The purpose of this study was to explore the criteria that influence tourists’ decision to purchase an accommodation service, as well as their evaluation and classification according to the way they obtain accommodation services, in the context of online purchasing behavior. For this purpose, we have carried out a quantitative research. The obtained results indicate that the volume of re-rentals, promotional prices and the rating of the reviews were most frequently mentioned by the respondents as being very important in the purchase of accommodation services. Also, these criteria vary significantly depending on the way of purchasing the accommodation service. These findings contribute significantly to the existing literature on tourist preferences and provide practical implications for hoteliers.