotel but then adds their margin before presenting the rate to you — so you get somewhere between retail and trade rate, with no visibility into where exactly. The most transparent option is a platform like INFARE where the trade rate is presented directly to you with no markup — you see what the retail price is, what the trade rate is and what you save, before confirming anything.

How much can I save by not booking hotels at retail prices?

Based on actual rate data pulled on 26th May 2026 across six premium properties in India the saving ranges from 9.1% on the JW Marriott Walnut Grove Mussoorie to 27.2% on Taj Chia Kutir Darjeeling. In absolute rupees a 2-night stay at a premium hill station or Goa property saves ₹6,000 to ₹19,852 at trade rates compared to MakeMyTrip. Across 2 to 3 premium domestic trips a year the consolidated saving typically runs to ₹25,000 to ₹50,000 depending on properties and dates.

Do luxury hotels in India charge different rates to travel companies versus individuals?

Yes — this is standard industry practice. Hotels negotiate dynamic rates with travel companies — agents, tour operators, B2B platforms — that are not publicly displayed on retail booking platforms. These rates reflect the hotel's wholesale pricing tier and are typically lower than retail rates by 10 to 27% on premium properties. Individual travellers booking directly on retail platforms have historically had no access to these rates. This gap is what INFARE exists to close for independent travellers.

Is it worth booking a Taj or Marriott through a travel agent?

It depends on how transparent the agent is about what rate they are passing on and what margin they are adding. Many agents present a package price with no breakdown of the hotel rate component — you have no visibility into whether you are getting trade rates or retail rates with a margin on top. If you are booking a Taj or Marriott as part of a standalone trip rather than a packaged holiday, accessing trade rates directly through INFARE gives you full transparency — the retail price, the trade rate and your saving are all shown clearly before you confirm the booking.

How do I know if I am overpaying for a hotel booking?

The simplest way is to check what trade rates look like for your specific hotel and dates. On the six properties we checked in this post the difference between what MakeMyTrip shows and what trade rates look like ranged from ₹6,000 to nearly ₹20,000 for a 2-night stay. If you are booking a premium or luxury hotel in India and paying retail platform prices there is a high probability you are paying more than travel companies pay for the same room on the same dates. INFARE members see both prices before confirming — and can make an informed decision.

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