More than 10,000 hotels across Europe have joined a class action lawsuit against Booking.com, seeking compensation for financial losses allegedly caused by the platform's long-standing use of restrictive pricing policies.
The suit, coordinated by the Hotel Claims Alliance and supported by HOTREC, the umbrella association representing hotels, restaurants, and cafés across the EU, aims to recover damages incurred between 2004 and 2024.
Central to the claim are the so-called "best-price" clauses that prevented hotels from offering lower prices on their websites or other booking platforms.
Thirty national hotel associations, including Germany’s IHA, are backing the initiative. The lawsuit is to be filed in Amsterdam, where Booking.com is headquartered.
It references a ruling by the European Court of Justice on September 19, 2024, which found such clauses to be anti-competitive and unlawful under EU regulations. The platform officially discontinued the practice in 2024 following the enforcement of the EU Digital Markets Act.
HOTREC President Alexandros Vassilikos stated that European hoteliers have endured years of unfair commercial conditions, calling the lawsuit a united stand against digital market abuses.
Due to overwhelming interest, the deadline to join the lawsuit has been extended until August 29.
In response, Booking.com stated it has not received formal notification of legal proceedings and described HOTREC’s announcement as a public statement rather than an active class action. The company maintains that all partner accommodations are free to determine their own pricing and distribution strategies.
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